# Oregon Historical Quarterly/Volume 17/Number 4

Fisher correspondence continued in Volume 19.
​positions taken by contributors to its pags.
THE KLAMATH EXPLORING EXPEDITION, 1850
SETTLEMENT OF THE UMPQUA VALLEY ITS OUTCOME.
By SOCRATES SCHOLFIELD.
Upon the discovery of gold in the beds of the streams and in the mountains of California, it was reasonably expected that rich deposits would also be found in the beds of some of the many unexplored streams and in the mountains of the con- tiguous Territory of Oregon. And acting upon such sugges- tion of probability, Messrs. Herman Winchester, Caspar Thomas Hopkins, Horace J. Paine, Galen Burdett and Eldridge G. Hall, citizens of San Francisco, originated a joint stock company, the stock of which consisted of one hundred shares of one hundred dollars each, which was soon taken up. The objects of the company were to explore and make settle- ments on what was supposed to be the Klamath river, but which being wrongly laid down on the map was in reality Rogue river, the location of the mouth of the Klamath river being then unknown.
In pursuance of their object they designed to ascertain the agricultural, commercial and mineral resources of the country ; to survey the harbor at the mouth of the river, and to lay out a town site, to ascertain how far the river was navigable; to survey and lay out a town at the head of navigation if a suitable location was found and the resources of the river and valley ​
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were deemed favorable; to explore the upper waters and the tributaries, and prospect for gold. With these objects in view, the schooner William Roberts, Captain Lyman, was chartered by the company, and manned by a crew of twelve seamen, and accompanied by twenty-two adventurers, members of the com- pany. They sailed from San Francisco on Saturday, the 5th day of July, 1850, and after getting out of the harbor it was discovered that the vessel leaked badly, so much so that it was deemed necessary to put back and repair. The schooner was therefore taken back into the harbor and to Sausalito, which was about six miles below San Francisco, on the op- posite shore, where after examination the leak was discovered and stopped, and the sand ballast was exchanged for stone, which detained the vessel until Monday, the 7th, when they again put to sea. In consequence of head winds which are constantly from the northwest at this season of the year, their passage up the coast was very slow, requiring fourteen days to make the mouth of Rogue river, which they supposed to be the mouth of the Klamath. During the passage a meeting was held by the company, and it was decided that in conse- quence of the known hostile character of the Indians their operations should proceed on military principles, being fully persuaded that it would require the most efficient organization and vigilance to enable them to pass through the country with safety ; this region having heretofore been a neglected portion of the Territory, and one where little or no effort had been made toward modifying the war-like characteristics of the Indians. For the purpose of exploration it was proposed that the schooner should be taken as far up the river as it could be navigated with safety, and that the party should proceed thence in whaleboats, three of which were provided for that purpose. Mr. Herman Winchester was chosen captain with the power to appoint subordinates. He appointed three lieu- tenants, one for each boat, viz. : C. T. Hopkins, first lieutenant ; Dr. H. J. Paine, second lieutenant; and Rufus Coffin, third lieutenant. An engineer was also appointed for each boat, ​
KLAMATH EXPLORING EXPEDITION 343
viz. : Nathan Scholfield, R. W. Larrett, and E. Fletcher. The boats were then to be manned as follows: For boat No. 1, H. Winchester, captain; R. Coffin, lieutenant; N. Scholfield, engineer ; and C. S. Eigenbrodt, A. A. Brinsmade, P. Flanagan and W. E. Evans. For boat No. 2, C. T. Hopkins, 1st lieutenant commandant ; R. W. Larrett, engineer ; Dr. H. H. Beals, A. Davies, I. T. Turney, W. E. Broadbent, R. S. Philpot, Dr. J. W. Drew and Charles McDowell. For boat No. 3, Dr. H. J. Payne, second lieutenant commandant; E. Fletcher, engineer, S. E. Smith, Dr. E. R. Fiske, Welbert W. Stevens, C. Lein- f elder, I. Magrannary, and C. T. Ward. It was also arranged that Capt. Lyman with part of his crew, consisting of Mr. Peter Mackie, 1st mate; Charles Moore, 2nd mate; Charles Brown, J. Anderson, I. M. Dodge and James Cook, should remain on board of the schooner at all times to protect her during the absence of the party. They first made the Oregon coast at Cape Orford on the morning of Sunday, July 21st, and by a free northwest wind they sailed down the coast, when at about six miles from the cape several fires were lighted simultaneously on the approach of the schooner in the vicinity. These fires were supposed to be signals from the Indians on shore to other distant members of their tribe as a notification of the approach of a vessel. A boat was lowered here with a crew to examine the shore for locating the entrance of the river. They soon returned, however, reporting no river, but a village of several Indian houses on the shore. Capt. Rufus Coffin, the only person on board who had ever seen the mouth of the river and who acted as pilot, did not distinctly recollect its locality. Upon sailing further down the coast he was soon able to identify it, but being impressed with the conviction that it was very difficult and even dangerous to attempt its entrance except at the most favorable time of tide, especially with the strong wind which prevailed, a whaleboat was dis- patched in charge of Mr. Mackie, the first mate and four sailors, in order to examine the entrance and determine the state of the tide, while the schooner was lying off and on. In ​passing the bar the ebb tide meeting the swell of the sea, caused a heavy breaker which capsized the boat, and for a moment the boat and men seemed swallowed up by the waves; but after a time by means of spy-glasses three of the men were seen on the beach with the Indians. They were only recognized by their dress, the Indians being entirely naked. Another boat with a crew duly armed with weapons was immediately sent off to render them assistance, if possible, but on arriving in the vicinity of the bar they considered it too hazardous to attempt crossing. They saw two of the crew of the other boat standing with the Indians apparently having their hands tied and considering that there was no safety in attempting to render assistance, they with some difficulty in consequence of the high wind returned to the schooner. After they had made their report it was at once decided to put the schooner over the bar and enter the river at all hazards in order to rescue the men who were in the hands of the Indians. And as the evening was approaching, everything required haste, every man armed himself with his weapons and the vessel was put to the wind, and during the most intense excitement and apprehension of all on board, she soon approached and plunged into the breakers as they broke on the bar, and in a few moments was safely through and in smooth water within the harbor, when an exultant shout went up from all on board, although their rejoicing was repressed by their apprehensions for the fate of those on shore. After getting fairly within the harbor and at anchor, a numerous party of Indians was observed on shore, mostly naked, and three of the five men who were wrecked were seen among them. The boats were immediately lowered and were being manned by a sufficient number of armed men to rescue their companions, when the Indians, seeing this preparation, brought their captives off to the vessel in canoes, and gave them up, having previously robbed them of all the articles they had about their persons, and taken all their clothing excepting their shirts and pantaloons. From these returned men it was learned that the other two of the boat's ​
KLAMATH EXPLORING EXPEDITION 345
crew had been drowned. About twenty of the Indians came off to the schooner and were kindly received, and well treated by the crew, but were not allowed to come on board, but only to remain in their canoes alongside. Several persons went on shore from the vessel and explored the beach in order to discover the bodies of those who were lost, but they could not be found, although fragments of the boat were seen strewn along the beach. Mr. Peter Mackie, the first mate, one of the persons saved, was seriously injured by bruises received while in the surf, from which he was taken by the Indians in an exhausted condition. He was then stripped by them to a cotton shirt and trousers, and his watch and other articles taken from him. After coming on board the vessel, he was immediately removed to his berth and properly attended to, and in four or five days was so far recovered as to be able to attend to his duties on the vessel. On the next day, Mon- day, a party of nine were dispatched with a whaleboat to take soundings and make a partial survey and exploration of the river, preparatory to sending up the vessel. The party consisted of Captain Winchester, Lieutenant Hopkins, Mr. N. Scholfield, engineer, Mr. Farrell, Mr. Eigenbrodt, Dr. Fiske, Mr. Brinsmade, Mr. McDowell and one other person, while the other members of the party remained to take care of the vessel and survey the harbor. After proceeding up the river about three or four miles, they encountered rapids and shoals, which would effectually prevent the vessel from ascending beyond that point. An Indian house was seen just below the rapids, and four Indians with their canoes, and on passing up the river for about a half a mile further they came to a village of some half a dozen houses, near which the party landed. Several Indians appeared on the bank above, armed with their bows and arrows and knives. The Indians from below had accompanied the party to this place and were very troublesome on account of their thieving propensities, as they would take anything they could lay their hands on and secrete.
Continuing up the river, they came to a high mountain ​
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mostly destitute of trees, about eight miles from the mouth of the river; this they named Mount Winchester, and a little further on was another mountain peak in a continuation of the same ridge. This latter peak the party ascended and named Eigenbrodt's Peak. From this peak a fine view of the river below and of the ocean was obtained, and the course of the river above through the coast range was approximately determined. After descending the mountain the party took to the boat and returned to the vessel, arriving just after sun- set, and in time to assist in the ceremony of burying one of the drowned sailors, whose body had been found by the Indians and brought in, having been washed ashore some miles below the mouth of the river.
On the following day two whaleboats^ were manned by nine persons each, to ascend the river and continue the explora- tion. They started about seven o'clock in the morning with provisions sufficient for one week, and were followed by twelve or fourteen Indians in canoes. Just below the first rapids there was an island of two or three acres in extent, covered with water in times of freshets, with the exception of a high rocky bluff at the upper end. On this bluff, which was about 60 feet high, and consisted of basaltic rock, they cut with a chisel the date, 1850. The tide water sets up to this place, and to the rapids above. The Indians assisted the par- ties in getting their boats up the rapids, which occurred very frequently, and some of which were very difficult to pass. Recompense was made to the Indians for their assistance by presents of beads or other trinkets, and whenever the boats stopped in their passage up the river, the Indians would press around and steal everything they could lay their hands on, even taking articles out of the pockets of the members of the party with an adroitness that would do credit to and even leave professional pickpockets of civilization in the shade. Almost every one had something taken from him in this way. The party took the chief and two other Indians on board the boats to accompany them and act as guides. As they ​
KLAMATH EXPLORING EXPEDITION 347
proceeded up the river they passed a village consisting of eight houses, and here the Indians they had employed as guides left them, but joined them again about three miles above, with the addition of about a dozen more to the party. As they proceeded up the river the rapids increased in difficulty and frequency, and after progressing to a point about fifteen miles from the mouth of the river, the further prosecution of the exploration was abandoned. The members of the party were well fagged out and most of them wet to the skin, as they had frequently to leave the boats and take to wading; the river banks being in many places too steep and precipitous to afford a passage on shore, and the Indians had already greatly increased in numbers, and were likely to still further increase, so that in the judgment of some of the party it would be dangerous for them to encamp. The exploring party in their progress up the river had occasionally prospected on the bars for indications of gold ; but none was found.
When the Indians found that the party was about to return they tried to persuade them to go on; they informed them by signs that there were plenty of deer up the river ; this they did by placing their hands in place of horns at the side of their heads and pointing up the river. They appeared very much disappointed when they found that the party persisted in returning. The start down the river was made about three o'clock in the afternoon, the Indians soon following. When the party came to the first village below, they stopped to trade with the Indians, but found that nearly all of them were absent. The party found here an iron chain of about one hundred pounds weight, the bobstay of some vessel. This was supposed to have been taken from the schooner Hackstaff. which was wrecked at or near the mouth of the river some time before. This chain was purchased for a handkerchief and a small piece of calico, but while the trade was being made with one Indian, another Indian had the adroitness to pick the pocket of the purchaser of another handkerchief and a memorandum book. One of the party had a hole torn ​
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SOCRATES SCHOLFIELD
through his flannel shirt by an Indian to get at articles car- ried at his breast inside of the shirt. To one of the Indians who had accompanied the party and appeared to be more reli- able and friendly than the others, many presents had been given. He was presented with a good suit of clothes, with which he was much pleased, and on the return to the vessel the same evening he was allowed to stay on board, and in the morning while the party were at breakfast, the Indian being in the cabin, was observed to take a bowie knife from one of the berths and secrete it in his clothes. He was in consequence immediately hustled out and sent on shore. It was thus proved to those most charitably disposed to the Indians that no confi- dence whatever could be placed in any of them, and after this the Indians were only allowed to come to the vessel at even- ing for the purpose of trade. On the following day the party were employed in taking soundings in the harbor and survey- ing locations for a townsite consisting of half a square mile located on each side of the river.
The explorations thus far had proved unsatisfactory in relation to the river, and in regard to the development of the country in the interior, the river having proved to be smaller and more difficult of access than the explorers had a right to anticipate from its representation on the maps, and by travelers who had crossed the Klamath and Rogue rivers in the interior, and had represented each of these streams some sixty or one hundred miles in the interior as being as large or larger than this river proved to be near its mouth ; and moreover this river was found by the surveyed courses taken to run from a direction averaging northeast by east, as far as the explora- tion extended, instead of from a southeasterly direction, as universally represented on the maps ; it was therefore con- cluded that their explorations should be extended up and down the coast, hoping to find some larger river in the vicin- ity. For this purpose Lieutenants Hopkins and Payne, Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Eigenbrodt, Dr. Fiske, Dr. Drew and three others were dispatched down the coast. They started on ​
KLAMATH EXPLORING EXPEDITION 349
Friday, the 26th, designing- to be absent two days. They pro- ceeded down the coast, frequently toiling over high hills and mountains, crossing deep ravines, and encamped at an esti- mated distance of about 20 miles from the place of starting. On their way down they passed a creek beyond which, farther south, the country was mountainous with projecting cliffs on the shore and difficult to traverse. They therefore returned on the second day much fatigued with their journey.
At this same time another party was dispatched to survey and explore the coast north of the river. This party consisted of Mr. N. Scholfield, Mr. Larrett, Mr. Helbert, Mr. Smith, Mr. Dodge, Mr. Flanagan, Mr. Anderson and Mr. Pierce, Mr. N. Scholfield having been appointed to take charge of the expedition. They took two days' provisions and a full com- plement of weapons, having, as they were fully aware, to pass through the very stronghold of the Indians, if they should travel up to and around Cape Blanco, as they proposed. They started on their journey on the morning of Saturday, and after getting under way it was found that fifteen or twenty Indians were following and going in company with them. It was sug- gested by some of the party that the Indians should be sent back or driven off; but it was finally considered that if this course should be taken, they would still go on in some other direction, and arrive at the Indian settlements above as soon as the party, and perhaps be more troublesome by exciting the other Indians against them than if allowed to go on.
The path to be pursued by the party as pointed out by the Indians (two of whom were selected as guides), was generally on the beach, but occasionally rising on the table land above at an elevation of from fifty to one hundred and fifty feet, which necessitated climbing up some steep ascents at places where the passage on the beach was obstructed by rock. After traveling in this way about four miles, a portion of the party, thinking to take a shorter and more direct route than that of the tortuous travel of the Indians along the beach, and disregarding the directions of the Indian guides and the ​
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earnest protestations of Mr. Scholfield, struck off from the path, leaving Mr. Scholfield and Mr. Helbert, accompanied by most of the Indians, to pursue the trail along the beach. It was supposed, however, that the parties would come together again before they had gone very far, but it so turned out that in consequence of the separation Mr. Scholfield and Mr. Hel- bert arrived at the Indian villages in advance of the other party. In their passage up the beach the accompanying Indians received straggling accessions to their number, and at a dis- tance of about eight miles from the vessel they came to two or three Indian houses, from which the Indians came with their weapons and joined the others. Mr. Scholfield in deal- ing with the Indians made a practice of shaking hands with them as they approached, and treated them very politely. Soon after passing these houses they came in view of another village, and on their approach the Indians came out armed with their bows and arrows, hatchets and rifles, and seated themselves in a row waiting for the approach of the party. Mr. Scholfield advised Mr. Helbert, his companion, who wished to return without going farther, to show no fear but to go boldly on. And as they came up to the Indians Mr. Scholfield saluted their chiefs, and shaking by the hand such of the Indians as seemed of sufficient importance to require such civility, passed on, but was strongly pressed by the Indians to stop and sit with them. One of these Indians tried to get possession of the spyglass held in the hand of Mr. Scholfield, but did not succeed, and after going a little distance further they stopped by the side of a large log which was lying on the beach, being somewhat fatigued and hungry. The Indians pressed hard around them, so that it was very difficult to keep them off. They had now increased in numbers to near one hundred. One of them stole the hatchet that Mr. Scholfield carried in his boot leg, but was discovered by Mr. Scholfield in season to recover it. Being importuned by the Indians, Mr. Schol- field gave them some of his provisions, consisting of cold ham, hard bread and soft biscuit. The ham and hard bread they ​
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would not eat, but the soft biscuit they appeared to relish. Before Mr. Scholfield and his companion got ready to move on, Mr. Scholfield discovered that the Indians had stolen his hatchet the second time, and that they had also stolen the knife of his companion from its sheath, and just before this he had detected one of the Indians coming up behind him with his knife to cut the strap which bound his blankets to his back, the Indian in his attempt having nearly severed it. See- ing that matters had come to such a pass, Mr. Scholfield demanded that his hatchet be given up. This he did by signs which the Indians readily understood, but the hatchet was not forthcoming. He then drew his revolver and instituted a search for the hatchet, demanding that all who had any skins or dress of any kind, by means of which it could be secreted, to take them off and exhibit them. This the Indians, although armed with bows and arrows, knives, rifles, etc., submitted to, although in some cases reluctantly; but the hatchet could not be found. It had probably been buried in the sand, or the thief had run off with his booty. Mr. Helbert was filled with fear and consternation during this procedure. He had a long beard, and the Indians further down the coast had told him that if he came up here he would have his beard pulled out. He was therefore fearful that when Mr. Scholfield demanded an expose of the garments of the Indians, that he was going much too far, but he was satisfied afterwards that it was the only thing that saved them both from probable plunder and massacre, as the Indians after this experience kept at a more respectful distance. Mr. Helbert urged Mr. Schol- field strongly to return from this point, but Mr. Scholfield, wishing to go as near to the cape as possible to ascertain whether a river entered the ocean at or near that locality, was determined to press forward to accomplish that object. They therefore went on, and soon came to another village of six or eight houses, the inmates of which came out as before with their weapons, and seated themselves in a row on the ground. Mr. Scholfield and his companion walked up to the Indians, saluting them in a friendly manner and shaking hands with ​
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the most conspicuous of their number. They were pressed by the Indians to stop and sit down with them, but the Indians looked to them as too savage for pleasant society. One of them was armed with a hand saw, and one of the most savage- looking Indians they had seen was armed with a stone hammer that had done hard service. Mr. Scholfield and his companion concluded that under present circumstances it was not best to go much farther, especially as they could see another Indian village near the cape, and many Indians upon the hills above ; they therefore, being much fatigued, concluded to go a little distance to a log on the beach, and sit down to rest, prepara- tory to their return to the vessel, they having gone far enough to satisfy themselves that no river of any considerable size emptied into the ocean south of the cape, which was only about a mile farther on. The Indians who had followed them thus far now left, stopping, however, at the village last passed, apparently holding a consultation. Mr. Scholfield and Mr. Helbert had not been seated long before two Indians from up the coast came along, one of whom brandished his knife of about eighteen inches in length before them, and motioned them to go back. Mr. Scholfield showed him his revolver, and motioned him to be easy and sit down with them, as after first resting themselves they were intending to go back. The Indian then sat down at one end of the log and watched their movements. After a short time they buckled on their knapsacks and started to return, not, however, without greet- ing their last Indian comrade with a parting shake of the hand.
On returning Mr. Helbert wished to go close by the shore on the beach in passing the place where the Indians were assembled, and so give them a wide berth, but he was told by Mr. Scholfield that their safety depended on showing a bold front and going boldly up to them without showing any signs of fear. They therefore passed in the immediate vicin- ity of the Indians, deviating considerably from their proper course to do so, and as they went on Mr. Scholfield touched ​
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his cap in the most polite manner he was capable of to the chiefs, and as they went on they were soon joined by some twenty of the Indians, among whom was the interesting looking Indian with the stone hammer, and this hammer gave Mr. Scholfield and his companion more uneasiness than any weapon they had seen in the hands of the Indians, and they watched its possessor with more than ordinary care. After pro- ceeding about a mile on their return they were much relieved by seeing the other six of the party coming up the beach, and on their approach most of the Indians left and returned to the village. After consultation it was decided to be unsafe to proceed on the contemplated tour, inasmuch as it would be dangerous for them to encamp over night, as it was probable that from one to two hundred Indians would follow them, or lie in ambush at some difficult pass. They therefore con- cluded to give up further exploration and return to the vessel, but in order to do this it was considered more safe to travel back on the table land, rather than on the beach, as the Indians by following in the heights could send their arrows down upon them without being detected. They therefore concluded to go past the village where the Indians were congregated as though they were going up the coast, and after mounting the hill to the table land above, then change their direction toward the vessel. As they passed the village, the Indians came out and arranged themselves in a row, or rather in the segment of a circle on their knees, with their bows and arrows and other weapons ready for use. The party saluted the Indians in a friendly manner, and went on a short distance to a trail of steep ascent leading to the heights above, to which they clambered with some difficulty, and while going up the trail one of the party, Mr. Pierce, in looking back, saw the chief with his bow drawn and his arrow directed at Mr. Scholfield, and apparently on the point of letting it go, but being thus dis- covered in the act, he lowered his bow. A moment afterward on looking back again, Mr. Pierce observed the same Indian with his bow drawn as before, but being detected he desisted ​
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from his attempt, and as he was thereafter closely watched, the attempt was not renewed, and the party arrived safely at the top of the bluff. As they passed the village about .a dozen Indians ran up the beach toward the upper villages, probably to inform the other Indians of the approach of the party, and when the party commenced rising the hill about the same num- ber ran up the hill some fifty rods ahead, apparently with the view to head them off or notify other Indians on the hills above. After the party had arrived at the top of the bluff, and commenced their homeward march, they were joined by some of the Indians who had previously accompanied them up the beach. These Indians, with the exception of two, who were retained as guides, were sent away. These guides were armed, one with a rifle and the other with a sheath knife. The party was careful to keep the guides in front, where they could be watched, and kept a good lookout at the rear and on their flanks expecting an attack. They, however, arrived safely at the vessel without molestation.
