In 1852, Chenoweth was elected as a Democrat to the Oregon Territorial Legislature representing Clark and Lewis counties.1852 Regular Session (4th Territorial). Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on December 18, 2008. Both counties were north of the Columbia, and while in office from late 1852 to early 1853 he advocated to create a new territory on that side of the river. On March 2, 1853, Washington Territory was created out of the northern and eastern portions of Oregon Territory, eliminating those counties.Weber, Dennis. "The Creation of Washington Territory" , Columbia Magazine, Fall 2003; Vol. 17, No. 3. The following year Chenoweth was elected to the Washington House of Representatives, again representing Clark County.Levesque, Ellen.
