Francis Pettygrove

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Francis Pettygrove (center) and others

Francis William Pettygrove (born 1812 in Maine, died 1887 in Port Townsend, Washington), commonly known as William Pettygrove, was a pioneer and one of the founders of the cities of Portland, Oregon and Port Townsend, Washington. After a career as a shopkeeper in Portland, Maine, he migrated west to the Oregon Territory, and purchased a share of a claim on a 640 acre tract of land from William Overton, becoming partners with Asa Lovejoy.

In 1845, Lovejoy and Pettygrove held their famous coin toss to decide the name of the city which was being platted on the claim; each desiring to name the area after his hometown. Pettygrove won the toss over Lovejoy (a native of Boston, Massachusetts), and thus Portland, Oregon was born.

Pettygrove sold his share in 1857 to Daniel Lownsdale and moved to modern-day Washington state, where he would (with others) found the city Port Townsend. He died there in 1887 and is buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery.

N.W. Pettygrove Street in Portland is named after him and his former home at 2287 NW Pettygrove St is known as Pettygrove House.