After having spent a week in exploration without obtaining satisfactory results, it was decided to proceed further up the coast to the Umpqua river, and see what discoveries could be made at that locality, but in consequence of head winds, which occurred at time of high water, which was the only time the vessel could leave the harbor, they remained two days longer, or until Thursday, the 30th of July, when they left the harbor with a favorable but light wind, and passing up the coast, they arrived opposite the entrance of the Umpqua river on Thurs- day, the 1st of August, and stood off and on, waiting for a favorable time to send out one of the boats to examine the bar and entrance to river previous to taking in the vessel. On the 2nd, seven Indians came off in a canoe, to whom the party distributed some presents and employed two of the Indians to act as pilots in taking one of the boats over the bar, for the purpose of taking soundings and examining the harbor. The crew of the boat consisted of eight persons, six of whom, after landing, remained on shore, while the other ​
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two came back in a canoe with the Indians and reported a favorable entrance with three fathoms of water on the bar, and five or six fathoms within, and good anchorage, and that three Oregonians from the Elk river settlement Capt. Scott, Mr. Butler and Mr. Sloane had just come down the river in canoes to ascertain whether the river could be rendered avail- able as a channel of communication to the ocean from the interior, and whether a suitable harbor existed at its mouth for commercial purposes. The Indians who came out to the vessel in their canoes were a much better-looking race than those living on the river and the coast they had just left. They were all dressed and appeared to have a more respectable bear- ing, and as they did not display a propensity to steal they were suffered to come on board the vessel freely, and did not at any time betray the confidence reposed in them.
A calm occurring at this time, the vessel remained outside the bar until Sunday morning, the 4th of August, when the wind and tide being favorable, the vessel entered the harbor and came to anchor in five fathoms of water. The three Ore- gonians who were on shore imparted to the party much valu- able information ; and the following day was spent in surveying the harbor. And, finding its aspects in all respects favorable, the party proceeded to survey town locations on both sides of the bay, naming the town on the east side Umpqua City (down stream from the present townsite of Reedsport), and that on the west side West Umpqua. On Tuesday, the 6th, they took the vessel up the river, preceded by a whaleboat employed for taking soundings and to lead the way, and after sailing up the river about fifteen miles, the tide having fallen, the vessel grounded on a bar near a small island, which they called Echo island; and here they remained until the next morning. During the night some of the party having indulged rather freely in brandy, the quantity which remained was thrown overboard by the owner. This shoal was called Brandy Bar. On the following day the vessel was taken to the head of navigation, about twenty miles from the entrance to the ​
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river. At this place Capt. Scott and Mr. Sloane had each taken up donation claims, on the only available land for a town- site, but arrangements were entered into by which the com- pany obtained a location extending nearly one mile on the river, which in honor of Capt. Scott, who had done much toward exploring the Umpqua valley and developing its re- sources, they named Scottsburg. Here they obtained a sup- ply of salmon from the Indians, and proceeded the next day on foot to Fort Umpqua, situated on the south bank of the Umpqua near the junction of Elk river, and about fifteen miles from Scottsburg. At Fort Umpqua they were kindly received by Mr. Gagnier, agent for the Hudson's Bay Com- pany, who, with his Indian wife and family, lived in the fort. Mr. Gagnier was a French-Canadian, and had been in the employ of the company at this fort more than twenty years. At this place they surveyed a townsite located on both sides of Elk river at its junction with the Umpqua, which they called Elkton.
From Elkton the company proceeded in two parties to the ferry kept up by Mr. Aiken on the north fork of the Umpqua at the crossing of the Oregon and California road. One of the parties proceeded up the Elk river to the settlement in the upper valley, consisting of about ten families that were emi- grants from the Willamette valley the year before, and then taking the Oregon and California road, reached the ferry in that way. The other party proceeded directly up the Umpqua and arrived at the ferry on the evening of the llth of August.
The party that had traveled by the way of the Elk river settlements arrived the following day, and then traveled on to the reported gold diggings on the South fork of the Umpqua, about thirty miles from the ferry. They returned in three days with about an ounce of gold of their own dig- ging. In the meantime, the company had purchased the ferry, and the land claims of Mr. Aiken and Mr. Smith, located on each side of the river, and laid out a townsite which they named Winchester. From this place the party returned to ​
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the mouth of the river and then sailed for San Francisco, where they arrived on the morning of the 4th of September. And at a meeting of the company, held on the evening of the same day, it was unanimously voted to charter a vessel to proceed at once to the Umpqua river and effect a settlement. And with this object in view, the brig Kate Heath was duly chartered, and on the 26th of September she sailed with about one hundred passengers on board, who were desirous of locat- ing on the river.
Most of the company who had previously sailed on the Wil- liam Roberts returned on this vessel, and thus the practical settlement of the Umpqua valley was effected. ​
REMINISCENCES OF MRS. FRANK COLLINS, NEE MARTHA ELIZABETH GILLIAM.
By FRED LOCKLEY.
"My maiden name was Martha Elizabeth Gilliam," said Mrs. Frank Collins, when I visited her recently at her home in Dallas. "My father was General Cornelius Gilliam, tho' they generally called him 'Uncle Neal.' Father was born at Mt. Pisgah, in Florida. My mother's maiden name was Mary Crawford. She was born in Tennessee. I was born in Andrew county, Missouri, the day before the Fourth of July in the year 1839. Father and mother were married in Missouri. I don't know the day nor the year. Missouri was the jumping- off place back in those days and they didn't have courts and court records and licenses like they do now-a-days. Any circuit rider or justice of the peace could marry a couple and no rec- ords were kept except in the memory of the bride. Father met mother in Tennessee when she was a girl; fact is she would be considered only a girl when father married her, by people of today, but in those days she was considered a woman grown.
"The women worked hard when mother was a girl back in Tennessee and they had a lot of danger and excitement thrown in with their hard work. My mother lived with her aunt. When I was a little thing I used to get mother to tell me about when she was a girl. When she was betwixt and between a girl and a woman she and her aunt were busy with the house work one forenoon when some Indians came to the house. My mother's aunt shut and barred the door. The Indians began hacking at the door with their tomahawks. They cut thro' one board and had splintered another when my mother's aunt fired thro' the broken panel of the door and shot one of the Indians thro' the chest. While mother's aunt was busy loading the gun my mother boosted one of the ​
REMINISCENCES OF MARTHA E. GILLIAM COLLINS 359
children thro' the back window and told him to run to the woods where the men were getting out timbers for a cabin and give the alarm. After quite a spell of hacking the Indians finally cut thro' the door and crowded into the cabin. My mother and her aunt had crawled under the four-poster bed and before the Indians could pull them out the men came on the run. The Indians heard them coming and ran away, all but the one mother's aunt had wounded. Just as he was going out of the door the men shot him and he laid down and died on the door step.
"Nowadays a man most generally has only one job, like being a lawyer, or a preacher, or a politician, or a farmer, but when my father was a young man the men folks had to what- ever came to hand. When my father was in his 'teens he was a man grown and a good shot and was good at tracking game, so he naturally took up tracking runaway slaves. They used to send for him all 'round the country, for a heap of slaves used to take to the swamps. He made good money at the business. He was so good at tracking them and bringing them back to their owners that when he ran for sheriff the people said, 'He is so successful catching runaway niggers, he will be good at catching criminals,' so he was voted in as sheriff.
"When the Black Hawk war came on father enlisted and served thro' it, and when the Seminole war broke out in Florida where he was born they made him a captain and he fought thro' that war. When he had finished fighting he went back to the frontier in Missouri, for everything west of Missouri in those days was Indian country. He was a great man to make friends and so they elected him to the legislature in Missouri. He got interested in religion and was ordained a preacher. He was one of the Old Testament style of preachers. He wasn't very strong on turning the other cheek. If a man hit him on one cheek he would think he was struck by an earth- quake or a cyclone before he got time to hit father on the other cheek. Father believed the Bible, particularly where it ​
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said smite the Philistines, and he figured the Philistines was a misprint for the Mormons and he believed it was his religious duty to smite them. He believed they should be exterminated root and branch. He was a great hand to practice what he preached so he helped exterminate quite a considerable few of them. The Mormons had burned the houses and barns of some of father's folks. One of father's relatives was alone with her little baby when the Mormons came and she crept out of the window in her nightgown and had to walk thro' the snow four miles to a neighbor's while the Mormons burned her house and barn. That didn't make father feel any too friendly to the Mormons, so they run them out of Missouri and it wasn't long till they moved on and settled on the shores of the Great Salt Lake a thousand miles from anybody.
"In the spring of 1843 the first party of emigrants started from Missouri for the Willamette Valley in the Oregon coun- try. Next spring a lot more met at Capless Landing, near Weston, Missouri, and organized to cross the plains. Because father had been a captain in the Florida Indian war and because he had been a sheriff and had been in the legislature, and was a preacher, and because he was used to having people do what he wanted, they elected him the head officer.
'They organized like a regular military expedition. Father was made general and Michael T. Simmons was made colonel and four captains were elected R. W. Morrison, Elijah Bun- ton, Wm. Shaw and Richard Woodcock. Ben Nichols was chosen to act as judge and Joseph Gage and Theophilus Ma- gruder were to serve as judges with him. Charley Saxton was the secretary. Sublette, a trader among the Indians, and Black Harris, a mountain man, acted as guides as far as Fort Laramie. From Fort Laramie to Fort Bridger the train was guided by Jo Walker. I was five years old and I remember lots of incidents of the trip.
"There were two other emigrant trains came across the plains that same season, one commanded by Nathaniel Ford and the other by John Thorpe. From the Blue Mountains on ​
REMINISCENCES OF MARTHA E. GILLIAM COLLINS 361
to the Willamette Valley we had a pretty hard time as we had been delayed till the fall storms overtook us. At Burnt River we were met by an old-time friend of father's, James Waters. They generally called him General Waters. He took us to his cabin on Tualatin Plains where we stayed while father traveled over the valley looking for a land claim. Father found a place that suited him near what is now the city of Dallas, in fact the western part of Dallas is built on our donation land claim. I guess there is no doubt of my being the oldest living settler in Dallas for I settled here more than 70 years ago.
"After we had moved to our place in Polk county, Colonel Waters came and stopped with us for a while. I remember his visit because while he was staying with us he hunted up a broad smooth-grained shake, as we used to call the hand-made shingles, and whittling it perfectly smooth with his jack knife he printed the letters of the alphabet on it and taught me my letters. As we had no pencils in those days they generally melted some bar lead or a bullet and ran it in a crack and used that for a pencil, but he had a better scheme than that.
"In the creek near our house there were chunks of soft red rock called keel. He found a long splinter of keel and printed the letters on the shake and I had a mighty good sub- stitute for a hornbook and in no time I could read my letters, and he didn't stop 'till he had' taught me to make them for myself and name every one of them.
"Eugene Skinner stopped with us for a while. He took up a place at what is now Eugene. Skinner's Butte at Eugene is named for him and because he was the first settler there they named the town after his first name Eugene. He had the first house there. He hired father to build it for him. You see he went back in the spring of 1845 to get his family. They came out the following year and Mrs. Skinner stayed at our house. Mrs. Skinner gave me the only school book I ever owned. It was an A, B, C book. She called it a primer. I went to school altogether three months. I went for a month ​
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to Mr. Green's school. His school house was on our place and for two months I went to Alex. McCarty's log school on Rickreall creek. I learned my reading from a page torn from the Bible. He didn't have any sure enough readers, so he tore up a Bible and gave each scholar a page or so. Mrs. Skinner helped me to learn to read, for I took my pages home with me every night so I would have my lesson next day.
"There were six girls and two boys in our family. I was the next to youngest child and I am the only one of the family now alive.
"When we settled here our neighbors were Solomon Shel- ton, Uncle Mitchell Gilliam, Ben. F. Nichols and Uncle John Nichols.
In 1846 the Provisional Legislature authorized Tom McKay* to build a road for the emigrants across the Cascade moun- tains from what is now Albany, clear across the mountains to Fort Boise. He was to have it ready for travel by August, 1846, so the emigrants that year could use it. The day before the Fourth of July, it was on my seventh birthday, my father took out a party of men to pick out the route for the new road. My father's old friend, James Waters, was along, and so was T. C. Shaw, Joseph Gervais, Xavier Gervais, Antonio Delore, George Montour, J. B. Gardipie, S. P. Thornton, and Mr. McDonald and Mr. Thomas McKay. They couldn't find a good route over the mountains so a road was built over the Barlow trail instead, but they didn't have anything to do with that road.
"Next summer father headed a party to explore the Rogue River and Klamath River Valleys so emigrants could come in by that route.
Congress raised a regiment of riflemen for the Oregon country but the Mexican troubles caused them to send them down there so Oregon never saw a hide or hair of them.* At
Himes.
The Mounted Rifles came to Oregon in 1849, arriving at Fort Vancouver on October 4, 1849. See page 227, Report of Secretary of War, Nov. 30, 1850. George H. Himes. ​
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the same time the Postmaster-GeneralJ was authorized to con- tract for a mail route to run from Charleston, South Carolina, to the mouth of the Columbia River. The boats were to come six times a year via the Isthmus of Panama. For bringing the mail to Oregon once every two months the contractor was to be paid $100,000 a year. So as to make the service as near self-sustaining as possible Congress fixed the rate of postage on letters at forty cents an ounce. Father was appointed superintendent of postal matters for Oregon. Two postoffices were allowed for Oregon, one at Oregon City and one at Astoria. David Hill was appointed postmaster at Oregon City and John M. Shively at Astoria. Post routes were established from Oregon City by way of Fort Vancouver and Fort Nis- qually to the mouth of Admiralty Inlet, and the other route ran from Oregon City up the Willamette Valley and thro' the Umpqua valley and on to Klamath river. The routes were to be in operation by July 1st, 1847. The mail bags came by ship around the Horn and were delivered at our house. The postal keys were sent in care of some people coming across the plains and they were delivered at our house also, as well as father's commission as Oregon's first postal agent. I still have his commission. I am a great hand to save things of that kind.
"Right after the Indians killed Doctor and Mrs. Whitman and the rest at Wai-il-at-pu the provisional legislature told Jesse Applegate, A. L. Lovejoy and George L. Curry to raise the money to buy arms and equipment for the settlers so they could go and punish the Indians for the massacre. The set- tlers enlisted as soldiers, but the committee couldn't raise the money to buy the guns and powder and lead and other things. Governor James Douglas, the Chief Factor at Fort Vancouver, who had recently succeeded Dr. John McLoughlin, who had moved to Oregon City, told Jesse Applegate that he would furnish all needed equipment and take the signatures of Gov-
t Cave Johnson. ​
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ernor Abernethy, Jesse Applegate and A. L. Love joy as se- curity, so that fixed that up.
"The legislature elected my father to be colonel of the regi- ment and his friend, James Waters, to be lieutenant colonel. H. A. G. Lee was made major and Joel Palmer was elected commissary general. They appointed Joe Meek to act as messenger to go back to Washington and ask for help to sup- press the Indians. They issued an appeal to all the citizens to help equip additional troops to be raised.
"The day that Peter Skene Ogden reached Portland with the survivors of the Whitman massacre, whom he had bought for blankets and other trade goods from the Indians who held them captive, was the day that my father started with 50 men for eastern Oregon. The rest of the troops were to come as soon as they could get ready. At Cascade portage they established a fort which was named after father Fort Gilliam. The stockade at The Dalles was named after Major H. A. G. Lee Fort Lee.
"Right after father got to The Dalles he took what men he had and went up on the Deschutes and had a fight with the Indians. He killed some and captured a lot of their horses and some cattle. The rest of the troops soon reached The Dalles and they went out and had a fight with the Cayuse Indians and drove them before them. The troops went up into the Walla Walla country. Father with two companies visited Wai-il-at-pu Mission, where the Whitmans were killed. The wolves had dug up the bodies so the soldiers reburied them. The soldiers met the Indians, mostly Palouses and Cayuses, on the Tucannon and defeated them, after which the soldiers returned to Fort Waters. f The troops were short of ammunition and they were getting tired of eating horse meat, so the officers held a council and decided to send a strong escort to The Dalles to secure powder and lead and food.
"On March 20th, ^Captain McKay's company with Captain
t This was at the site of the Whitman Mission, all buildings there having been destroyed. ​
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Maxon's company started for The Dalles. My father was with them, as he was going to the Willamette Valley to confer with Governor Abernethy. While they were camped at Wells Springs near the Umatilla river, my father went to the wagon to get his picket rope to stake out his horse. My father had given strict orders to the men not to put their loaded guns in the wagon on account of the danger of accidents, but one of the men had disobeyed the orders. When father pulled his picket rope out it caught on the hammer of the gun drawing the hammer back and then releasing it, discharging the gun. The bullet struck father in the center of the forehead and killed him instantly.
"Captain McKay brought father's body to our home here on the Rickreall and the whole country turned out to his funeral. The following June special services were held for him by the Masonic order. Masons came from all over the Oregon country to do honor to him.
"Father had come to Oregon not only to make a home but to help hold Oregon for the United States. Each family that came were promised a section of land. The husband was given a right to take up 320 acres and the wife had a right to take up 320 acres. Father and mother took up a section, but because father went out in the defense of Oregon's settlers and was killed while in command of the troops fighting the Indians, he was not allowed to hold his 320 acres. When mother came to prove up she was only allowed to hold her half of our place. Father was not there in person to prove up on his half, so we lost it. She told them why he couldn't be there because he was killed, but they would only let her have her half of our farm. Mother always felt that father was not treated right, as he was punished for his patriotism by having his half section of land taken away and then he was killed before the money was available to pay the troops and he never received a cent for his services either from the Provisional received a cent for his services from the government at W r ash- ington. ​
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"I have always saved father's commission as Special Postal Agent of Oregon, and I also have the glasses President Monroe gave him. Mr. Monroe and father had been good friends long before Monroe ever thought of being president. When father told President Monroe he was coming out to Oregon, Mr. Monroe gave him a pair of spectacles and said 'Take these glasses with you, Neal. You don't need them now, but if the time comes when you do need them and you can't get any out there in Oregon they will come in handy.' Father and Presi- dent Polk had worked together in politics and Polk was very friendly toward father.
"Father was killed in the spring of 1848 and we had a pretty hard time to make out for a while, but mother was a hard worker and a good planner and we managed to get along. My oldest brother, Smith Gilliam, thought he could help most by going to the California gold mines, so as pretty near every man in the whole country was either there or on the way, he pulled out for the gold diggings in the spring of '49. My brother Marcus and I had to do the farming. I was going on ten years old so I was plenty old enough to do my share of sup- porting the family. I drove the oxen and Mark held the plow. When the wheat was harvested we put the shocks in the corral and turned the calves and young stock in to tramp it out. We had to keep them moving or they would eat it instead of tramp- ing out the grain. I enjoyed threshing the wheat out. I would go into the corral, catch a young heifer by the tail and while she would bawl and try to get away I would hold on like grim death and as she sailed around the corral trying to escape I would be taking steps ten feet long. This would start all the rest of the stock going full tilt so the grain got well trampled.
"We cut the wheat with a reap hook, tramped it out with the cattle and cleaned it by throwing it up in the air and let- ting the afternoon sea-breeze blow away the chaff. We had a big coffee mill fastened to a tree and it was my job to grind all the wheat for the bread mother baked. It took a lot of grinding to keep us in whole wheat flour. ​
REMINISCENCES OF MARTHA E. GILLIAM COLLINS 367
"The summer I was fourteen we were milking 24 cows. We didn't have the money to buy American cows, so we broke the half-wild Spanish cows to milk. Many and many is the time they would tree me while I was trying to break them to be milked. They were thin-flanked, long-legged and long- horned and wild as deer, but night and morning I milked my string of twelve of them. We sold the butter for 50 cents a pound and it was sent to the California mines. We got 50 cents a pound for all the bacon we cured. We saved from our butter and bacon that summer better than $800.
"My brother Marcus and I were chums. I thought any- thing he did was just right. We fought each other's battles and were very devoted to each other. When the Yakima Indian war came on they wanted recruits, so he volunteered. I didn't want him to go for father had been killed in the Cayuse war, and I thought our family had shown patriotism enough, but Mark felt that he should go, so I did all I could to help get him ready. The young folks came in to bid him good bye. I was feeling pretty bad about it, so he said 'Don't you feel bad, Lizzie, I'll bring you home an Indian's scalp.' Mark went and his company got into a pretty bad fight. A Klickitat warrior raised up from behind a rock and shot at Mark but missed him. The next time the Indian raised his head Mark put a bullet thro' it and then ran down to get his scalp. The other Indians tried to keep him from scalping the Indian he had killed and they all fired at Mark. My brother-in-law, Judge Collins, was there, and he said the gravel and dust was just fairly boiling around Mark as he stooped over and scalped the Indian. The bullets hit all 'round him, but nary a one hit him, and he brought the scalp back to me when he came back from the war. I kept it for years, but the moths got in it and the hair began shedding, so I burned it up.
