Peter Burnett lived a full life. From a Tennessee childhood; to a legal career in Missouri; to captain of a wagon train to Orgeon; to incipient government positions in Oregon and California where in both cases he played major roles in the development of those governments. His governmental experience in Oregon capped as Supreme Judge for the Provisional Government. In California, he served as the State’s first Governor, later becoming an associate judge on the State’s Supreme Court. For all of that, Burnett remains best known for his stance against most non-Caucasian people allowed to live in either Oregon or California.

Because of his attitudes on race – he was from Tennessee, after all – Burnett has become a sidenote in history for the most part. One recent biography has chronicled his life, otherwise his +400-page autobiography – still found online – suffices to fill out some of his varied wanderings.