Joseph Nathan Teal

{{Short description|American lawyer (1858–1929)}}

{{Infobox person

|name = Joseph Nathan Teal

|image = Joseph N. Teal.png

|image_size =

|caption = Joseph Nathan Teal

|birth_date = 1858

|birth_place = Eugene, Oregon

|death_date = 1929

|death_place = Portland, Oregon

|education =

|occupation = Attorney

}}

Joseph Nathan Teal (1858–1929) was a prominent attorney and civic leader in Portland, Oregon in the early 20th century. He was known as an advocate of waterway development in the Pacific Northwest.Biographical note from: {{cite news

|title=The Mighty River of the West

|first=J. N.

|last=Teal

|work=National Waterways

|date=November 1912

}} He served as the chair of the Oregon Conservation Commission under governors Frank Benson and Oswald West. In 1909 he spoke at the first National Conservation Congress in Seattle.{{cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/progress/conserve/teal.html|title=Chair of the Oregon Conservation Commission Speaks for Conservation - American Memory Timeline- Classroom Presentation - Teacher Resources - Library of Congress|work=loc.gov}} He served as the U.S. Shipping Commissioner in 1920–21.{{cite web|url=http://nwda.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv20394|title=Archives West: Joseph Nathan Teal papers, 1900-1926|work=orbiscascade.org}}

Teal was promoted as a candidate for United States Secretary of the Interior in 1913.{{cite web|url=http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83025138/1913-01-25/ed-1/seq-10/#date1=1846&index=17&rows=20&words=canal+Canal+Joseph+Nathan+Teal&searchType=advanced&sequence=0&proxdistance=5&date2=2013&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=&andtext=Joseph+Nathan+Teal+canal&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1|title=Dealers' sessions end | work=Morning Oregonian | location=Portland, Ore. | date=January 25, 1913 | page=10}} He commissioned the statue "The Pioneer" in Eugene.{{Cite journal|last=Huckins|first=Chloe|date=Winter 2014|title=The Best Statue on Campus|url=http://library.state.or.us/repository/2012/201206051033302/Win2014.pdf|journal=Oregon Quarterly|volume=94|issue=2|pages=27|via=library.state.or.us/repository}} His only child (as of 1919) was Ruth Josephine Teal, who married Carleton Walter Betts of Buffalo in 1919.{{cite web|url=http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83025138/1919-11-05/ed-1/seq-12/#date1=1846&index=9&rows=20&words=canal+Joseph+Nathan+Teal&searchType=advanced&sequence=0&proxdistance=5&date2=2013&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=&andtext=Joseph+Nathan+Teal+canal&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1|title=Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, November 05, 1919, Page 12, Image 12|work=uoregon.edu}}