"I have always liked Indians. One of the prettiest Indian girls I ever saw was Frances, the Indian girl Lieutenant Philip H. Sheridan lived with. She was a Rogue River Indian girl. She was as graceful as a deer and as slender as a fawn. She ​
368 FRED LOCKLEY
loved Sheridan devotedly. Her brother was a fine looking Indian, too. He was named Harney, after an army officer. He was a teamster for the troops. When the Civil War broke out and Sheridan was called east, Frances was almost broken hearted.
"After the war General Sheridan fixed it up for four of the Indians to come back at government expense and visit the 'Great White Father,' as they call the president. Frances, her brother Harney, and two other Indians went. Frances came and showed me all her clothes. She had a fine outfit for the trip. Years later she lived at Corvallis and did washing. Any of the old-timers at Corvallis can tell you all about her.
"When the soldiers would leave Fort Hoskins or Fort Yam- hill their Indian wives would follow them to where they em- barked for the east. Frequently they would have to say good- bye at Corvallis. The Indian women would feel awfully bad to have their soldier lovers leave, as they knew they would never see them again.
"When we came here in 1844 our claim was a great camping place for the Indians. There would be scores of tepees along the creek. It was like a big camp meeting, only they were Indians in place of white people and instead 1 of meeting to sing and pray they had met to race horses and to gamble. We children used to love to go to their camp and watch them gamble. They would spread out a blanket and put the stakes on the blanket. They would stake everything they had on the game, staking their beads and blankets and stripping down to their breech clout. The most exciting time, tho', was when they were running their horses. First they would bet all the horses they had, then their guns and: beads and blankets, and often an Indian would be stripped almost naked as the result of a close race.
"One Indian family had their tepee near our house. They stayed all summer. There was a little girl just my age, eight years old. We loved each other like sisters. Sid-na-yah used to come at milking time and I would give her a cup of warm ​
REMINISCENCES OF MARTHA E. GILLIAM COLLINS 369
milk. We would drink from the same cup. She was my only playmate. She was near kin to the head chief. She was taken sick and they called 1 in an Indian medicine man. They let my sister Henrietta and me in the tepee where he was beating sticks and hollering and trying to drive out the evil spirit. She died. The chief came and asked mother if my sister Rettie and I could go to her funeral. Mother let us go. The Indians took a milk pan full of beads and broke them up and scattered all over her. After their ceremonies were over they buried her on the hillside near our house. They shot her horse and placed it near the head of her grave and her favorite dog they killed and put at the foot of her grave. They put poles around her grave on which they fastened all of her buckskin dresses and other treasures. Next year when her mother came back and saw Rettie and me, she cried as if her heart would break. She went out often to Sid-na-yah's grave. People think Indians don't love or have any feelings because they do not wear their hearts on their sleeves; but I believe Indians feel as deeply and love as truly as white folks.
"The emigrants brought the measles to Oregon. The In- dians didn't know how to doctor them. They would go in one of their sweat houses and then jump in a cold stream and it usually killed them. One season we heard frequent wailing from the Indian camp near us. Quatley, the chief, told my mother all their children were dying of the white man's disease. We children got the measles, but mother doctored us suc- cessfully. An Indian medicine man came to our house for protection. He said his patients all died so the Indians were going to kill him for claiming he could cure them and not doing so. When he thought the coast was clear he started off, but just then Quatley rode up. The Indian whipped his horse and started off at a keen run. Quatley took good aim and shot and the medicine man went over his horse headfirst and only lived a little while. When Quatley saw that we children all got well of the measles he came to mother and said. 'Your children get well, all our children die. Your medicine is ​
370 FRED LOCKLEY
stronger than ours. My little girl is sick. I want you to cure her.' Mother said, 'No, I won't try. If she dies you will kill me like you killed your medicine man the other day.' Quatley said, 'If you don't treat her she will die, so I will let you do what you will. If she dies I will not blame you.' Mother had the chief's daughter come to our house. She kept her out of the draft and gave her herbs and teas and she soon was well. Quatley drove up his herd of horses and said, 'You have saved my little girl for me. Take all the horses you want/ Mother told him she didn't want any. He kept us supplied with game as long as he camped in that neighborhood. Anything he had he shared with us. He kept our loft full of hazel nuts and he had the squaws bring us all the huckleberries we could use. As long as Quatley was in the country we never lacked for deer meat.
"In 1848 Dave Lewis was elected sheriff of Polk county. In the fall of that same year, 1848, he resigned to go to the California gold mines. My brother, W. S. Gilliam, or Smith Gilliam, as he was usually called, was appointed in his place.
"In February, 1852, William Everman killed Seranas C. Hooker, a Polk county farmer. Hooker accused Everman of stealing his watch. My brother had the unpleasant duty of hanging Everman. His brother Hiram was tried for being an accomplice. He had helped his brother get away. Hiram was generally considered a good man. I believe that William Ever- man, who killed Hooker, was mentally unbalanced. Enoch Smith was sentenced to be hung for being an accessory to the crime, but was pardoned and David Coe, who was also tried for being an accomplice, secured a change of venue and was acquitted. Hiram Everman, the brother of the murderer, was sentenced to three years in the penitentiary ; but as there was no penitentiary and they didn't want to build one for the exclusive benefit of Hiram Everman, they decided to sell him at auction. Dave Grant, who was a brother-in-law of Sheriff Smith Gilliam, was the auctioneer. They put him up for sale here in Dallas. Hiram was sold the day his brother was hung. ​
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Theodore Prather bought him. When he had worked out his three years Prather gave him a horse and saddle and twenty dollars. He went to Douglas county and raised a family and was a good citizen.
"Frank Nichols, who married my sister Sarah, was the next sheriff. One of his first jobs was hanging Adam E. Wimple. Wimple had stayed for a while at our house in 1845. He married a 13-year-old girl in 1850 and within a year killed her. They lived in Cooper Hollow, four or five miles from Dallas. My brother-in-law, Alec Gage, and his wife stopped at Wim- ple's house the morning he killed her. Mrs. Wimple's face was all swollen and her eyes were red from crying. Wimple saw they noticed it, so he said 'Mary isn't feeling very well this morning.' My brother-in-law and his wife had not gone over a mile and a half when they saw smoke rising from where the Wimple house was. They hurried back and found the house in flames. It was too late to save anything in the house. When the fire had burned out they found Mrs. Wimple unde. the floor partially burned. Wimple had disappeared. He was- more than double her age. She was 14 and he was about 35. A posse captured him and brought him to Dallas. I knew Wimple well, so I asked him why he had killed Mary ? He said, 'Well, I killed her. I don't really know why/
"There was no jail so Frank Nichols took Wimple to his house to stay. Frank swore in four guards, but Wimple got away and was gone four days before they found him and brought him back. They tracked him to the house where he had killed his wife. I went over to stay with my sister, Mrs. Nichols, while he was boarding there waiting to be hung and I helped her cook for him. Frank hung him early in October, 1852. Wimple sat on his coffin in the wagon when they drove to the gallows where he was to be hung. They passed the sheriff's father, Uncle Ben Nichols, while they were on their way to the gallows. Wimple was afraid Uncle Ben would be late and miss the hanging, so he called out 'Uncle Ben, ain't you going to the hanging ? Ain't you coming down to see me ​
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hung?' Uncle Ben said, 'I have seen enough of you, Adam. No, I ain't going.' Uncle Ben was the only man in Polk county to receive a personal invitation and he was about the only one who didn't take a day off to see the hanging.
"Churches are plenty nowadays and folks don't seem to set much store by them ; but when I was a girl we drove 25 miles to church and were mighty glad to get to go. The church I attended was held in a school house and the preacher was old Doctor R. C. Hill, a Baptist minister. I met my future husband there. I was fourteen and Frank was nineteen when we first met. The name he was christened by is Francis Marion Col- lins, but I always call him Frank. He went to the California mines in the fall of '54. He mined near Yreka. In 1858 he took a drove of cattle down to the mines and the following year we were married. We were married on August 29, 1859, by Justice of the Peace Isaac Staats.
"There is one thing I have always been glad about and that is that Gilliam county was named after father.
"Gilliam county was set off in 1885 with Alkali, now called Arlington, for its county seat. Two of my cousins, William Lewis and J. C. Nelson, were in the legislature that session. They were taking dinner with me one day and they began talking about cutting off a new county from Wasco county. W. W. Steiwer and Thomas Cartwright were lobbying to have the new county created. "Cy" said the new county was to be named after the man who had surveyed it. I spoke up and said, 'Why not call it after my father ; he was killed up in that country while fighting for Oregon.' Lewis said, 'Your father was killed at Wells Springs, which is in Umatilla county ; but I think it would be a good plan to name the new county after him.' Cy Nelson said, Til introduce a motion to have the new county named Gilliam county.' He did so and so the new county was called after father." ​
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF JOHN DAY
Editorial Notes by T. C. ELLIOTT.
John Day was a member of the Wilson Price Hunt or Over- land party of the Pacific Fur Company (Astorians) which as- sembled at the mouth of the "Nadowa" (near where the city of Saint Joseph, Mo., now stands) in the fall of 1810, crossed the plains and Rocky Mountains during 1811 and arrived at Astoria during the winter and spring of 1812. The itinerary and experiences of those "Earliest Travelers on the Oregon Trail" have been clearly told on pages 227-239 of Vol. 13 of this Quarterly. John Day was a "Kentucky hunter" engaged to act as one of the hunters of the party, and is thus described by Washington Irving at page 146 of Vol. 1 of his "Astoria" :
"John Day, a hunter from the backwoods of Virginia, but who had been several years on the Missouri in the service of Mr. Crooks, and of other traders. He was about forty years of age, six feet two inches high, straight as an Indian; with an elastic step as if he trod on springs, and a handsome, open, manly countenance. It was his boast that, in his younger days, nothing could hurt or daunt him; but he had 'lived too fast* and injured his constitution by his excesses. Still he was strong of hand, bold of heart, a prime woodman, and an almost unerring shot."
John Day's early excesses evidently incapacitated him for extreme hardship, for in the final crisis of that journey, in December, 1811, along the banks of Snake river, he gave out and his life was saved only by the fact that Ramsay Crooks remained behind with him at some Indian camp near Weiser, Idaho. The following spring these two made their way across the Blue Mountains to the Columbia river, only to be at- tacked, robbed and left practically naked near the mouth of what has ever since been called the John Day river about thirty miles east of The Dalles. They were found by others of the fur traders and reached Astoria early in May. ​
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John Day was soon assigned to accompany Robert Stuart back across the plains to St. Louis with dispatches for Mr. Astor, and the party set off on the 29th of June; but during the night of July 2nd while encamped on or near Wapato Island he suddenly became deranged and the following morn- ing attempted to commit suicide and was sent back to Astoria in the care of some friendly Indians. This is all told by Mr. Irving on pages 111-12 of Vol. 2 of "Astoria/' with the final statement that "his constitution was completely broken by the hardships he had undergone and he died within a year."
With this reference John Day's name disappears from the writings of the annalists of the Pacific Fur Company's and North- West Company's careers upon the Columbia river, that is, until 1824. Tradition only (as far as known to the writer) is responsible for the infrequent statement that he retired from his associates and died in a small hunter's cabin on the banks of the large creek which empties into the Columbia a few miles above Tongue Point, which has for years been mapped and known as John Day creek.
But Mr. Irving was either inspired or mistaken, for John Day did not die within a year, although he is not again men- tioned until 1824 by any of the fur traders of the Columbia river. When the North-West Company's bargain with the Pacific Fur Company was completed it provided that those of the Astorians who did not then and there join the North- West Company be conveyed back to Montreal, or elsewhere east of the Rocky Mountains; and a "brigade" of ten canoes containing nearly eighty men left Astoria on April 4th, 1814, bound for the Athabasca Pass. The names of the party are all listed by Alex. Henry in his Journal, and Canoe No. 7 carried as "passengers, Mr. David Stuart and Mr. Joshua Day." Now there is nowhere any mention of such a person as Joshua Day among the gentlemen of either company, and Alex. Henry having been at Astoria only since the 15th of November, 1813, probably was not intimate with the names of all the Pacific Fur Company's men; so there is good reason ​
WILL OF JOHN DAY 375
to conclude that Joshua Day and John Day are one and the same person notwithstanding the discrepancy in names, and that our Mr. John Day then ascended the Columbia at least as far as one of the other North- West Company trading posts and eventually joined the North-West Company in some form of service. The document herewith is partial proof of such service and his weakness of body probably accounts for the lack of mention of him.
Our next record of John Day is contained in the Journal of Alex. Ross, who was in charge of the Hudson's Bay Company trapping party in the Snake country in 1823-24. The entry of May 12th, 1824, reads: "Went up to headwaters of the river. This is the defile where in 1819 died John Day." (Or. Hist. Quar. Vol. 14, p. 380.) Day's Defile is a mountain valley which heads in the Salmon River mountains of central Idaho and opens upon the lava beds to the north of the Three Buttes. John Work's Journal of November 2nd, 1830, reads : "Camped near the head of Day's River" (Or. Hist. Quar., Vol. 13, p. 369). Capt. Bonneville was on the same stream in December, 1832, as related by Mr. Irving, and the Arrowsmith maps of 1835-45 designate it as Day's or MacKenzie's river. It has, however, lost the original name and is now mapped as Little Lost River, from the fact that its flow sinks and follows under- ground channels to the Snake river.
Turning now to the document itself we find that the testator and witnesses recite its execution Feb. 15th, 1820, "on the dependencies of the River Columbia," and that Donald Mac- Kenzie proves it by swearing that John Day died Feb. 16th, 1820, "on the south side of the River Columbia in the Ter- ritory of Oregon." Had it been executed at Fort George or Spokane or Nez Perce the recital would have been different. This document was therefore written and executed in the camp of Donald MacKenzie on one of the mountain streams of Idaho, and may be the first proven will ever executed in Old Oregon certainly in the State of Idaho.
Donald MacKenzie was a passenger in Canoe No. 1 of the ​
376 T. C. ELLIOTT
brigade which left Astoria on April 4th, 1814, and carried to Mr. Astor the papers of final settlement with the North- West Company and the draft in payment. He then joined the North- Westers again and returned to the Columbia in 1816 to take full charge of the fur trade of the interior or upper river. Alex. Ross, in "Fur Hunters of the Far West," is our authority for his presence in the Snake country in the winter of 1820 in charge of a large trapping party there. Evidently he kept this document in his own possession until able as an American citizen to present it for probate at Mayville, New York, where he resided from 1833 until 1851, the date of his death.
The suggestion has been made that Washington Irving was inspired when he stated that John Day died within a year. This suggestion may be enlarged upon at some future date when it may be possible to relate the story of Donald MacKenzie's collection of the bequest to his daughter Rachel, being the moneys due from John Jacob Astor to John Day for services rendered the Pacific Fur Company. The document follows :
Before God and the subscribing witnesses, I, John Day the son of Ambrose Day in the County of Culpepper, State of Virginia, being sound in mind but infirm of body, do hereby make and constitute this my lawful Will and Testament, and I appoint Mr. Donald MacKenzie as the sole Executor of the same as follows :
First. I hereby give and bequeath to the said Donald Mac- Kenzie two hundred and forty acres of landed property given to me by the Spanish Government formerly at St. Louis in Louisiana. The said property of two hundred and forty acres of land is situated about a mile from the banks of the Mossouri, on the south side and lying upon the creek Lavudze right hand side of that creek adjoining the lands of Mons'r Cheauteau. All papers concerning the said landed property I have placed in the hands of Mr. James McKay, residing about nine miles below the town of St. Louis. I therefore request and desire of the said James McKay, his heirs administrators or Executors that he or they will give and deliver up or see given ​
WILL OF JOHN DAY 377
or delivered up into the hands of the said Donald MacKenzie or into his order all and every of the papers, the deeds or rights whatsoever appertaining to or concerning the said two hundred and forty acres of landed property situated as above mentioned.
I further give and bequeath to said Donald MacKenzie all and every my right and pretensions to the Salt Peter lands discovered by me about Boons Licks at the River Missouri.
I also bequeath to him the said Donald MacKenzie my one- third proportion of profits therefrom arising since first I found them, and I request and desire of my worthy friend Mr. Benja- min Cooper and of Mr. John Fairal who have been hitherto partners with me in the proceeds of the said Salt Peter lands, that they deliver up or see delivered 1 up into the hands of the said Donald MacKenzie or into his order all the share of profits belonging to me as arising from the said Salt Peter lands since the commencement of my partnership with them, which I believe took place in the year eighteen hundred and nine.
I give and bequeath to Miss Rachel MacKenzie of Columbia River all and every my ready cash with the lawful interest arising therefrom, and lying in the hands of my former master, Mr. John Jacob Astor, Merchant of New York. I therefore desire the said John Jacob Astor to deliver into the hands of my aforesaid Executor or order, all the ready cash with lawful interest belonging to me in his possession.
Signed and sealed this fifteenth day of February on the de- pendencies of the River Columbia in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty.
I wish this writing to be considered by all men as my lawful will and testament.
JOHN DAY. L. S. Witness
WILLIAM RETTSON.
JAMES BIRNIE. ​
378 T. C. ELLIOTT
State of New York, )
)ss. Chatitauqua County. )
Be it remembered that at a Surrogate's Court held at the Village of Mayville in the County of Chautauqua, on the twenty eighth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six, the last Will and Testament of John Day late of the Territory of Oregon in the United States of America, deceased (a copy whereof is hereunto annexed) was admitted to probate after a citation to the next of kin (there being no widow of said deceased) to the said deceased issued, served, returned and filed according to law.
Whereupon at the place and on the day aforesaid the fol- lowing witnesses after having been duly sworn by the said Surrogate, testified as follows, to-wit : after proof of legal service of the said citation on the next of kin to the said de- ceased Donald MacKenzie after having been duly sworn by the said Surrogate, testified as follows : that there was a promissory note of the said deceased came into the County of Chautauqua since the death of the said deceased, and that John Day the said deceased died on the sixteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty, on the south side of the River Columbia in the Territory of Oregon, in the United States, which was the place of his resi- dence at the time of his death ; and this deponent further says that William Rettson and James Birnie the two subscribing witnesses to the last Will and Testament of the said John Day deceased, now reside out of the State of New York, accord- ing to the belief and knowledge of this deponent, and that he is well acquainted with the hand writing of the said William Rettson and James Birnie, and that the signatures of the said witnesses to the said Will are the proper signatures of the said William Rettson and James Birnie who signed their names to the said will of said deceased, at the request of said decedent, and in the presence of the said deceased, and in the presence of each other, and this deponent further says that he is well ​
WILL OF JOHN DAY 379
acquainted with the handwriting of John Day the said de- ceased, and that the signature of John Day to the will of said deceased here produced in Court is the signature of said deceased, the proper handwriting of John Day the said de- ceased, and further that at the time the said deceased executed said will he was of sound disposing mind and memory and not under restraint, and the said William Rettson and James Birnie the said witnesses to the said will, took the said will after it was executed and immediately handed the said will to this deponent, and this deponent says that the said will now presented in Court is the same will of said deceased without any alteration whatever.
DONALD MACKENZIE.
Whereupon, I, the said Surrogate, upon the proof afore- said, being satisfied of the genuineness and validity of the said will, order that the said will be admitted to probate, and that Letters Testamentary thereon be granted to Donald Mac- Kenzie Executor in the said will named, after the expiration of thirty days from the time of taking the proof aforesaid, on his taking and subscribing the oath of office prescribed by law.
In Testimony Whereof, we have caused the seal of office of our Surrogate to b6 hereunto affixed. L.S.
Witness William Smith, Surrogate of the County of Chautauqua aforesaid, at Mayville in said County on the second day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six.
WILLIAM SMITH,
Surrogate. ​
DOCUMENTARY.
Letters of Elihu Wright to his brother, Samuel Wright. INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
By GEO. H. HIMES.
(Elihu Wright, the son of Elihu and Sally (Lewis) Wright, was born on a farm near Saybrook, Conn., April 12, 1801. Like nearly all the recruits that manned the big fleet of whalers that fared forth from New England on three-, four- and five- year cruises, young Wright had found the limited area of the Connecticut farm too small for the large family it sheltered. On his second cruise he was injured so badly in a tussle with a whale that he was a cripple for the rest of his life. He died Sept. 30, 1840.
Students of hereditary traits will find something of interest in the fact that four of the Wright brothers, grandsons of Elihu Wright the whaler, are residing in Portland, and are directly and indirectly interested in shipping and maritime business. E. W. Wright, at present manager for the Port of Portland, was a sailor and a steamboat man before he broke into the newspaper game. Capt. Walter H. is in command of a Can- adian Pacific steamer on Arrow lakes. Fred B. was purser on the lakes for a long time, and for the past ten years has been chief clerk for the San Francisco and Portland Steamship Company. C. L. Wright for the past fifteen years has been dispatching grain cargoes for a large exporting house in this city.)
I.
