22 Not long after establishing Port Orford, Captain Tichenor lost his ship, the Sea Gull, at the mouth of the Humboldt River. The loss of his ship was not the end of his sailing career which continued for many years. William Tichenor, like many people of his time, held numerous positions in the fledgling state of Oregon. He held seats in the Oregon legislature in 1855 and 1858, he was named Customs Collector in 1861, and Postmaster of Port Orford in 1863 and 1883. In addition, he was a lawyer and a U.S. Deputy Surveyor. As a U.S. Deputy Surveyor, William Tichenor surveyed two contracts to the east of Port Orford in Township 32 South Range 12 and 13 West. As documented by Jerry Olson in his brief biography of William Tichenor, he had a run in with the U.S. Army over use of army buildings on his claim. After asserting his claim to the buildings, he was ultimately arrested and spent time in Alcatraz prison in San Francisco. He was released when he agreed to let the army Battle Rock at Port Orford as depicted in the 19th century by author John Caughey in “Oregon: Her history, her great men, her literature” (public domain photo). continued A historical marker marks Battle Rock City Park at the intersection of Oregon Coast Highway (U.S. 101) and Jefferson Street, on the right when traveling east on 101. Credit: Creative Commons photo by jazedon. The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 45, No. 4 The Lost Surveyor
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