Bunavista, Oct. 3d, 1822. Dear Brother:
With pleasure I snatch my pen in haste to inform you how and where I am. My health is almost perfectly recovered. I hope these few lines will find you with your little family well, ​
DOCUMENTARY 381
likewise parents and brothers, with all inquiring friends en- joying the same invaluable blessing. I don't think that I was ever more fleshy than I now am. Of a truth, I am growing too big for my clothes and I feel as if I could do a thing or two. We left Nantucket the 3d of Sept. and made the Isle of Saul the 3d of Oct., being 30 days out of sight of land. We had a very rough passage the most of the way. For two or three weeks we had very squally weather with thunder and rain a plenty. Some nights when it did not rain hard enough Old Boreaus would scrape up handfuls of salt water in our faces. We lost the head boards off our gallant ship's head that bore her noble name, one on the 5th day out and the other the 20th, when we had a hard gale of wind in the which we lay too for a few hours under close reeft maintopsail and foretopmast staysail and mizzenstaysail. The 9th day out we had a bit of a
sailed in co with the Independence. About three
o'clock P. M. we discovered some whale to the leeward. We soon discovered them and run down for them, lowered the first and 2nd Mates' boats. I was in the first Mate's boat at the midship oar. There was a bad sea running but we pulled away over ditch and dam after some single whale but they went off faster than we could row our boat so both boats come to a stand and lay at our oars. Mr. Chase discovered a school of small whale and pulled for them and in a few minutes was fast to one. We were rowing the other way but tacked and stood for them and found they were cows and calves and to be sure they were more thicker than the cows and calves in father's barnyard. Mr. Hussey thought best to both tackle one whale so we ran our boat hard on and threw in two Irons when he came at us nose first, apparently very angry, puffing and spout- ing. Then it was back water all back water, or in other words stern haul. When we got out of his way he swam away fast arid had we had bells and brandy we would have had quite a romantick slayride. When he grew dull we would haul up to him and spur him with a lance till he was bloody as a butcher. Once while hauling up to him he raised his unman​
382 LETTERS OF ELIHU WRIGHT
nerly flukes within a handsbreadth of our boat to the height of 16 or 18 feet in the air and it rained a noble shower, but we thought salt water would not hurt us so we kept spurring him up until about dusk he died. Had it been in the early part of the day our officers think we should have taken six or eight of them for they kept squirming about like a basket of eels. There was one alongside of that we took for more than an hour or so that we thought we had made a mistake and struck two instead of one. Mr. Chase bent his lance the first or second dart as crooked as an Ivy rainbow. We got alongside of the ship about eight in the evening. We had a bitter squall in the night. When my watch was called at 12 I went up to close reef the maintopsail, my hat got blew into old Davy's locker. We were so much unprepared that we worked all night to be ready for cutting in the whale. We hauled the blubber on board in the morning and the succeeding day tried it out which made 32 barrels. If you want to know anything more about this whaling affair come here and I'll tell you all about the pig.
I am very sorry that Mr. 70 v was not able to come with us
as Mr. Dr. Hussey proves to be a , but I make better
weather of it than any of the crew. He chose me to row his boat since we took the whale. Chauncey rows Mr. Chase and Mr. Foldien, the Capt. We anchored yesterday at 2 o'clock off the Isle of Bunavista in order to send home our oil by the Brig Unhan here after salt. If you can get time you will do well to come and get your salt before killing time. There is more in this island than you will want. All you will want is your 9 cents and bushel basket. There is plenty of fish alongside of various kinds. I had some bread and milk for my dinner. The crew are generally pretty hearty some are afflicted with boils. I have not seen one sick hour till last night after row- ing ashore for 6 or 8 miles and back then getting out our cables and bending and anchoring and furlins" sails, being very hot, I had a severe sick headache which lasted through the night but feel better today. We shall proceed in two or three ​
DOCUMENTARY 383
days. We are in Lat. 18-6 min. South and 22-53 min. West.
As time and paper have failed me quite I must now close my letter and wish you all goodbye. I shall write every oppor- tunity and I will give you time to read one before you get another. I want to see Erasmus very much. You must make him some jacket and trowsers and send him to school so that he can go around Cape Horn when I get to be the Capt. of a whale ship. So fare you well. This from Borther E. Wright. Give my best compliments to all enquiring friends. Addressed,
To Mr. Samuel Wright, Saybrook
in Connecticut. Written on back,
II.
Rec'd 10th Dec., 1822.
South Pacific, Feb. 10th, 1823.
On board Ship Enterprise in Lat. 01-40 South, Longitude 120 West. Dear Brother:
Being now among the number who survive the pale nations of the dead and in good health, I take this opportunity, although very unexpected, of writing a few lines to acquaint you how and where I am, hoping at the same time that this may find you in health and prosperity.
Last night at 8 spoke the Ship Equator, Capt. B., of Nan- tucket, with 1500 bis. & wanting 30 more to fill up. She spoke a few days since the Ship Henry, of N Haven ; all well, 1800 bis., and Ship Planter of N. F., 1700 bis. Some scurvey on board. Wm. Griffis, of Killings worth, is dead. After cruising one season on the coast of Japan they returned to the coast of California and went into Francisco Bay to wood and water, where he was killed. The circumstance, as near as I could learn, was this : GrifHs, with some others, had the scurvey and lived ashore in a tent. They set him on shore just at night ​
384 LETTERS OF ELIHU WRIGHT
and returned to the ship with water. Griffis had a small bag of bread and had to walk across a considerable of a flat of land to reach the tent but did not reach there and they thought him to be on board the ship and those wooding and watering thought he was at the tent. They did not miss him till one or two days after they inquired of the inhabitants (who are generally savage) and were informed of a dead body lying near when they passed. They went to look and found his body. He appeared to have his scull broken and plundered of his clothes. The Equator lost one man, drowned by turning over the boat in the breakers on a bar when they were boating off wood. We spoke Ship Marcus of Sagharbor the 3rd of Feb. 6 mo. out; 200 bis. Boat had one man killed the first whale. The whale struck the boat and threw a turn of the line over his head and dragged him forward to the chocks of the boat. He lived just six hours. Ship Alexander has lost two boys. The Plowboy, all well; 500 bis. last news. We had pretty contrary wind from Bunavista around the Cape, very hot and calm on the line (at Nov. 1st). The weather off Cape Horn was very rugged and the sea boisterous. We made Statten land off C. Horn the 8th Dec. Its tops well covered with snow. We were about 40 days off Cape Horn, 20 of which we were from 56 to 60 South, the days 18^2 hours long. There was not more than two hours darkness. It was so light through the night as to be able to read on deck, although cloudy. W T e had a very severe gale off the Cape the 19th Capt. Weeks said he never knew the blow harder. We lay too under staysails & close reeft maintopsails. We were obliged to take in the S. S. Our boats were all taken in but one. The ship was rolling her boat davies under every swell while we were on the yard. She washt every coil of riging off the pins to the leeward, but it lasted but about 30 hours. We had another after we doubled the Cape in Lat. 41 South, more severe, if possible, than the other, but not so sharp sea, but since we have got up on the tropic the weather is as pleas ant as man ever enjoyed. S. E. winds. ​
DOCUMENTARY 385
As to the oily part of my story, I have not come to that yet no further than to tell you we are as free from oil as the sky is of cobwebs. We have not lowered since the 7th day out
Our ship sails remarkably well. We have run by all that we have fell in with. She is likewise light. We have been out 160 days and she has not leaked more than we could pump in four hours. The ship has met with no material accident.
I am sorry I cannot write you better news but we live in high hopes of having a sley ride. We are altering our course to the south some in hopes, of finding whale. They are very plenty in Japan where likely we shall be in four months. I shall write again from the Sandwich Islands if I have oppor- tunity. I shall be glad to hear from you. Please to write me the news. Write and tell of everything. Write if the turn- pike has lived over the winter, the price of corn arid the fare of ducks, and above all things, how your swamp hay holds out. If pigs should be scarce this spring among you, you can have some for coming here for them. We shall in a few days have an assortment, some of the Connecticut breed and some of the Portugue. It is but about 15 or 16 thousand miles we shall not want them all as we have no milk you know.
The Capt. of the Equator is now aboard of us. I momently expect him to leave and must therefore leave writing. So goodbye. I do not expect to return short of three years. Give my love to all enquiring friends, as I remain, Affectionate brother,
E. Wright. Addressed,
Samuel Wright,
Saybrook,
In Connecticut.
III.
Rec'd 27th July. Beloved Brother :
I shall now improve time by writing a few lines to give you the news if you will take the trouble to peruse ( ) ​
386 LETTERS OF ELIHU WRIGHT
which may inform you that I am well and 1 have enjoyed my health two months past much better than I did the first part of the voyage. We are now lying at Worahoo, one of the Sand- wich Islands, where we anchored the 12th of March. We fell in with the ship Eagle on the 16th of Feb., six days after I wrote you last by the ship Equator, Capt. Barnet, in Lat. 1-40 South 120 W. Long. Found all well on board 900 bis. Job has been frequently on board and on the 17th we were in a shoal of whale with the Eagle's crew. Stannard looks as tough as a whiteoak. As for my part, I got dry jokes and wet jacket. Jno and myself were in the chief mate's boat. We rowed to leeward and struck a large whale. She up flukes and let have & we found the boat traveling upwards. She then reacht her flukes over the gunwale of the boat and struck me across the back and landed me aft acrost the thwarts, bruis- ing my shins to no small rate. Our boat was filled with water but the fish slatted out the Irons and left us to bail our boat at leisure though something difficult as it was very rugged as every sea breaking acrost the boat we could not see our ship's loftiest spars except when on the top of a swell, although no more than a mile distant. This is the second time but I calculate for better luck in Japan. As for oil, we have suffi- cient to use in the binnicle. We have taken but two whale this side of the Cape which made us 30 bis. We saw planty of whale in 185 West Lat. 8 North, but the weather was so very rugged that we could not save whale, so directed our course for this place, which I hope soon to leave as we have been here almost a month. Been ashore almost every day. We have got plenty of sweet potatoes which cost 2$ per barrel. Plenty of cabbage and some other kinds of garden sauce.
Benjamin Prosseter, of Killingsworth, is in here in the Phoenix 1,000 bis. Roderic Strong is here in the Alexander 1700. Alfred and Hillias Pratt are in here in the Plowboy 1200. As for our crew, there has four left us since we have been here. Two they have brought on board in Irons, the ​
DOCUMENTARY 387
other two they will not trouble. The cook is now on shore in the Staunton and we are waiting for the Chanachens to bring him down. The one that stops here is from Haddam, by the name of Hubbard.
Jno and Chauncey will not write because we have so little oil, but we have the more slayrides to have, that's all.
Them pigs that I wrote you about, if you don't come for them soon will be roasted.
I think it is time your cattle were turned out to grass. If you go fishing for shad I hope you'll not forget your errand, but taking a few shad by the neck will not compare to killing the monstrous whale, notwithstanding she often cuts dirt with our feeble boats, knocking us sky high with her ponderous flukes.
Tell Alanson it is time to stop sawing, if he goes afishing to plow and get his business so as to leave his family.
I have received no news from you since I left. If I don't receive a line from you by the Globe or Maria you'll not ex- pect to hear any more of my slack till I come with my bodily presence.
Be so good as to write me a little of everything. Should any of my acquaintances think of writing don't discourage them. I should have wrote several letters had I time but the ship is not full and the chance of passage uncertain and but a few moments since I thought of writing.
I must now leave writing, wishing you to give my due re- spects to my parents and brother, with other respective friends.
N. B. This I put on board of Ship Iris of Newbedford, which will be as speedy as any opportunity I know of now.
Worahoo, one of the Sandwich Islands.
Dated April llth, A. D. 1823. E. Wright.
Addressed,
Samuel Wright,
Saybrook,
in Connecticut. Written on back, Rec'd 17th April, 1824. ​
388 LETTERS OF ELIHU WRIGHT
IV. North Pacific Ocean, Ship Enterprise,
May, 1823. Dear Brother :
With a kind of indifference I take pen and ink to write a line which will serve rather as history than a letter as the passage at best will be long as the ship is not full by which I send but may inform you when it comes to hand that I am well. As for success in our line of business we rank among the middling. We were nine months out with but about 30 bbls. of oil. On leaving the Sandwich Islands we were mated with the ship Phoenix of Nantucket and we have taken 31 sperm whale and 17 of them to our ship and ten of them to the boat that I and Jno. belonged to, though the largest of the ten made 250 bbls. the whole amount to both ships is 1700 bbls. We have been as far west as the 149th degree of E. Long., found the most of our fish in 153 or 4 E. and 323 N. lat. The 11 of June we discovered a reef of rocks which have not been heard of before, not being laid down in any map or chart. They were discovered just at night. It was perfectly calm and we had whale on board so that we did not go to them that night and before morning we drifted out of sight of them. We heard by the Lydia that the ship Ganges of New York saw the same one. This coast is entirely unexplored except by whale men and well it may be as it is the most out of the way place there is in God's creation.
Now we are returning to the Sandwich Isl. to recruit, being in latitude 33 N. Long. 160 West. We are calculating to part from the Phoenix in a few days, as she is bound into the Spanish coast for provisions,
I have received no particular news from you since I left Scrap Island more than 12 months since. We spoke the ship Globe the 31st of Aug. all well 450 bbl. Jno. received a letter by Wm. Lay who I was much disappointed to see. He ​
DOCUMENTARY 389
told me that David Wright was around the Horn in the Atavia of Scrap I.
As to the business of whaling I should like it well could we find them plenty enough the voyages are generally healthy our crew has been highly favored, although we have lost one man by accident by the name of Daniel C. Reeve of Chatham, son of Enoch Reeve. The circumstance as follows : On the 14th of July we had whale on board and were boiling in the morning just before daylight as he was turning some raw oil into the try pots he made a misstep and fell backwards into the deck pot which then contained about three or four barrels of oil hot enough to melt lead. He was instantly taken out and everything applied that the ship afforded for his benefit. His body was almost one solid blister. He soon became delirious and on the 19th came slyly on deck just after dusk and jumped overboard, the ship going six knots an hour, but we saw him and reached him closely. The sudden change seemed to have a bad effect upon him and made him worse and on the 22d of July he died, aged about 25 years. So we daily have evi- dence of the mortality of man.
I have heard the melancholy news of Aunt Hannah's death and likewise Mrs. Burdett and others.
What news I have received I had by John's and Chauncey's letters. I was much disappointed that I had none from you. I received but little information by Lay and Ingham. They said nothing but that you were well. I shall anxiously look for letters by every late sail ship, but if you are disposed not to write me at all please to be so good as to come and tell me and so not expect any more waste paper for shoe patterns from me.
This ocean, the Pacific, which you have heard so much praise for its mildness and gentle manners I have seen often scoul'd by sweeping tempests, yet the middle part of the season was pleasant, but the last was bad. Many ships suffered consider- ably, the Indispensable, an English ship, had two main top- sails blown away, just under our lee, in a gale, and had her ​
390 LETTERS OF ELIHU WRIGHT
try works washd overboard and some of her boats stove. The Alliance of New Bedford was upon her beam ends with her lower yards in the water for three-quarters of an hour. The Maro had five boats stove in in one gale and all her sails blown away. She had sprung her bowsprit and jib boom, fore top- mast, etc. The Globe likewise had a short spat with a jimmy lost double reeft main topsail and mizzen stay sail. Many others have been kicked about roughly.
We have reached no material injury in our spars or rigging, yet we have seen many hard squalls and gales.
We have spoke the Eagle several times on the coast, so that I have seen Job often. Their ship has been considerably leaky through the voyage. Some time in July she gained leaking to six or eight hard strokes an hour, so that she took no whale. The last we spoke her was the 6th of August, her leak rather gaining she was making the best of her way to port with the
golden to assist her in case of distress. The crew
were in good spirits and I do not doubt but they will reach some port where they can repair unless they should meet heavy weather.
We have had news that oil is very low. We heard that that which we sent home from Capedeverd's (Cape Deverd Islands) was sold at 53 cts. per gal., but then we have the consolation to think our voyage will not be so speedy but will have time to rise, so you see as "poor Richard" says : "Ever bitter has its honey" I mean sweet. I humbly hope and trust that you have finished your bog hay harvest and are nearly ready to begin sowing. After you have done that I would thank you to eat a few pears and peaches on my account and ask no questions.
P. S. I heard that some of the young blades made a short trip into the country and came back feet foremost. Tell them that if they were dismayed at sight of hemlock that they will never do for Cape Horn and had better not enter into Scrap Island service. ​
DOCUMENTARY 391
I will now leave writing anxiously wishing you health and prosperity. If my parents ask after me tell them I am well and not fail to tender them my best respects ; likewise remem- ber me to Alanson & Wm. and all who inquire after
E. Wright.
To Samuel Wright.
V.
Dear Brother :
It is with pleasure that I write a short line to inform you that I received your letter the 7th of Nov., 12^ months after date. I perused it with the most heartfelt pleasure as it is the first line I have received since I left the American shores.
By your letter you seem to be very inquisitive about many things which I suppose was caused by false reports which are very common to be circulated about ships that go out of sight of land. I must satisfy your curiosity in short as I have not time to write. In the first place, I enjoy the best of health which is truly a great blessing. In short, I have got to be quite black, saucy and able. As to our living, we have plenty of provision of decent quality. When we go out of port we carry out as much vegetation as we can preserve. As to our officers, I think we have better than they average. There has been but little flogging done, of which I have had no share.
We have a good Quadrant belonging to four of us. We do not pretend to keep no regular run of the ship. We sometimes take an altitude and work an observation, yet we do not under- stand Luna's refraction of the heavenly bodies, corrections, etc., etc. Our officers are good navigators and always ready to inform us when we ask but when the ship is full we shall have a better opportunity. We have had a watch below ever since we passed the Brasill Banks except when we have whale or other business which makes it necessary for all hands upon deck.
The Maria arrived here the sixth of Nov. All well, 1250 bbls. of sperm oil. The Globe arrived the 7th with 500. There ​
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was an English ship in here a few days since, 13 months from London, with 2,000 bbls. of oil.
We are now ready for sea again as soon as we find men enough to make up our crew. The natives which we carried out have left us and one man left us which we shipt at the Islands and there has two deserted which came from Conn. with us. The same two left when were in here in the spring but Capt. Weeks brought them on board again and I expect he will do it again unless he gets his complement of men beside. It has got to be quite fashionable to leave ships here but I shall not leave the ship so long as there is a timber-head left. The ship Connecticut went out four or five days past. The first Mate was on board of us after breakfast. Said his d nd Indians would jump overboard and swim on shore faster than he could bring them off in a boat. The reason was this : they were green and the hands did not like to have them, so while they were at breakfast in the cabin they threw them over- board and told them to swim ashore. These Chanachers are as much at home when they get in the water as Alanson is when he gets in the sawmill. They make fishing a considerable branch of business. Their twine for their seins they manu- facture by their fingers. They are extremely fond of fish which they often devour right from the hook without favour or af- fection, no time to talk about blood and bones then. The most of them live in a very filthy situation ; very few of them wear any clothing but a narrow list around the middle. But I will say no more about this filthy race as I hope to leave them soon and go to sea. The Alexander is to go to sea tomorrow, wind and weather favourable. I expect to send this letter by her. I put two letters into the Sea Lion which sailed the first of Nov.
The last cruise out we went within eight or ten days' sail of China. I expect we shall have to take another look that way and I am in hopes to fill up there. I do not know but I shall see you and Alanson around here before I get back. If so, I advise you to bring many clothes with you and bring ​
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your wives to mend them. However, I believe I have plenty. Had I taken ten $ worth of knives they would have answered 50. As for hats, I have lost several. If you hear of anybody that is going to Tarpolin Cove tell them to ask for my hats as they have no doubt gone there.
P. S. I hope you have more letters on the way. This will be at Saybrook about June or July. It will not be of use for you to write around the Cape. I hope not after you receive this for I shall make no promises to come another voyage to get the letters that you wrote this. Should we fill up on Jappan perhaps we might return round the East Cape. It would make our passage three months shorter but I expect it is more dan- gerous passing that way without arms and we have none. We were obliged to fire a rope-yarn gun at the celebration of Independence.
When you have done reading this letter you will see where there is no blackguard there is blots. 12 o'clock at night. So I remain E. Wright.
Addressed to
Mr. Samuel Wright, of Saybrook in
Connecticut. Rec'd 23d May, 1824.
VI.
Off Nantucket Bar, Wednesday, Aug. 28, A. D. 1822. Dear Brother:
After a short absence from you I take this opportunity to write a few lines to you which will inform you that J am well and hope this will find you and yours enjoying the same great and good blessing.
Since I have been on salt water I have been very hearty the most of the time. We had a good run from Saybrook. We came over the bar Saturday at five o'clock P. M. and anchored off Nantucket bar Sunday morn, being 16 hours run. We lie about four miles off. A boat's crew go on shore almost ​
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every night and return the next day. Capt. Weeks has been on shore the most of the time since we arrived. Capt. Barnet took charge of the ship for two weeks. But now our first mate, Franklin Hussey, is on board as Mr. Jay is not able to go the voyage. Mr. Foldien & Previe & Hillman are better. Job Turner is very feeble yet. It is not much likely that he will be able to go with us. James Gardner has given up the voyage since we arrived here. We have our cargoe mostly on board. There is one liter more to come. We expect to sail the first of next week if not before. Three ships have sailed since we have arrived here, viz : the Frances, the Queen, the Lydia. The last news received from the ships at sea was very dull from all quarters. There was scerce any full. Some that had been out for four years had but four hundred & fifty bar- rels. Oil is now worth about one dollar per gal, there being but little in at this time.
We are now ready for plowing. I think you must have done mowing and now should be ready for sowing after making a little new cider.
There has been no vessel in from Saybrook or Killingsworth as I could learn so I have had no news from home, or at least from Saybrook and consequently have had no opportunity of writing unless by the mail and so delayed untill now, daily expecting vessels in from that quarter. Should your letter not be forwarded so that I receive it before we sail you must write to me next spring as there will be ships going out. I should be very glad to see you, with many others, but as that is not to be expected I should be glad to receive a letter from you and you will be so good as to write me respecting friends and relatives.
Perhaps you would like to know my mind about returning. I still think I shall abide in the ship for home is a fool to this place. I am as contented and happy as a toad under the har- row. I have regained my health and flesh far beyond my expectations.
If Dr. Crane has absconded from Saybrook information may ​
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be had of him (or a man answering his appearance according to the best of my memory) on board the ship Enterprise. On Friday, the 25th of Aug., a man came on board styling him- self F. H. but imitates the said Dr. in every particular except his great memory and a small depreciation of stature.
As for Clothing I shall take about 100 or 50$ here which I think will be sufficient for the voyage should life be spared to prosecute the same. But if my all-wise Creator otherwise thinks best that my unhappy life should end upon the raging sea, weep not for me. Death is the fate of Mortal man. Then your Brother's sorrows cease to flow. Then shall the storm of wo be husht to silence and I at rest, wrapt in the seaman's common Tomb.
John is very hearty and appears to be quite contented with his new way of living, grows fatter every day, and Spencer is likewise tolerable well. He has pain in his breast but
is better. The rest of the crew are all well except those be- fore mentioned. And all think there is no business to be compared with whaling. All hands anxious to be ravaging the Pacific with oars and Irons and drag the whale to Justice, I mean to our Ship.
But as time and paper fail and I apprehend Patience will do the same while reading, I shall close the unentelligible scrall and bid you farewell.
P S As opportunities will not be very frequent of com- munciation I wish you to write as often as twice a year, if not oftener. Some of the letters will probably reach me. I shall not be able to write to as many friends as I should be glad, so I shall write you every opportunity, so give my love to Honored parents and brothers and all enquiring friends, and I shall ever subscribe myself,
Your most affectionate Brother and friend.
E. W.
to Samuel Wright.
Sunday, the 31st. This letter is wrote but not sealed. If I ​
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LETTERS OF ELIHU WRIGHT
had received your letter before I should have written different. I don't expect to have time to write another, as we go to sea tomorrow and our decks are half mast high with casks.
E.
(Addressed to Mr. Samuel Wright of Westbrook
In Connectticut. (Rec'd llth Sept) ​
DIARY OF REVEREND JASON LEE III.
Friday Sep. 19, 1834. Daniel and Myself are now on the bank of the Willamette River a little distance from Mr. Mc- Kay's* place.
Wednesday expected that the Brig would come up to Van- couver and we should receive our goods there but the want of wind prevented her coming up. Went on board just at night and ascertained that we could not get them until the cargo was taken out. Slept on board and walked to the Fort 3 mi. in the morning and commenced preparations for a trip up the Willamette. Dr. Me made all the necessary prepara- tions of men boat food &c. and we were off about 4. O'clock. Camped upon the sand. Started early this morning and came to the mouth of the W. and found the Brig there. Took breakfast on board. Waited while Capts Lambert, Wyeth & Thing explored the vicinity in search of a place to suit their business, but the[y] could find none to please them. Left them with the expectation that they will unload some of their goods and ours at or near the place where they now are. Arrived % past 1 O'Clock.
Sat. Sep. 20, 1834. Yesterday rode over Mr. McKay's place. The soil is sandy, light, and poor. The corn killed by frost potatoes light crop, wheat and peas tolerably good. Do not think such land will answer our purpose. This morning ex- amined piece of ground on the opposite side of the creek [Scappoose] good soil timber in the vicinity and would make a tolerable farm but it is but a few feet above high water mark & in the spring is surrounded by water and I fear subject to frost, and Fever & ague. There is plenty of grass for cattle in all directions and the horses and horned cattle on the farm look exceedingly well. The superintendent a Canadian showed us the utmost attention and kindness. Started 9 h. 30 m. to
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proceed up the River. Nearly all the land for some mi. is over- flowed in high water. Passed over a ridge covered mostly with a large species of fir, some white maple hemlock ash black cherry & cedar.
Sunday, Sep. 21. Daniel being unwell I was anxious to reach the settlement and we reached the river and camped. Some of the settlers came over to see us.
Mon. Sep. 22, 1834. Came along the river or a little distance from it about 12 mi. to Mr. Irannie's,* called at the houses of the inhabitants who were very glad to see us. Most of the men are Canadians with native wives. The land seems good but the season has been too dry; the crops in this plain have been better than those lower down the river. Here we found Mr. Smith (Solomon Howard) teaching half breeds. He is an American who came from Boston with Capt. Wyeth. At supper we were treated to a fine dish of Canadian soup, exc[e]lent pork and beaver and bread made of flour without bolting and as fine mus[k]mellons as I ever tasted. Our tent was pitched in the mellon bed and we slept there and found it very convenient in the morning.
Tues. Sep. 23, 1834. Started early this morning and rode some 3 or 4 mi. up the river to examine the land ; found an excellent place for a farm above all the settlers. Returned to the lower farms and went on foot 3 mi. to see a plain where Capt. W. has chosen a farm.
Wednes. Sep. 24, 1834. Prairie Du Sable on the bank of the Willamette. Fog dense ; cannot see a man two rods. Good health, plenty food &c., but my mind is greatly exercised with regard to the place of location. Could I but know the identicle place that the Lord designs for us be it where it may even a thousand mi. in the interior it would be a matter of great rejoicing. Only God direct us to the right spot where we can best glorify Thee and be most useful to these degraded red men. P. M. did not find the horses till nearly noon. Came about 11 or 12 mi. and are on a beautiful prairie but know not the distance to the River W. This plain would I think make ​
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a fine farm but it is probibly too far from the river. There are 30 Indians old and young a few rods from us and some of the men even are as naked as they were born, a filthy, mis- erable looking company and yet they seem quite contented. They subsist mostly on cammas. Probably more than in this vicinity have fallen a sacrifice to the fever and ague within 4 years.
Thurs. Sep. 25, 1834. Started 8 h. and came over bad road very slow to the fall of the Willamette and thence to the Clackamass River, forded it and crossed the prairie which we wished to see but think it will not answer our purpose.
Left the prairie and forced our way a mile to the Willamette through a swamp thickly timbered and covered with under- brush. Saw some Indians a little above us, came up and are camped upon the sand near them. My mind is yet much exercised in respect to our location. I know not what to do.
Friday, 26. Sent the horses to Mr. McKay's place and hired two Indians to take us to Vancouver in a cannoe, expected to reach there tonight but the wind and tide being against us we were forced to camp.
Satur., 27. Arrived at the Fort 9 h., found our brethren well. After mature deliberation on the subject of our location and earnest prayer for divine direction I have nearly concluded to go to the W.
Sun. 28 Sep., 1834. A. M. assayed to preach to a mixed congregation English, French, Scotch, Irish, Indians, Americans, half breeds, Japanese, &c., some of whom did not understand 5 words of English. Found it extremely difficult to collect my thoughts or find language to express them but am thankful that I have been permitted to plead the cause of God on this side of the Rocky Mountains where the banners of Christ were never before unfurled. Great God grant that it may not be in vain but may some fruit appear even from this feeble attemp to labour for Thee.
Evning. Preached again but with as little liberty as in the morning but still I find it is good to worship God in the ​
400 DIARY OF JASON LEE
public congregation. My Father in heaven, I give myself to thee ; may I ever be thine and wholly thine, always directed by thine unerring council and ever so directed as to be most bene- ficial in the world and bring most glory to the most high that I may at last be presented without spot and blameless before the Throne.
Mon., Sep. 29, 1834. This morning began to make prep- erations in good earnest for our departure to the W. and after dinner embarked in one of the company's boats kindly maned [manned] for us by Dr. McLoughlin who has treated us with the utmost politeness, attention and liberality. The gentle- men of the fort accompanied us to the boat and most heartily wished us great success in our enterprise. Arrived at the lower mouth of the W. where Capt. Wyeth's brig is, late in the evening.
Tues. 30. Received a load of our goods from Capt. Lambert and left the rest in his charge to be sent to the fort. Breakfasted and dined with Capt's Lambert and Thing. Left late in the day and camped a few mi. up the river on the point of a small island, the only place we could find for some miles where we could get the boat ashore. To the W. we have con- cluded to go. O, my God go with us for unless thy presence go with us we will not go up, for it will be in vain.
Wednes. Oct. 1, 1834. This morning put Bros. D. Lee and Edwards on shore to go to Mr. McKay's place to get horses and we pursued our course up the river. Met Capt. Wyeth on his return from his farm and shall not see him again til summer. Camped on a small prairie about 9 mi. from the falls and found here the men which the Dr. had sent with the cattle. He has lent us 8 oxen, 8 cows and 8 calves. Find my mind more calm than when in a state of suspense about our location.
Thirs., Oct. 2. Did not take breakfast til very late, being desirous if possible to ascend a little to the Indian village that I might engage them to assist us in carrying our load and boat which we were unable to carry by the fall. The old chief ​
DOCUMENTARY 401
came but not with' men enough to carry the boat. We carried some of the goods by and part remain at the landing. Find myself very weary.
Fri. 3. Slept verry well upon the bags of flour. The Indians came to receive payment for their labour and it was indeed a perplexing business to know how to pay them accord- ing to their work. Despairing of geting the boat past the falls we engaged two Indians with cannoes to go up with us and by means of an old can[n]oe we were enabled to take all and proceed a few mi. and are camped where it is difficult to find a place to sleep except on small stones.
Sat., 4 Oct. Arrived at Mr. McKay's landing 1 o'clock, found Br's D. Lee & Edwards there with the horses ; put them into the cannoes and came on horseback to Mr. Jerrais [Ger- vais]. He is not yet returned from the fort but is expected tonight.
Mon., 6 Oct. Yesterday remained at Mr. Jerrais', did little except read my Bible a little, my mind barren and un- fruitful. Early this morn in company with Mr. Jerrais went to examine land farther up than I had before been but con- cluded to land a short distance above the upper house on the W. Landed safe a little before night.
Sat., 11 Oct., 1834. We have been engaged preparing tools, fencing a pasture for calves, drying goods, &c., which were wet coming up the river. Some things sustained a little damage but nothing of consequence. Have for the first time been employed in making an ox yoke and succeeded beyond my expectation having no pattern.
Sun., 12 Oct. Many of the inhabitants came to see us and remained for hoiirs conversing about various things in the Canadian tongue.
I understand some of their conversation but not enough to converse on religious subjects, hence I found their visit long. Have concluded to preach the ensuing Sabbath at Mr. Jerrais', though the congregation will consist mostly of persons who will not understand the discourse. ​
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Sun., 19 Oct. Made a few remarks from these words: "Turn ye from your evil ways," to a mixed assembly, few of whom understood what I said but God is able to speak to the heart.
Sunday, Nov. 9, 1834. Five weeks tomorrow since we landed here and our house not yet completed. Four weeks our goods were sheltered by our tent the last of which it rained most of the time, and ourselves by a borrowed one very small and inconvenient. We have been constantly employed and fre- quently obliged to retire early in the evening with our clothes wet to prevent being drenched in rain and yet we have en- joyed uninterrupted good health during the whole time, though we were far from being comfortable in many respects.
We have laboured hard during the week and walked two miles on Sabbath and laboured hard to instruct the few who understand us, in the things that pertain to their spiritual peace. I thank God for the mercies shown us collectedly and for the blessings I have enjoyed while labouring with my hands for him.
August 18, 1837. It is now nearly three years since I have kept any record of the dealings of God with me, or of the events that have transpired around me. Indeed I have written exceedingly little during my life, except what I have been impelled to write by the imperious hand of duty. Hence I have kept no journal except while crossing the Rocky Moun- tains. And, indeed, such is my aversion to writing that when my time is chiefly occupied in worldly business, and in manual labour (as has been the case the three past years) it is even a burden to sit down to write a letter on business, or answer one of a friend. But when I have become a little familiarized to it by practice it is comparatively easy. Had I kept a reg- ular memorandum the three years past, I could have recorded little in reference to my own conduct, that would have af- forded pleasure and satisfaction, to myself, in the review; or that I should be willing to exhibit to others, for their imita​
DOCUMENTARY 403
tion. Yet many things might have been recorded that would most strikingly have illustrated the goodness of God to me. I think I may safely say concerning my own conduct, that the more prominent features, or rather the general outlines of the picture, have been such as be ; would be ; in the main, approved of by even the judicious.
But, the filling up, the FILLING UP, there is the difficulty. I know full well, that the main object I have kept in view has been the glory of God in the salvation of souls, and having judged it expedient under existing circumstances to employ much of my time in manual labour, I pursued it with that dili- gence and energy for the first twelve months which I have reason to believe superinduced the intermittent fever.
North Fork Platte River, July 28, 1838. The above para- graph was written in the wilderness, between the Willamette and the Pacific, when on a journey to the latter, with Bro. Shepard for the benefit of our health, accompanied by our companions, and a neighbor. I wrote the above with the in- tention of taking notes for the rest of the journey. Was obliged to break off suddenly to move on, and being rather feeble, I did not resume my pen. I have since kept no journal except for a few days when on a trip to Umpqua. The trip to the Pacific had a beneficial effect upon my debilitated sys- tem, which had then been suffering more than a year and a half from the effects of the intermittent fever. I still, how- ever, continued feeble during the fall and winter; unable to take any violent exercise without sensible injury. During the winter I nearly despaired regaining my wonted health if I remained in that climate.
The 16th Feb. I set out for Umpqua and after 23 days of toil and hardship reached home in safety, and after a few days rest found myself rather better for the trip. This was en- couraging, considering the difficulties encountered such as being drenched in rain many times, fording creeks high enough ​
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to wet our feet, sleeping in wet clothes and blankets, very bad roads and sometimes hard marching-, &c.
The subject of the necessity of some one of the Mission Family visiting the U. S. had been agitated during the winter and it was at length decided by a majority that it was expedient for me to go. Previous to leaving for Umpqua, I had written Dr. McLoughlin, requesting a passage in the Company's boats, with himself, by the Hudson Bay route. This I greatly pre- fered to the route I came, as less fatiguing, less dangerous, better calculated to restore my debilitated system, and much more likely to afford new, interesting and useful information. The answer was near when I left and was to be brought me by a man who was to overtake us the second day, but by mistake he sent it to my house, hence I did not get it till my return. The Dr. could not grant my request, and expressed himself "doubly mortified" ; because he could not do me the favour, and should also be deprived of my company. Such was my aversion to this route and so great were my fears that the fatigue would be too much for my strength that I inclined to stay at home, if the Dr. gave a negative answer, and had determined if that was the case, to abandon the trip to Umpqua, for the present, and return and prepare communications, and not go to the U. S. myself. Hence I was greatly disappointed at being kept in suspense so long, but it was no doubt Provi- dential. On my return finding I could not go with the Dr. and feeling very much fatigued from the immediate effects of my journey and rather leaning to the opinion that it was hardly justifiable, for me to leave my post without permission from the Board, unless there was a prospect of benefiting my health (the opinion of most of the Brethren to the contrary notwithstand- ing). I endeavored to persuade myself that it was not duty to go, under existing circumstances, and tried to compose my- self to represent the circumstances and wants of the Mission as well as I could by writing. The time previous to the depart- ure of the express was too limited to do anything like justice to the subject and indeed, there seemed to be several things ​
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which I despaired of ever being able to represent with that clearness, and force, which their importance demanded, except in person. In the meantime Messrs. Ewing & Edwards re- solved to try this route, though there was no certainty of a party, going from Fort Hall to the American Rendezvous, and no certainty where it would be. The society of these gents, I saw at once, would obviate a good deal of the anticipated lone- liness and make the journey much more pleasant and agreeable, and hence a much greater prospect of benefiting my health, was opened up. These things, together with the firm conviction of many of the brethren, that it was my duty to go; and many other weighty considerations; if they did not remove all my objections, finally counterbalanced them, and I became satisfied that my Master called, and that duty required me to leave home and wife and friends and retrace my steps to the land of civilization.
I had but two or three days to make preparations and of course everything was done with the utmost dispatch. I had witnessed some trying scenes before, had passed through some that were considered by myself and others to be most trying; but still there remained one to be experienced of which few are calculated to be adequate judges; for few, very few indeed, have ever been called to part with friends under such unusual and almost inconceivably delicate circumstances. For me to attempt to portray it upon paper, would be vain, but suffice it to say : that the impression is indelibly fixed upon my mind and will doubtless remain vivid while fond memory retains her seat.
July 30. On a small creek 35 from Ft. Wm. We do not move camp today, and I purpose to employ a part of the day in noting a few reminiscences of self and days gone by (if rheu- matism in my right elbow does not prevent) the perusal of which may be gratifying at some future day if life should be spared.
Like most others in my early youth I looked forward with glowing interest to that hour when ripening manhood should ​
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qualify me to woo a beautiful, wise and lovely daughter of Eve, and ultimately call her my own. In early life, I admitted the full force of the assertions of holy writ, that "it is not good for man to be alone/' and was fully satisfied that the man who was destitute of a helpmate, to whom he could give, heart and hand, and who would, without reserve, reciprocate his affections, was wanting what was better calculated to smooth the ragged path of life, lessen its ills and increase its pleas- ures, than anything els[e] of an earthly nature, that this world, with all its pomp and show, can possibly afford; and for which, man with all his diligence and assiduity can never find a substitute. With these truths deeply engraven on my heart, I grew up from youth to manhood ; my imagination often adverting to the conjugal felicity that I fondly anticipated would at no very distant period be all my own. I always de- spised domestic brawling, and felt especially indignant at that man who could tyranize over an innocent, lovely and defence- less female, and could scarcely avoid looking with detestation upon that woman who was ever grasping after the authority of the husband, and then always seeking to exhibit her prowess, in browbeating him on all occasions. I have generally been disposed to fix the heaviest censure upon the man, for all the domestic broils and disorder that occur in ordinary cases, believing it to be in his power to introduce and maintain a system that will in most cases secure harmony, order and peace in the family circle. But I am now fully convinced that it is a rare thing under the sun to see peace and harmony existing under that roof, where the all-transforming influences of the gospel of peace do not prevail. Such is the ignorance of human kind, that the wisest are liable to err at every turn ; hence many will most honestly differ in opinion, with their best friends, and each, it may be, with equal sincerity, maintain opposite sides of the same question, utterly astonished that the other does not yield the point, and not being able to comprehend how another can see things so differently from himself ; and being actuated by the principle of pride, which is always prompting us to ​
DOCUMENTARY 407
justify self and attribute dishonest motives to those who differ from us, he is not unfrequently led to the conclusion that it is wilful stubbornness that induces his opponent to maintain so zealously what appears to him so manifestly absurd. Hence hard feelings are engendered, a quarrel frequently ensues, and alienation of affections is the consequence. If in the absence of the religion of Jesus Christ, such things are unavoidable, even among those who wish to be honest, what shall we say of those haughty, domineering spirits who are determined to carry their own point, right or wrong? But where the re- ligion of the Bible is mutually enjoyed, there is such a spirit of unbounded charity, and constant forbearance, that no difficulty can arise but what may be amicably adjusted and even diffi- culties shall tend to unite more closely those hearts which beat in unison and whose interests are one.
But to return from this digression. It was my intention to choose one from the same condition of life with myself, and though I did not intend to yield that authority which the God of nature has given to man to love the woman, yet I was determined to make my wife my companion, and to spare no pains to make her comfortable and happy ; and never give her reason to regret that she had united her interests with mine, placed her person and her all under my controwl, and confided in me for protection and support. I did not therefore think myself justified in marrying until I had a fair prospect of maintaining a wife comfortably at least by industry and economy.
But being thrown upon the world at the age of 13, without money, to provide for all my wants, by my own industry, I found as years rolled on it was not the work of a day to place myself in those circumstances, which I thought desirable, pre- vious to taking what I viewed as the most important step of life. At the age of 23, however, I began seriously to think of settling upon some spot of earth which I could call my own, and of looking about for her who was to be the solace of future years. ​
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But he who seeth, not as man seeth had otherwise deter- mined. Thus far I had lived without hope and without God in the world, but now, the spirit, which I had so often grieved, again spoke to my conscience, and in language not to be mis- taken, warned me of my danger. I saw, I believed, I re- pented, I resolved to break of [f] all my sins by righteousness and my iniquities by turning unto the Lord ; and if I perished, I would perish at the feet of Jesus, pleading for mercy. I saw the fullness of the plan of salvation, cast away my unbelieving fears believed in, and gave myself to Christ and was ushered into the liberty of the Children of God. I was now, by my own consent, the property of another, and his glory and not my own gratification, must be the object of my pursuit. Years after years passed away ; which I spent successively in business, in study and in preaching, until I reached the age of 30, still retaining the same views in reference to marriage, and still, for conscience sake, remaining single, being fully persuaded that it was my duty so to do. Previous to this I had con- sented to cross the R. Mountains, to labour among the Indians of Oregon. This was considered an experiment, and by many, many, an extremely hazardous one, and it was rightly deemed impracticable for females to accompany pioneers on an expedi- tion shrouded in so much darkness and fraught with so many difficulties. I was fully aware, even if we succeeded in our enterprise that years must elapse before we could be reinforced by females, and therefore, resolved to make no engagemnts with any, previous to leaving the civilized world, which resolu- tion was most sacredly kept. After establishing upon the Willamete, I made the best shift I could without female assist- ance, and though I felt more sensibly than it is possible for a man to feel, in the enjoyment of civil society, that it is not good for a man to be alone, yet I did not murmur, or perplex myself about it ; believing that if God saw that it was for my good, and his glory, he would prepare the way for me to change my condition. In our first reinforcement in the summer of 1837 there were three single ladies, one of which was not en​
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gaged. I had seen her before in N. Y. City, but was not at all favourably impressed with her personal appearance, and least of all, did I think she would ever become my wife ; even when I was informed by letter that she was coming to Oregon, and on my first interview with her there, my prejudices re- mained the same. I was told that she was sent out on purpose for me, and that she had come with the expectation that I would marry her (this however was a gratuitous assertion), arid was asked if I intended to do it. I stated my principles in refference [to] marriage and then replied, that though a lady should travel the world over in order to become my wife, yet I could never consent to marry her, unless, upon acquaint- ance I should become satisfied, that, that step would be con- ducive to our mutual happiness and the glory of God. Upon reflection, I was convinced that she was not a lady that I should have fancied for a wife (there is no accounting for people's fancies) though I esteemed her as a lady of deep piety and good sense ; but thought I, perhaps, he who looketh not upon the outward appearance but upon the heart, has chosen her as far better calculated to increase the joys and lessen the sorrows of life, than one that my fancy would have prompted me to choose; and indeed I was convinced that fancy should have little to do with the matter but that judgment, alone, under the influence of an enlightened conscience should examine and decide the question ; and here I rested the subject, until personal acquaintance should enable me to make a judicious decision, whether it was proper to make proposals to her or not. After having formed a pleasing acquaintance and mutually exchanged feeling on the subject, I at length became convinced that she was eminently qualified to do all the duties and kind offices of an affectionate companion, and was worthy of my highest re- gards, esteem and love, and that it was the will and design of our Father in heaven that we twain should become one flesh, as a step, conducive to our mutual happiness and his glory. With these views I made proposals of marriage and received for answer the following:
I ​
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"Yes, where thou goest I will go,
With thine my earthly lot be cast ; In pain or pleasure, joy or woe, Will I attend thee to the last.
That hour shall find me by thy side, And where thy grave is, mine shall be ;
Death can but for a time divide,
My firm and faithful heart from thee.
Thy people and thy charge be mine,
Thy God, my God shall ever be ; All that I have receive as thine,
My heart and hand I give to thee.
And as through life we glide along, Through tribulation's troubled sea ;
Still let our faith in God be strong, And confidence unshaken be.
(Signed) ANNA MARIA. Ruth 1, 16, 17.
The following Sabbath which was the 16th of July, had been previously appointed for our first public communion in Oregon, and Brother Shepard had determined to be married on the morning of that day in the public congregation, believing it would have a beneficial influence upon those who were living with native women, without the ceremony of marriage.
Miss Pitman and I concluded that we would lead the way ; but this we kept a profound secret from all except my nephew, who was to do the business.
We were fully aware that this was a step that every member of the Mission Family was very anxious we should take, yet they had no idea that it would be so soon, and no evidence that it would ever be.
Miss P. aided in preparing the supper, and all went to Mr. Shepard's credit. The morning of the 16th came, it was a ​
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lovely morn; arid at the hour appointed for public worship the whole Mission Family consisting of seven males and five females, Missionaries, and assistants, and between 20 & 30 children, Indians and half breeds, repaired to a beautiful grove of firs 40 rods in front of the Mission House where were as- sembled nearly every white man in the settlement with theii native wives and children all neatly clad in European manu- facture besides a goodly number of Indians. There sheltered from the scorching rays of the sun, under the umbrage of these firs and faned by the gentle zephyrs that seemed at once to calm and sooth and exhilerate the spirit; and dispose it to a devotional frame; we commenced the solemn exercises of the day by reading and singing a hymn of praise, and fervently addressing the throne of grace, while every knee bent in the attitude of supplication, and we trust many prayers came up as memorials before God.
I then arose and addressed them in substance as follows : My beloved Friends and Neighbors, More than two years have rolled into eternity and bourne their report of the manner in which we have spent them; since God in his providence cast my lot among you. During this period I have addressed you many times and on various subjects, and I trust that you bear me witness this day, that I never have, in any one instance, advised you to [do] that which is wrong; but, that I have, on all occasions, urged you to cease to do evil, and learn to do well. And I have frequently addressed you in no measured terms upon the subject of the holy institution of marriage and endeavored to impress you, with the importance of that duty. It is an old saying, and a true one, that example speaks louder than precept and I have long been convinced that if we would have others practice what we recommend, circumstances being equal, we must set them the example. And now, my friends, I intend to give you unequivocal proof that I am willing, in this respect, at least, to practice what I have so often recommended to you.
I then steped forward and led Miss P. to the altar. Surprise, ​
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seemed to be depicted upon almost every countenance. The ceremony over, I seated the bride and then united Mr. & Mrs. Shepard, also a white man to a native woman. After which I preached a long discourse from, "Come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel," with more than usual liberty. The subject thrilled and many tears, bore ample testimony that the hearers were not past feeling; and even the furrowed cheeks of some who did not understand the language spoken were not destitute of moisture on that occasion. The sermon ended, I read and explained the rules of our society, and then Baptised the young man just married and received him into the church.
Rev. D. Lee then read the lessons appointed for the ad- ministration of the Lord's supper, said the consecrating prayer and invited all who truly loved our Lord Jesus Christ to come forward and partake of the consecrated elements to their com- fort ; and I have seldom known the presence of the Lord more sensibly and powerfully manifested than on that occasion.
A young man* from New York who was brought up a Quaker, and who had for some months given good evidence that he was converted and had been for some time earnestly praying that his duty, in reference to Baptism, might be made plain to him, came forward and beged to be Baptised, and re- ceived into the Church, that he might have the privilege of par- taking of the Lord's Supper. This done, a love feast, or rather a feast of love followed. Every member of the Church brought in, testimony for the Lord, and bore witness to the truth, excelency and importance of the religion of Jesus Christ.
Several of the neighbours, mostly Roman Catholicks, spoke of their past wickedness and of their desire to lead better lives and save their souls. The exercises closed by singing and prayer. My health being extremely delicate, as was to be expected, I found myself greatly fatigued, by the excessive labours of the day, but felt thankful and happy that my strength had been exhausted in the service of God.
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Thus commenced a new era in my life and I began an experi- mental acquaintance with that state, of the happiness of which I had long been favourably impressed. Eight months elapsed previous to my leaving for this trip, and our affections for each other had been increasing, and our souls always beat in unison ; insomuch, that there was seldom the slitest diference, even in opinion, in reference to any subject that we had occasion to discuss. Not a cross look ever ruffled our countenances, not an unkind word ever escaped our lips, and not a hard feeling ever disturbed the tranquility of our souls, during that period. The most perfect harmony and unanimity subsisted between us, and we were always happy in the enjoyment of each other's society. At length, however, imperative duty seemed to de- mand a separation. Painful in the extreme, was the thought of leaving such a companion, and especially, of leaving her in the most delicate circumstances possible ; she having already six months of her pregnancy.
And if the thought of it was so painful to me, what must it be to her? Who would not have expected to see womanish weakness exhibited to its full extent under such circumstances ? And doubtless she felt, and felt most sensibly upon the subject; for I can not conceive it possible for one so circumstanced not to feel ; yet she had learned in the school of Christ : that per- sonal inclinations and interests must always give place to duty ; hence she confided in the arm of the Almighty for protection and support, and did not so much as attempt to dissuade me from leaving her. And where is the husband, similarly sit- uated but must admire the noble heroism and moral dignity exhibited in the following declaration : "I will not take it upon me to advise either way ; and I will not put myself in the way of the performance of your duty ; but if you think it duty to go, go, for I did not marry you to hinder, but rather to aid you in the performance of your duty."
The circumstances of the parting scene I need not mark down with ink and paper in order to assist my memory, for ​
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it is too deeply engraven on the tablet of my heart to be easily erased.
A short time before I left she presented me the following:
Must my dear companion leave me,
Sad and lonely here to dwell ? If 'tis duty thus that calls thee,
Shall I keep thee? No, farewell; Though my heart aches
While I bid thee thus farewell.
Go thou loved one, God go with thee
To protect and save from harm ; Though thou dost remove far from me Thou art safe beneath that arm; Go in peace then, Let thy soul feel no alarm.
Go, thy Saviour will go with thee.
All thy footsteps to attend; Though you may feel anxious for me,
Thine and mine he will defend ; Fear not, husband,
God thy Father is, and friend.
Rocks and mountains may divide us,
Streams of water too will flow ; Time to me will seem most tedious,
And the hours will move too slow, Thus divided,
Oh, what cares my breast will know.
Go and seek for fellow labourers,
Tell them that the field is white : God will show them many favours,
While they teach the sons of night ; Bid them hasten,
Here to bring the Gospel light. ​
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Though thy journey may seem dreary,
While removed from her you love; Though you often may feel weary,
Look for comfort from above: God will bless you
And thy journey prosperous prove.
Farewell, husband, while you leave me,
Tears of sorrow oft will flow; Day and night will I pray for thee,
While through dangers you may go : Oh, remember,
Her who loves you much : Adieu.
Jason Lee Anna Maria Lee.
Some might imagine that there is, in the above, a tinge of melancholy and feminine softness, or weakness that ill comports with the firmness of the Christian, but I am inclined to think, that neither the spirit of religion, or true philosophy would exclude feeling, even delicate and intense emotions, on such occasion. Stupidity or stoicism alone would dictate it. There may be much feeling where there is perfect submission, and a firm trust in the promises of God.
On the morning of the 25th of March we parted, to see each other no more, for, at least a year and a half; and the fact, that there was no prospect of my hearing from her during the whole time, and she from me only for three months, added poignancy to our grief, and made the pain of parting much more acute, than it otherwise would have been. If I know myself, nothing but a sense of duty would have induced me to leave under such circumstances ; but it becometh the Chris- tian, ever to say, not my will, but thine O God be done. There is one reflection which gives me exquisite pleasure in the retro- spect; that is, that there was not the least thing transpired, during our intercourse with each other, that causes a blush to tinge our cheek, or gives the least pain; or that we would ​
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hardly wish to alter, if we had it in our power to make a new edition. Would to God that I could speak thus, in reference to all the actions of life.
Horse Creek, on the Platte, Aug. 7, 1838. I purpose as time may serve, to put down a synopsis of our journey.
March 26, 1838. Left the Mission House on the Willam- ette, for the U. S. in company with P. L. Edwards, and two Indian boys, Wm. Brooks (a Chinook) and Thomas Adams.
28. Arrived at Vancouver, and found there was a mistake about the time of the party starting for the R. Mountains. We could have left two weeks later and yet have been in time.
April 4. Left Vancouver, Mr. Ewing of Mo. having joined us, in a canoe, but soon found we were too heavily laden ; put ashore and hired a larger canoe of the Chinook chief. Called at the Companies Saw Mill, camped 10 mi. above it, with some Indians from the Cascades, who were on their way home.
5th. Reached the Cascades in safety though the canoe came near filling while towing it up a rapid. Rained hard, as is most always the case there. Carried our goods past and slept upon the gravel stones, rather uncomfortably; nearly everything being wet and very little wood.
6th. Arose early and with a good deal of difficulty engaged Indians enough with my help to carry the canoe across the portage. Slept above the Bluff Rocks.
7th. Procured a horse and guide from the Indians and ar- rived at Wascopum before noon ; the canoe about an hour or two after. Found Bros. D. Lee and Perkins, well and hard at work preparing the timber for a house.
Sun. 8th. Preached to more than a hundred Indians in the Chinook jargon which was interpreted into the language of Wascopum, and then into Nez Perce. There was good at- tention, perhaps some good effected.
9th. After a long parley and a great deal of trouble, we engaged horses of the Is. to take us to Wallawalla, and crossed over to the north side. Was engaged writing till a late hour at night. ​
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10th. Commenced early and finished my letters to wife and others. Broths Lee and Perkins came over and took break- fast with us ; we then commended each other to God, in prayer, took the parting- hand, while the former returned to take care of their Mission, the latter bent his course to the W. for his wife, and we pursued our way up the Columbia.
13th. Reached Wallawalla, with less fatigue, and better health than I expected.
14th. Went to Dr. Whitman's. The water was high in the streams. Overtook Mrs. Pamburn and daughters, and a very old woman, who crossed the mountains with Mr. Hunt,* and a grown daughter. We were obliged to cross on small trees, which bent and trembled with us so as to make it difficult to keep the center of gravity.
I thought a man who was with us and I should have enough to do to cross all stuff. I took a little girl in my arms and started across, and to my astonishment was followed by the females with larger loads than I should probably have ven- tured with, consisting of children, saddles, bridles, blankets, saddle bags, dogs &c., and all came safe over. The Dr. came and conducted us to the house.
Mrs. W. met us at the door, and I soon found myself seated and engaged in earnest and familiar conversation, as if we were old acquaintances.
15, Sab. Had a very interesting time preaching to the In. while the Dr. interpreted.
16th. Visited the In's [Indians'] Farms and was surprised that they had done so much in the absence of almost every tool necessary to do with. Some had two or three acres, wheat, peas, corn & potatoes.
17. Started J/ past 8 o'clock A. M. on horse back, with two In. for Mr. Spalding's, a distance of a 100 mi. and ar- rived at y 2 past 3 P. M. on the 18th.
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22, Sun. Preached to the In. Mr. S. interpreted. Mr. and Mrs. S. were very much pleased at receiving- a visit from me, and I was very much gratified with the visit, and trust it was a profitable one.
23. Took leave of these warm friends, came about 10 mi. to the river and were hindered a long time, before we could get a canoe ; and it was 2 o'clock before we were across, and ready to move on. Encountered a shower of rain, which was disagreeably cold. Encamped just before dark.
24. Started after breakfast and had a strong headwind all the forenoon, but pushed on hard and before dark found my- self at Wallawalla. Distance this day at least 75 mi. Mr. Pambrun estimated it considerable more. Found myself rather weary, but slept sweetly and arose quite refreshed.
27th. The boat from Vancouver and one from Colville ar- rived, and I was greatly disappointed at receiving only one note from the Willamette. Was expecting letters from all the M. Family and was very fearful, that, as they had let this opportunity pass, I should not get them at all. "Hope de- ferred maketh the heart sick."
29. Preached in English to nearly all the inmates of the Fort, but half perhaps understood little. I was careful, not to shun to declare the whole counsel of God, and an influence was felt, but I fear it was of short duration, for the gentlemen continued their business after services. I think without paying any attention to its being Sabbath.
May 2. Having provisions, pack saddles, &c, nearly all in readiness, I went again to see the Dr. and Mrs. W.
Fri. 4. Thinking my letters had probably arrived I started for W. and met Bro. Edwards coming with them ; returned to read them. Was greatly rejoiced, and refreshed, to hear from all my friends and especially from my dear wife. How differ- ent this world, from that which is to come : Here we are often separated from the dearest objects of our affections, there, we shall have no desire unsatisfied if we are with Jesus. ​
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5. Read and answered letters.
6. Preached to the Indians.
7. Rode to Wallawalla, fixed all for the journey.
Tuesday, 8. Received 25 horses from Mr. P., of which I had 13, Messrs. E. & E. 6 each. Packed and came about 2 mi.
9. Crossed goods in boat and canoe, over the Wallawalla river. Horses swam.
10. Came 10 mi. Camped on the Wallawalla R.
11. Left camp and came to Dr. W. and met Mr. Spalding there. Had a good visit.
12. Came to camp accompanied by Mrs. S. and Mrs. W. ; it was in motion, and we passed on to the front of camp. I there remained with them till all were past, and we kneeled upon the bank of a small stream, and Mr. S. commended us to the throne of grace, we then took the parting hand, and they re- turned to their arduous labours ; and I pensively pursued camp, thankful for the pleasing acquaintance thus formed.
13, Sun. Should have remained over Sabbath with Dr. W. but was not willing to lose the opportunity of preaching to camp, being informed that it would not move on that day ; but was greatly disappointed; the rain falling all day in such tor- rents, that it was not practicable.
14. Rain continued with unabated force and we did not move. Rather uncomfortable.
15. Came to river Moreau, fell a tree and carried the baggage.
16. Reached the Utilla. Many Kioos [Indians] came to us.
17. Remained, water too high to ford.
18. Crossed and camped.
Mr. Edwards' horse reared up in the river, fell back, and he fell under him, and with some difficulty extricated himself without injury. Mr. Ermatinger arrived from Vancouver. Though this is the llth day since we left, yet a man could easily ride to Wallawalla in one day. ​
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19. Came a good march to the middle of the Blue Moun- tains, small plain, grass rather poor.
Mr. E. informed me he intended to march on Sun. His excuse was the grass was poor, and the horses would get lost in the woods.
20, Sunday. Crossed the remainder of the B. M. and camped on Grand Round River.
21. Crossed the G. R. plain and slept at the hills.
22. Wet some things crossing a branch of Powder R. and camped. Short march.
23. On a branch of the same. The main river is too high to ford and we are forced to go around to cross the different branches, loosing at least one day.
24. In the hills. Arose early to finish some letters to send by a free trapper who came to us two days ago; but he con- cluded to remain another year.
25. On the waters of Brule.
26. On Brule. Some trouble with a wild horse throwing his pack, &c.
27, Sun. Did not move camp. Very hot sun succeeded by a heavy shower ; was fearful it would continue all day ; but at length it cleared away, and I collected the people and gave them a sermon.
28. Camped on the river De Bullo.
29. On Malheur.
30. Arrived at Boise.
31. Was engaged writing letters. Evening, crossed over to the Fort, and wrote till a late hour. Musketoes troublesome. Slept in the Fort.
June 1. Left Fort Boise, came a few mi. to Owhyhee River ; waited till the canoe arrived from the fort, crossed, and camped. Careless men upset one load.
2. Made a good march. Camped on Snake R. ​
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3, Sun. Preached 1st in English, and Baptised Mr. McKay's son, Donald M. Lane! 2nd in French, talked a little, rather broken; 3rd in English.
4. Camped on Snake R. near where we camped after mak- ing the long march when we went down. It is extremely hot, dry and dusty ; be we find some excellent currents, which are a great luxury and what I little expected to find here.
5. On a brook. Grass good. 6. On River Bruno.
7. On Snake, a little above where we left Mr. McKay when we went down.
8. The same place where Mr. McK. took wife. One of our horses, which had been bled a fortnight previous, came into camp, bleeding from the wound which had not yet healed. He was poor and had been used but one day after he was bled. He seemed very weak from the loss of blood. Mr. M. K. sewed up the incision, as I thought well, but in morning of the 9th we found that he had been bleeding during the night. He was so weak that he could not go without staggering, still I resolved to try to take him on, thinking it possible for him to recover if the blood could be effectually staunched. Our road for 12 mi. lay across a plain without water, and lest he should faint by the way I took a pail of water to refresh him by the way. Tarried behind with a boy and walked him gently the whole distance then left him at Snake Falls, and went on 4 mi. to camp. Never did I feel more compassion for any poor brute, or labour so hard to save one.
10, Sun. Wm. went early and drove in the horse. Was surprised to see the tents coming down, preparations making for a move. The excuse was that provision was short. I soon learned that they intended to only [march] three hours. I was exceedingly grieved, and was at a loss to know whether it was duty to interfere or not; but at length determined to expostulate. I said we had had sufficient proof that we could make as much headway in six days by resting the seventh, as ​
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we could to travel the whole seven ; and to make the want of provision an excuse for disturbing- the quiet of the holy Sab- bath, and wounding the feelings of their friends, and only for three hours march, was out of the question; better say, I go, because I have a mind to go. That it was a paltry excuse and would not satisfy judicious men, much less answer at the bar of God, &c., &c., and then went away without waiting a reply, after saying, I had done what I conceived it my duty to do. I retired to my tent, and while pouring out my com- plaint before the Lord I heard the order given not to move camp.
The hunters, however, were sent out. Preached with little liberty to a small, sleepy and apparently indiferent congrega- tion. Felt thankful for the privilege of declaring God's word whether men hear or whether they forbid.
11. Messrs. Ermatinger, Edwards & M. Lane left for Fort Hall. Was convinced that our horse could not live, requested an Indian to shoot him after I should leave. I heard the re- port and was glad his misery was over. Made a long march and camped in same place where we camped going down, having- made two of our encampments, then no running water, now a large stream.
12. Slept on the same stream that we did the first night we reached the plain, after the sheep excursion.
13. On Goose Creek. Bad crossing. Antelope for supper.
14. Found the hunters at the Fountain, killed 8 antelope, a reasonable supply. Several men met us from Ft. Hall. Bad news from Mr. Grey [Gray]*, all his Indians killed and him- self wounded. For the first time eat a piece of Mountain sheep, and found it good, it resembles mutton very much.
Camped on Raft River, a few rods from where Mr. Abbot, our former companion in cattle driving and another man were killed by the Indians Snakes. They were friendly In. and probably they murdered them without their having the least previous suspicions of their intentions. ​
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15. Forded Rock Creek and halted for breakfast a few mi. above. Generally breakfast about 11 o'clock and take no din- ner. Had a violent storm of rain and hail. Put my baggage under a shelving rock for safety and got under another myself. The water run in brooks in a few minutes. When it slacked a little I examined the baggage and found it nearly swimming in water. Our sugar was mostly wet, of course some wasted. Camp did not move, but we came on and slept a little above the American Fall.
16. Started early, went several mi, up in order to ford Portneuf and came to F. Hall, a little post now.
17, Sun. The camp arrived and it was a day of business; but I think no grog given. The musketoes were indeed dread- ful. It was almost impossible to read at all, or even sit to eat. I expected an invitation to preach in the Fort, but no intima- tions of the kind being given, I requested one of the men to inform the people that if they would assemble upon the bank of the river I would preach to them; and I believe nearly all about the fort assembled in a few minutes, except, the gentle- men, so called, belonging to the company. Had a good deal of liberty in speaking, but was obliged to fight musketoes the whole time; and they were so thick that I could not see the countenances of the congregation distinctly ; and it aston[ished] me to see the attention given while they must have suffered so much torment. Was thankful, for the privilege, of giving one faithful warning to these people, many of whom, perhaps, have not heard a sermon for many years, and some doubtless will never hear another. God alone can give the increase. The manner of life is such in these mountains that to hope to do them good is to hope against hope; all things are possible with God.
18, 19 & 20th. The liquor rolled freely and I need say nothing of the scene that followed, for there is no danger of forgetting it. I will however say, that it was no worse, and hardly so bad as I expected. Was able to write a little by ​
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driving the musketoes from the tent, and making- it as tight as possible, and then stopping occasionally to kill them off.
21. Finished my letters and made preparations to start after dinner. One of our horses was missing and I sent the boys to look for it, and told Messrs. E. & E. they had better go on to camp, which was to be only 3 or 4 mi. In the meantime Thomas' horse threw him and trod upon his knee, which swelled a good deal and the pain was extreme. By this time the camp was in motion and our horses became extremely uneasy.
I washed the knee in strong vinegar and commenced pack- ing the horses, one ran away with the saddle on, but we man- aged to get all the things on, and I told Wm. to drive them to camp but when we let them loose, each took his own course and away they galloped. Thomas was in great pain, and lying outside of the Fort, no invitation having been given to take him in. I asked a Kanaka to take him in, and went in quest of the horses.
After we had collected them and got them well under way, sent Wm. with them and returned. What to do with Thomas, was now a perplexing question. I at length determined to put him upon a horse, and if possible take him to camp.
The slow motion of the horse seemed to alleviate the pain a little, and we reached camp just before dark. The lost horse still behind. This afternoon brought with more per- plexity perhaps, than any previous month of the journey, but I got through with it very well, and felt very thankful that it was no worse.
22. Started at daylight in search of the lost horse, and found him alone, in the prairie 6 mi. below the fort smd with a great deal of difficulty caught him. He led badly, and as I was trying to put the cord in his mouth, he struck me, one foot hit on the upper lip and the other on my arm. The blow on the lip produced a contusion, and a good deal of pain, but it soon subsided. Went to the fort and took breakfast. Mr. ​
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Ermatinger was to leave the following Tues. and the com- pany was to await him there. I overtook camp a little after they halted for the night, and thankful to find Thomas' leg better.
23, Sat. Very little provision in camp, but fortunately, a short distance from where we wished to camp, saw a band of buffaloe, three were killed, two fell in camp. This supply prevented our moving on Sunday.
24, Sun. Preached twice, but some did not attend.
25. Did not raise camp. Mr. Walker's "squaw", as he calls her, brought forth a son about 8 o'clock A. M. Was in labour four and twenty hours, I think.
26. Made a long march to the little lake and Mr. Walker and squaw arrived about an hour after. How different from civilization. Several went out hunting. About 5 o'clock a band of buffaloe was seen 3 or 4 mi. from camp, 10 or 12 men were soon mounted and off. Wm. and I went to see how our horses would perform. When we were a mi. distant at least, I dismounted, to tighten the girth of my saddle. No sooner was I off than they raised the yell and rushed forward as fast as they could. A half breed started first and the others were obliged to follow if they wished to kill. By the time I was mounted, they were a good distance ahead, and my horse, not pleased at being behind, rushed on so fast, that by the time I came up he was rather out of breath; however, seeing the foremost one start off alone and no one following him, I gave him chase. It was a very bad place to run ; many ravines and rocks, but I at length succeeded in coming up to him, and brought him down the third shot. Wm. also killed one. We thought we did very well, as there were but seven buffaloe, and so many old hunters, considering this was our first trial.
27. Mended clothes, made arrangements for the journey &c.
28. Heard Mr. E. had arrived at Bear River, and packed immediately to go to him, but he came just as we [were] about to start ; concluded to remain all night. ​
426 DIARY OF JASON LEE
This day, I was 35 years of age. I could not but reflect, that I had now arrived at what is called the meridian of life, and that my sun was beginning- to decline towards the western horizon. 35 years, and how little have I done to benefit man- kind. How long shall I yet be permitted to labour? Can I expect to see as many more years ? No. How many have I known, whose sun has suddenly set at noon! Mine too may soon go down. There are many things to induce the belief, that I shall never arrive at old age. My sun is, in all prob- ability, several degrees past the meridian already, and a few more years, perhaps, weeks, or days, may find me numbered with the silent clods of the valley. Well, be it so: but let me have grace to improve my remaining days, more, or less, to the glory of God, and I need have no uneasiness about it. The Judge of all the earth will do rightly.
29. Mr. McKay accompanied us to Bear R., dined with us, and took his leave of us, and this three sons, who are going, under my care, to the U. S. to study for some years. The parting scene was most affecting. We were now, in company with Mr. Ermatinger, three men, and two Indians started, in good earnest, for Rendezvous. Made a long march and camped on a small creek.
30. Overtook Mr. St. Clair, a trader, who left us the day before we left the little lake. Went out to run buffaloe ; just as I was getting near, a man shot one, which did not fall immediately, but as I was taking aim, he fell and frightened my horse. It was upon a side hill, and my horse leaped so suddenly that I discharged my gun into the air, and as he continued [to] leap, in saving myself my gun fell to the ground.
Thankful that I had shot no one (for there were several close by), but not at all discouraged, I picked up my rifle, continued the chase, and killed my animal. Camped on B. River.
July 1, Sun. Left B. R. on the right, crossed Smith's Fork, came along the hills several miles, and crossed the dividing ​
DOCUMENTARY 427
ridge, between the waters of B. R. and those of Green River. Camped on a small stream. Our guide, in attempting to take us a near-cut, took us over some dreadful hills, through thick woods, and over some snow banks, where, I think man never before past, and seldom beast. This was more than a Jewish Sabbath day's journey, but I did not know how to avoid it. Mr. E. had before told me, if he went to Rendezvous with us, he would travel Sunday, for he would not give the Black-Feet two chances for one.
2. Camped on New River, had missed our way, and gone a few miles too high up.
3. Some cows were killed. Camped a few mi. from Horse Creek, where we expected to find Rendezvous, but seeing the plains covered with Buffaloe, and seeing no signs of it, such as horse tracks, &c., I had given up almost all hope of its being there. And what might be the consequences to us was more than I could divine.
July 4. Started early, and in a few hours, reached Horse Creek, but instead of finding the noise, tumult, hustle and drunkenness, which one might expect on Independence day, at an American Rendezvous ; all was gloomy-solitude, and still as the house of Death. We soon learned, from a note left upon an old house that, Ren. was upon Pawpawazha at its con- fluence with Green River. One of our party had passed that way 9 years ago, and thought it was 150 or 200 mi. Mr. E.'s horses were poor and he did not wish to go farther, and the guide must return with him. Perplexing suspense, seemed to give a gloomy tinge to every countenance; and though we talked of Independence, yet, perhaps we seldom felt more our dependence upon others. At dinner, however, I told them my mind was made up, whatever others might do to go ahead. After dinner I went and examined the notes, and the writing upon the logs of the house, and we were satisfied, that, Mr. Grey had arrived! at Ren's and Mr. E. determined to go with us, we finding him and men horses to ride. This settled all became cheerful, and the boys prepared a splendid Independ- ence supper. ​
428 DIARY OF JASON LEE
5. Crossed Green River, made a long march, between 40 & 50 mi. camped on a small stream, good grass.
6. Saw four Indians ; being apprehensive that they were Black Feet, three men started immediately to ascertain, and in the meantime the In. found some buffaloe and run them close to us, without showing the least fear. We were then satisfied that they were Snakes. They soon came to us, and a short time after, we came in sight of their village. It was a mile or two from our route, and perhaps 30 came to us on horseback and held a parley.
They confirmed the news about Ren., and told how many waggons there were. We remarked that several of our horses were a good deal swollen, and before noon one of the In.'s horses was dead.
Crossed Big and Little Sandy R. and passed the dividing ridge between the waters of the Pacific and the Atlantic. Sev- eral horses very sick when we encamped. Perhaps half of them were more or less affected. They must have eaten some poisonous plant. Now all hands commenced giving medicine, while I made preparations for giving clysters. They were so swollen that some were in agony, but the clyster relieved them and all seemed pretty well in the morning.
7. Got out of the mountains, and camped on Pawpawazha. Was extremely weary.
8, Sun. Started early, and in a few hours saw several men upon the opposite side. Hailed them and learned that they left Ren's that morning. Moved on rapidly and came in sight of Ren's about noon. It was upon an island, and the [water] being too high to ford with loads we camped and soon Mr. Grey came to us.
After dinner I cross [ed] over and was introduced to Mrs. Grey and his associates. I received one letter from Dr. Bangs, and that was the only one. Was greatly rejoiced to see five males and four females, going to join, the solitary Missionaries on the Columbia. United with them in prayer meeting. Yes ​
DOCUMENTARY 429
strange to tell, Christians have met upon the R. Mountains to pray for the poor Indians. May Heaven hear and be propitious to their prayers. Tarried with them all night.
9. Went to our camp, and by raising the packs high were able to bring them over dry. The Missionaries and their Ladies, all seem cheerful and very anxious to get into their field of labour. May Heaven speed them on.
10. Writing all day, except when hindered by visitors, or visiting, and nearly all night.
12. In the morning finished my letters. This being the last opportunity of writing my dear wife, perhaps till my return, it seemed almost like a fresh parting; and the thought that this privilege must be denied me, and that I could do nothing to alleviate her sorrows, or add to her joys, for so long a time, brought tears to my eyes. But how consoling is the doctrine brought to light in the Bible. I wish to add to her comfort; well, if we are both actuated by the love of God, I am taking the most effectual method of of doing it.
"All things work together for good, to those that love God." And "these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
Took leave of the brethren and sisters, while they started, in company with Mr. Ermatinger. Thank God, they have every prospect of reaching the field of their future labours in safety. How happy would I have been, if my work in the U. S. had been done, and I ready to descend with them, but God's ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts. A. M. Forded the river and camped with the company which is going to Missouri.
The grove at the Rendezvous, where was the store, lodges, &c., took fire, and they were forced to move all their goods from their store, but with difficulty saved the building.
13. Mended my trunk, which was shatered very much, by my horse running away and throwing it off. Wished much to be on our way. ​
430
DIARY OF JASON LEE
14. Much talk of starting, but finally (as I had anticipated) defered to Sunday.
15, Sun. Left and made one march. Like sailors, they prefer starting on Sunday. The better day, the better luck. How undesirable a situation for a Christian, to be obliged to follow a company that has no respect to the Sabbath.
16. Eat a piece of gray bear, very fat and better than any of the kind that have tasted before.
Camped on a small stream, was obliged to guard for the first time on the journey. Must take my turns or hire some one to do it, for no one is excused in this camp. Intend to stand my own guard, for I will not pay Mission money, and / have hut little.
17.- -Crossed the dividing ridge between the waters of the Yellowstone and the Platte. Dined, and slept, on Sweet Water
Correspondence of the Reverend Ezra Fisher
Pioneer Missionary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Oregon
Edited by
SARAH FISHER HENDERSON
NELLIE EDITH LATOURETTE
KENNETH SCOTT LATOURETTE
432 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
(Continued from page 339, September Quarterly)
Oregon City, Oregon Ter., Apr. 7th, 1851. To Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. Am. Bap. Home Mis. Soc. :
Herein I send you my report of labor under the appoint- ment of the Home Mission Society for the fourth quarter of the year ending April 1, 1851. I have labored (13) thir- teen weeks in the quarter; preached eighteen (18) sermons; delivered six (6) lectures on moral and benevolent sub- jects; attended ten (10) prayer and other religious meet- ings; visited religiously twelve (12) families and individuals; baptized none ; obtained no signatures to the temperance pledge ; have not assisted in the organization of any church or the ordination of any minister; have traveled (50) fifty miles to and from my appointments ; received none by letter, none by experience; we know of none hopefully converted, no young men preparing for the ministry, monthly concert not observed.
The people to whom I preach have paid nothing during the quarter for any of the missionary societies or Bible so- ciety ; nothing toward my salary ; the church has done noth- ing by way of building meeting house. Sabbath school is in operation in this place with 4 teachers and about 16 scholars and about 150 volumes in the library. The Bible class is connected with the school and numbers but four.
My school occupies most of my time through the week. We read the Scriptures twice each day and I frequently ac- company this exercise with a few remarks and, as often as I judge it is useful, address the school on the great subject of their relations and obligations to God, to man and to them- selves. I open and close the school each day by prayer. I preach at two other points besides this place, one on the op- posite side of the river 238 and the other at Milwaukie, six
238 This was Linn City. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 433
miles below this place. I contemplate commencing- monthly preaching at Portland in a few weeks, if my health will al- low me to perform the labor. 239 Many of the men of the territory are in the mines. Brother Snelling is among the number, so that we have but little preaching in the country. This spring I hardly dare contemplate our condition of feeble churches left without pastors while I am confined within the walls of a school house. I am sometimes half resolved to leave the school in the hands of such a teacher as we can se- cure, and travel through the valley, visit, preach and collect funds for the school building. But we fear the consequences of a change in teachers before our expected teachers arrive. We commenced our spring quarter today with 40 scholars, notwithstanding the gold excitement and the removal for a time of nearly all the remnant of our large boys for farm- ing purposes during the summer. The number will increase for the ensuing two weeks. Our money has been drained off to build up eastern cities and farming is greatly neglected for the mines. Consequently it is difficult to collect for car- rying forward our building and labor is extravagantly high. That work must progress slowly this summer. We hope to make a special effort in the fall for this work ; I fear not be- fore, unless I leave the school next quarter. We more need an efficient preacher as colporter for the A. B. Publication Soc., who would do some work for the Bible Society, than an agent for the Bible Society to the neglect of the Publica- tion Society. But if the Publication Society do not do this work through their agent, we will be glad to see your pro- posed enterprise take effect. Should the Bible Soc. send us an agent, or Bibles, they will do well to send a large pro- portion of large Bibles suitable for family Bibles. There has been an inquiry for them for a long time, when small Bibles cannot be sold for cost. Every evangelical society has Bibles in the country and the people have generally obtained Bibles
210 The author apparently soon began holding occasional services in Portland in the Congregational meeting-house. They were continued until O ctob *l> 1854, when a Baptist minister settled in Portland. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Or*. II: 14. ​
434 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
and Testaments gratuitously, or at very low price, till the country has become tolerably supplied. But our coming pop- ulation will create a large demand for more next year.
We are truly gratified to learn that interests in Oregon are beginning to receive a share in the sympathies of our trans-mountain brethren. My personal thanks to Dr. Pike for the part of the philosophical apparatus which he so gener- ously donated for the institution. In due time, on the recep- tion of the gift, he will receive an expression from the Board.
I received the boxes you shipped on board the Grecian. I have received the bill of lading for the goods you shipped me on board the bark Francis and Louisa; also the bills of lad- ing of the goods shipped for Br. Chandler on board the Gold- en Age.
Affectionately yours,
EZRA FISHER. Received June 3, 1851.
Oregon City, Oregon Ter., July 1, 1851. To Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. of Am. Bap. Home Mission Soc. :
Herein I send my report of labor under the appointment of the Home Mission Society for the first quarter ending July 1, 1851. My field comprises the church at Oregon City, the community at Linn City, Milwaukie and vicinity and Port- land. At the last three named places we have as yet no church.
I have labored 13 weeks in the quarter, preached 21 ser- mons, delivered no lectures on moral and benevolent subjects, attended three church meetings and two prayer meetings, vis- ited religiously twenty families and individuals, no common schools, baptized none, obtained no signatures to the temper- ance pledge, have assisted at the organization of no church, no ordination, have traveled to and from my appointments 126 miles, received none by letter, none by experience and none to my knowledge has been hopefully converted. No ​
CORRESPONDENCE 435
young men in the church preparing for the ministry. Monthly concert of prayer is not observed. My people have paid during the quarter for the Home Mission Society nothing and noth- ing for any other benevolent society. Church has done noth- ing by way of building meeting houses. I have received from individuals for my support as a minister $10.00. Connected with the congregations to which I preach are two Sabbath schools, one with the church in this place, having three teach- ers, 18 scholars and about 150 volumes; the other at Mil- waukie, a promiscuous school, with one Baptist teacher and seven scholars of Baptist family. There is also a Bible class with five pupils connected with the Sabbath school in Oregon City which I teach one-fourth of the time. Our school is about as numerous as at any preceding period. My confine- ment in school and the necessary labor and care prevent my laboring so much in the ministry direct as I should otherwise do, yet I trust we are laying the foundation for more efficient work hereafter. Our school building is now being enclosed and we hope to have two rooms finished by the time of the arrival of Brs. Chandler and Read. I have most of the labor of raising subscriptions for the work. More than one-third of the old subscriptions cannot be made available at present, mostly by means of a change in the moneyed matters of the subscribers. We have now most of the lumber engaged and paid for to carry the work on as far as above specified and as yet have no debts hanging over us; but I fear my confine- ment in the school and Br. Johnson's necessary callings will leave the building one or two thousand dollars in debt, when fit for use, which must be met by an appeal to the public, as soon as Br. Chandler arrives, which our brethren tell me I will have to do.
You see, dear brother, that I have upon me the labor of two men now and when it will be less is known only by Him whom we serve. I have just returned from our Association held in Tualatin Plains. Our business was transacted with great unanimity. Resolutions were passed in favor of the ​
436 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
cause of Home Missions, American and Foreign Bible Society, American Bap. Pub. Soc., American Tract Society, the Sunday school cause and religious periodicals. Our congregations were unusually large and solemn. We must leave the results with God, but confidently hope the cause which we represent in Oregon is advancing. Three churches were added to our Asso- ciation during the anniversary. I am appointed to correspond with you on the subject of an exploring agent and the appoint- ment of a missionary for Salem, which I must defer till after the next mail. I received my commission, under date of May 2d, and: accompanying letter. I will attend to the deficiency on the part of the church and forward the concurrent certificates in my next. When Br. Chandler arrives, we must have an en- tire change in our fields of labor and we have a committee appointed by our Association to call a convention of the breth- ren to consult on the best method of promoting the cause of Christianity and education in Oregon, immediately on the arrival of Br. Chandler. Would it not be well for your Board to authorize your missionaries in this territory to make such changes at that time as the said convention may deem neces- sary for the furtherance of the cause of Christ? Please write me immediately on this subject.
I will here insert the following names as subscribers for the Home Mission Record: Rev. Richmond Cheadle, Santiam Post Office, Elmer Keyes, do, Edward T. Lenox, Hillsboro P. O., James S. Holman, Luckiamute.
Yours in gospel fellowship,
EZRA FISHER, Missionary at Oregon City and vicinity.
N. B. I am waiting with prayerful solicitude for the time to arrive when I may do my duty as a servant of God and leave the walls of the school and meet the suffering wants of some of the feeble, famishing churches in the valley. Br. Newell 240 was here today, broken in spirit at the loss of his dear wife and child. Br. Coe has spent one night with us ; am
240 See note 218. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 437
much pleased with him. Dea. Failing 241 and sons spent two nights with us; were well. Will stop at present at Portland. I hope we shall be able during the present season to consti- tute a church at Portland.
Yours, Received Aug. 22, 1851. E.F.
Aug. 8, 1851.
I received all the goods shipped on board the bark Ellen and Louisa which the bill of lading calls for. I learn too that the Golden Age is at Portland and I have made arrange- ments to have Br. Chandler's goods stored free of charge till he arrives. I suppose we have now for the first time a tol- erable supply of books of the A. Bap. Publication Soc's pub- lications and I trust Elder Cheadle, their Colporter, will ex- ert a good influence with these works in his hands. The im- migration from California will probably be large the coming winter and even for a longer time. I am informed that the Spanish titles to the land are generally good and the result will be many American citizens who would like lands in California will avail themselves of the benefits of the Oregon land bill. I think Pacific City* will not greatly suffer for the want of an efficient minister before another summer. Br. Newell has been seriously afflicted by the loss of his wife and child on the passage and he is as yet somewhat unsettled, yet I think we must soon have a good man located at that place or Astoria or Clatsop Plains to meet the wants tempo- rarily of all that region. He should be a prudent, business- like, devoted minister who loves Zion and can resist worldly temptations. From this time forward changes must be great on the Pacific coast and every improvement must go forward with a rapidity unequaled in any new portion of our coun- try. Our churches must be supplied with a devoted, thor- ough ministry and that ministry must and will, with a love
241 Josiah Failing (1806-1877) came to Oregon in 1851 and was prominent in business, church and politics. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore. I:6g. The two sons were John W. and Henry.
438 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
approaching to a passion for the work, train the churches right. I feel a strong assurance on this subject.
I am not tired of doing my duty, but I think I shall appre- ciate in some measure the responsibilities of the ministry more than I have done in past years, should the Lord! gra- ciously spare my life till I can give over this school into other hands. When I look over the moral waste of the Willamette Valley and hear the appeals as often as I see the brethren, "When will you come and preach to us?" it is almost more than I can endure. The interests of our school must not be neglected, but, unless we are visited with the outpourings of the spirit from on high, we are a ruined people in Oregon. Pray for us.
Yours,
E. FISHER. Received Oct. 6, 1851.
Oregon City, Sept. 3d, 1851. Rev. Benj. M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Soc. Dear Brother:
I received by the last mail two copies of the annual^ report of the A. B. H. M. Soc. for 1851, and Br. Johnson received a letter from you. Religious matters in the Territory remain much as they were when I last wrote. Our school numbers about forty scholars since we dismissed the female depart- ment and will be considerably enlarged the next two quarters, should our teachers prove to be popular with this people, as we trust they will. I have but three weeks after the present one in this quarter. Then I hope to be able under God to visit the churches through the valley and preach to them Saturdays and Sabbaths and, at the same time, raise some funds for our building, which lies heavy on our hands and heavier on my heart. The work has moved on slowly this summer, it being only enclosed, without doors or win- dows. We, however, have part of the glass, and the oil and lead for painting. The house is between three and four hun​
CORRESPONDENCE
439
dred dollars in debt. We have about $1000 uncollected on our subscription paper and we can probably rely on about $200 this fall from that source. We have flooring enough on hand to lay the floor for two rooms and a few hundred feet of ceiling and may probably get some more lumber on the old subscription and more subscribed.
We had the pleasure of welcoming Br. Chandler to this place yesterday, but his family were left sixteen miles back in the first settlements this side of the Cascade Mountains. He was in health and in good spirits, as were his family and Br. Read, 242 all of whom will be in town this week. We trust that from this time we shall be able to do more for our feeble churches than formerly and hope we may enjoy an enlarged measure of the spirit of our Divine Master. We shall call the convention, of which I made mention in my last, about the time of the close of my quarter. I rejoice to find that you have anticipated the same thing in your letter to Br. Johnson. I have discontinued my appointments at Linn City on account of the small number of families in that place this summer, and commenced preaching once a month at Cane- ma, 243 a village springing up at the head of the falls on this side of the Willamette, one mile above this place. We may con- tinue a monthly appointment there after the meeting of the convention, but we must not longer neglect the churches in the valley above. I should have sent you the concurrent certificate of the church 244 by the last mail but for the fact that our church clerk lives three miles from this place on the other side of the Willamette 245 and I have had no opportunity of seeing
242 This was Rev. J. S. Read. He had just graduated from Franklin College. He taught in the Oregon City School for one school year and then went to South- ern Oregon. He returned to Indiana in 1854. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore. 1:13.
243 Canemah began in the later forties. It took its name either from an In- ian chief, or from a word meaning a canoe landing; probably the former. George
dian
II. Himes.
244 These certificates were required by the Home Mission Society to be sent in by churches which were asking for the service of its missionaries.
245 The clerk of the Oregon City Church at this time was F. A. Collard, who was then living on his land claim just south of what is now Oswego. Records of First Baptist Church of Ore. City (MS. and records in Clackamas County Court House). ​
440 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
him for four weeks. At the first meeting I had with the breth- ren in Portland they appointed] a committee to sign a similar certificate, but on my last visit to that place the two most ef- ficient brethren were gone to San Francisco on business, and thus the matter is' delayed. I will now record the vote of the church on the subject of application for my appointment and, should I not see our clerk before the next mail leaves, I shall hand the letter to Br. Johnson for signature.
Yours,
E. FISHER.
Voted to recommend Elder Ezra Fisher to the favorable con- sideration of the Home Missionary Society for re-appointment for the term of one year. Also voted to invite Elder Ezra Fisher to supply the church one-fourth of the time. Done at the church meeting on the first Saturday in Feb., 1851.
The 1st Bap. Church at Oregon City concur in all the terms of the application made by Elder Fisher in a letter addressed to the Corresponding Secretary in Feb. last.
September 6th, 1851.
W. T. MATLOCK,
Clerk pro tern.
N. B. We have this day had Brs. Chandler and Read in attendance and agreed to call the convention of which I made mention in my last on Friday the 17th instant.
Yours,
Received Nov. 3, 1851. E. F.
Oct. 1st, 1851. To Rev. B. M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. of Am. Bap. Home Mission Soc. :
Herein I send you my report of labor under the appoint- ment of the Home Mission Society for the second quarter ending Oct. 1, 1851.
Up to this time my field has comprised Oregon City, Port- land, Milwaukie and an out-station at Canema, a rising vil- lage half a mile above Oregon City, at the head of the Wil​
CORRESPONDENCE 441
lamette Falls, which I statedly supply. I have labored 13 weeks in the quarter, preached 19 sermons, delivered three lectures to the Sabbath school in this place, attended three ministers' prayer meetings in this place (which are weekly), visited religiously 25 families and individuals, visited no com- mon schools, but addressed my own weekly, baptized none, no signatures to the temperance pledge, organized no church, no ordination, traveled to and from my appointments 130 miles, none received by letter, none by experience, have had no hopeful conversions, no young men preparing for the min- istry. The monthly concert of prayer is not observed at any of my stations. My people have paid nothing during the quarter for any missionary or benevolent society. I have re- ceived nothing for my salary; no meeting houses being erected. Connected with the church in Oregon City is a Sab- bath school of 18 scholars and three teachers and about 150 volumes in the library. There is also a Bible class with 3 pupils.
EZRA FISHER,
Missionary.
N. B. At the meeting of the convention held at this place on the 19th and 20th of Sept. last you will see, by referring to the minutes which will probably leave in the next mail, that the Trustees of the Oregon City College appointed me temporarily as agent for that school to collect funds to carry on the building now up and enclosed, but between four and five hundred dollars in debt. It was thought to be the best that could be done. It was hoped that this work might be performed without materially diverting me from my minis- terial labors. I shall be expected to meet my regular appoint- ments twice each month at Portland, or supply them with a substitute. You will also see a request from this conven- tion that your Board appoint me as a corresponding evan- gelist for Oregon (I am not certain that I have the right name as I have not the minutes of that convention and quote from memory). The name of exploring agent was urgently ​
442 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
objected to by one and only one of the members of the con- vention, but he is a man of influence and with his objections against eastern influence. It is understood, however, that this evangelist is to perform the duties of an exploring agent. It seems necessary that the Willamette and Umpqua valleys 246 be explored or visited by a faithful missionary who will be able to make a fair representation of the wants of the de- nomination, both to your Board and to the Willamette Asso- ciation. The people at the mouth of the Columbia should also be visited, and perhaps the settlement at Puget Sound 247 during the next season. Little, if anything, can be expected the present year in aid for the support of such an agent above what I shall receive from Portland, unless I should supply some destitute church a stated portion of the time. Yet the scattered members would be encouraged to early organizations and be led to appreciate the great utility of the missionary organization. Should the winter rains hold off, I hope to visit several destitute churches in the upper part of the valley. Baptist sentiments seem to be well received, and it is very ob- vious that our efforts in the cause of education seem to in- spire public confidence in the efficiency of the denomination. I will give one instance: A Br. Hill 248 from Missouri came to Albany, a county seat on the Willamette about 70 miles above this place, and commenced teaching and preaching some time last winter. His labors resulted in organizing a small church ; the proprietors of the lower part of the town have built a school house and at our late convention requested us to send them a teacher and a preacher, with the assurance that the people would help to support him as a minister and donate one-fourth of the lots of their town for church pur-
246 The Hudson's Bay Company had established a post in the Umpqua Valley as early as 1832. Bancroft, Hist, of N. W. Coast, II 1521. The valley was first carefully explored and extensively settled in 1850, largely through the efforts of the "Umpqua Town-Site and Colonization Land Company," which was largely financed from California. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore. 11:175-183.
247 See note 390. There were a number of Americans of the immigration of 1851 who settled on Puget Sound. Bancroft, Hist, of Wash., Idaho and Montana, p. 21.
248 This was Rev. Reuben Coleman Hill, M. D., (1808-1890). He was born in Kentucky and moved to Missouri in 1846, to California in 1850, and to Oregon in 1851. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore., 11:82. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 443
poses. It is said that they have from forty to sixty acres laid out in town lots. We have similar proposals for taking schools under our care upon town sites upon the banks of the Willamette. If we had a few young men of prudence and en- ergy, with a sacrificing spirit, to throw into our county seats in the valley above us, no doubt, with the blessings of the Great Teacher, an incalculable amount of good might be ac- complished.
The overland immigration is large and mostly in the valley and in the Cascade Mountains and will be in in eight or ten days. 249 Its number is estimated at from four to five thou- sand souls. We are constantly receiving accessions by wa- ter, so that it is thought that our white population by the first of March will be at least 30,000.
Brs. Chandler and Read will enter upon their duties as teachers week after next. We expect they will supply this church and one or two out stations in the vicinity. Money is scarce and crops of wheat and vegetables abundant. I have not yet learned whether my appointment as missionary is con- firmed, but I have been acting with that expectation and shall venture to order you to put me up some family clothing and books, in a few days. I am receiving the Christian Chronicle regularly and, if it is charged to me, I wish you to arrange the matter with the editors and charge that amount to me.
We fear that Br. Failing will become discouraged in busi- ness and leave for N. Y., but still hope God will otherwise direct. He is much needed in Oregon.
Yours in gospel fellowship,
EZRA FISHER. Received Nov. 19, 1851.
249 See note 154. ​
444 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
Oregon City, Oregon Ter., Jan. 30, 1852. Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Soc. Dear Brother:
Yours, bearing date Nov. 29 and mail mark Dec. 9th, con- taining a commission for me to act as exploring agent for Or- egon for the term of three months, was received by the last mail. I now hasten to answer the same and make a few gen- eral statements of facts as nearly as I can explain matters now in Oregon. Since the arrival of Brs. Chandler and Read I have visited YamHill county and church ; spent ten days in that county, principally to look over their spiritual wants in the absence of Elder Snelling, 250 the former pastor of Yam- Hill church. Found the members scattered over half a large county and almost disheartened, but they seemed cheered by the visit and manifested a desire to enjoy the preached word. In this visit, as in all my public labors the past fall and win- ter, I have endeavored to make my agency for the school sub- serve the interests of the churches rather than make it the all engrossing subject. I have preached half my Sabbaths at Portland and Milwaukie; in the morning at the latter place, and in the evening at the former. The remaining part of my time I have performed labors in the south and southeast part of Marion County, on the east side of the Willamette River from 20 to 40 miles south from Oregon City and one of the most promising agricultural parts of the Willamette Valley, in which are located two feeble churches, 251 one of which had lost its visibility for the want of the occasional preaching of the word. All the former members of the church have changed their location and in so doing have thrown them- selves into a more commanding position in the same vicin- ity. Their position is such that at no distant day two small
250 Snelling was then in California.
251 The two churches were the one at French Prairie, organized in 1850, near or in the present town of Gervais; and the Shiloh Church, organized in 1850, at the present town of Turner. Matton, Bap. An. of Ore. l:g.
It was probably the French Prairie Church which was so weak. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 445
business towns must rise up in their vicinity, one on the Wil- lamette about 15 miles below Salem, the other on Pudding River, eight miles east of the landing on the Willamette.
In looking over the field 1 which God in his providence has seen fit to assign us, we are constrained to say, "Ours is a goodly heritage," and we feel no inclination to abandon it for others, yet we think your Board do not fully appreciate all the embarrassments under which we, as missionaries and churches, labor. Our field is as truly a missionary field as any portion of the great field which was contemplated in the first organization of the A. B. H. M. Soc. Imagine for a mo- ment 200 or 300 American citizens who have been gathering upon the waters of Puget Sound 252 (the future naval depot for Oregon) for the last seven years, and for all this time have never been visited by a Protestant minister. Now sup- pose you were to meet one of these citizens and hear him re- late to you the fact that they trade with foreigners and go to the Roman church 253 for Sabbath instruction and then ask, "Why can you not come over and preach to us, for I verily think ours is missionary ground?" What would be the feelings of your heart when you are compelled to turn them away with an indefinite reply? This is but one case. The people settled upon the banks of the Columbia River (the great thoroughfare of trade for the valley of Willam- ette and the Northern gold mines of Rogue River) from Van- couver to Astoria, a distance of 90 miles, 254 have never had preaching of any order save in a very few instances. But a few days since an acquaintance of mine residing near a rising town which, at no very distant period, will not fail to be a place of some importance, asked me if I could not sometime come and preach to them, saying he was a wicked man, but he had children and had raised them to respect the gospel
252 See note 247. The trade on the Sound increased largely in 1852-3, and several small towns were springing up. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore., 11:250.
253 This church was near Olympia at a place now called Priest's Point Park. George H. Himes.
254 The towns of St. Helens, Milton, Westport and Rainier, were all spring- ing up about this time. Bancroft, Hist, of Oregon, 11:251, 252. ​
446 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
and they and his neighbors, wanted to hear preaching and he would make his house a comfortable home for any respectable minister who would come and preach one sermon and give him ten dollars for his part.
Then, with me, take a bird's eye view of the Willamette, whose settlements spread over a territory 180 miles in length and from 20 to sixty miles in width, in almost every settle- ment of which are found one or more members of our order surrounded with men of all religious sects and of no relig- ious creed, and exposed to all the disorganizing influences peculiar to a country where preaching is but occasional and Sabbath day visiting and hunting of loose cattle and wild game are common, and at the same time large portions of the men are going to and coming from the mines. Can this be regarded as any other than a missionary field in the most unqualified sense of the term? Then turn your attention to the Umpqua Valley, in which are now two organized coun- ties, 255 and it is said that it is now as thickly peopled as the Willamette, with no evangelical minister to break the bread of life, 256 where character is formed with unexampled rapid- ity, and no means are wanting to draw the youth into the most abandoned habits which the temptations of gold can in- spire in the absence of the moral influence of the Bible (for men will soon neglect their Bibles if the gospel is not preach- ed), and here we must say is a missionary field. Immediately south of the Umpqua River, gold diggings begin and that portion of the mines between this and! the Chasty (Shasta) 257 Mountains, a distance of 140 to 150 miles from north to south, is included in the Oregon field. Here thousands of our countrymen are constantly engaged in digging gold, with no one to minister to them the excellencies of that gos- pel which is incomparably more valuable than gold. With
255 Douglas and Umpqua Counties, the former of which had just been or- ganized, and Jackson County, which was also organized in January, 1852, comprised the Rogue River Valley. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore., II:7io, 712.
256 This statement is probably correct.
257 Shasta, a corruption of the French "chaste," was first applied to the moun- tain by early American travelers. Bancroft, Hist, of Calif., VII 1440. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 447
a few exceptions, the entire population of the Umpqua and and the gold regions of Oregon have congregated on our southern border within the term of the last eighteen months. Is not Oregon then a missionary field? We desire your Board to take another view of our condition. By referring to the minutes of our Association you will see that we report eleven small churches. 258 Two others are constituted and probably some four or five more will spring into existence the coming summer. In all these churches we number about 160 members. Forty or fifty more may include all the mem- bers of the territory; and these members come to us from al- most every state in the union, and some from Australia. It would be almost a miracle, in bringing together such a com- munity, if all would at once co-operate, in ways and means to carry out the great objects of the gospel, with all the harmony of the spheres. Yet be it said to the praise of these brethren and to the honor of the gospel of Christ that, according to the means of grace they enjoy, they will not suffer in com- parison with most of the country churches in the States, both as it regards the order of the members or the willingness to support the gospel. Now when we remember that nine years ago the first of these brethren arrived in Oregon and from that time to the present they arrived in this valley poor, many without bed or bedding, save a few blankets, with their teams either lost in the mountains or reduced to skel- etons, and every necessary of life to provide anew, with clothing, groceries, cooking and farming utensils at a price fourfold that of the cost in the States, that in churches of from six to twenty-seven members no two families lived nearer than a mile of each other, and these interspersed with every variety of religionist found in the States, till it is not common for more than two Baptist churches to be found in
258 The minutes for June, 1851, show only nine churches; the West Union, Yamhill, Rickreal, Oregon City, Sandam, Lebanon, Shiloh, Molalla, and Clatsop Churches. The French Prairie and Marysville Churches were organized, but not admitted. Minutes of Willamette Baptist Association for 1851. Mattpon, Bap. An. of Ore., 1:1-17. The author must have been mistaken, for the Association of 1852 did not meet until the June after this letter was written. ​
448 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
a large county, is it reasonable to expect that everything will be done with the promptness and precision with which busi- ness is transacted in well organized churches in the midst of compact cities?
And then your missionaries, unlike our missionaries in the foreign field's, have been compelled to divide their energies between the interests of the churches and the recurring ur- gent wants of rising families. During the last three years the extravagant prices of all the articles of family consump- tion, together with the rage for gold which pervaded 1 almost the entire community, precluded all reasonable hope that the Missionary Society and the scattered churches would give the families of your missionaries a bare sustenance. With this state of things we are fully convinced that your Board have been disposed to exercise a laudable (I might perhaps say unwarrantable) forbearance. But this policy has been fruitful in evil consequences. Our necessities have diverted our time and care to a lamentable extent from our appropri- ate work. While we have been fast wearing out our lives in hard labor directed to the best of our wisdom, we feel a la- mentable conviction that the feeble cause of Christ has been neglected and our Christian graces have been gradually de- clining. In the midst of these embarrassing circumstances we have labored and under the blessing of God we have brought a school into existence. In the assumption of the necessary responsibilities, Brother Johnson has involved himself in pecuniary liabilities from which it is doubtful whether he will ever be able to recover. The school fur- nished me a living while at the same time it consumed all my available means and confines me for years to the place in or- der to secure a permanent site for a literary institution for the denomination in Oregon. But times and prospects have greatly changed in a few months. The prices of most of the ordinary articles of family consumption are materially re- duced. Still the labor of man and beast is high. Butter is still 75 cents a pound, so we use none of that article; fresh ​
CORRESPONDENCE 449
beef from 8 to 12 cents per pound, pork from 14 to 18 and eggs 75 cents per dozen. The prospect of usefulness is also materially increased, especially in the country churches. Fee- ble and scattered as our churches are, I think they will pay from $50 to $150 this year for preaching, if they can secure it one Sabbath each month. These churches are all located in the midst of most important agricultural districts in the Wil- lamette Valley, some of them in the immediate vicinity of county seats, and must not be neglected. The population in all our towns is greatly reduced by means of that pecu- liar feature in the land! bill which requires four years' actual residence on a claim to obtain a patent from government. Numbers of the remaining citizens are adventurers who have left their families in the States and intend to return to their families as soon as they shall have sheared the golden fleece. Others are uncertain whether their business will justify the removal of their families to our shores. These and other cir- cumstances too numerous to be named render the success- ful occupancy of our towns more than doubly difficult than that of the towns in the Western states, technically so called. But with all these difficulties to encounter, Pedo-baptist churches, both Roman and Protestant, are sustaining their ministers in the most import^ of these towns by very little aid from the members in tK place. Should we entirely neglect these towns, they will soon become very difficult of access to Bap- tists. Your missionaries are of opinion that a missionary should be stationed at Portland and principally supported by the Board at home, if a suitable man can be found. A small family at this place would require $600 a year to enable a man to devote himself to the work of the ministry, $100 of which is as much as could reasonably be expected from the people of the place, unless favorable changes could be made. Portland, as I have informed you in a former letter, is the principal port in Oregon. The present population is estimated at 700 souls. It contains 35 wholesale and retail stores, two tin shops, four public taverns, two steam sawmills, one steam flouring ​
450 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
mill, with two run of stones, six or eight drinking shops and billiard tables, one wine and spirit manufactory, a variety of mechanic shops and from 8 to 15 merchant vessels are always seen lying at anchor in the river or at the wharves. The Meth- odists, Presbyterians and Romans have each built them neat places for public worship. 259 The Episcopalians have service two Sabbaths each month. The Methodist Church have a high school in progress and a neat edifice of wood, two stories, 60 by 40 feet. A few months ago we had ten Baptist members in this place; now we can find but six. But about half of them can be regarded as permanent. This is the place where nearly all the immigrants by water land and from which they will go to their various points of destination. You will see then the importance of early planting a church in this place.
What I have said of Portland in respect to support is true of Oregon City. Yet it will not do to abandon that post. Our school must be sustained and much of that must be done at the sacrifice of your missionaries. To human appearance the abandonment of this enterprise would be ruinous. To tax one man with the labor of the school and the care of the church and then require him to be put in competition with ministers of other denominations who are sustained in their own appropriate work seems much like double working a man and at the same time taking from him the use of his tools. In this condition a brother may greatly desire to show himself "approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth," but it is certain he cannot study much to do these things. After Brother Chandler's year closes, we shall be compelled to make some change in his labors so that he may either devote the most of his energies to the school or to the church. Br.
259 In 1852 there seems to have been only the following church buildings in Portland: Methodist, built in 1850; Catholic, 1851; Congregational, 1851. There was in addition a parish of the Episcopal Church, organized in 1851. A Presby- terian Church was not organized until 1854. The author evidently confuses the Presbyterians with the Congregitionalists. Hist, of Portland, ed. by H. W. Scott, PP- 344-356. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 451
Johnson's health is slowly improving. I hope he will be able to enter the field of labor by the first of April. The Molalla and West Union churches are waiting for his services and when they learn that he can serve them I have no doubt but they will make the requisite application and will probably raise for his support from $150 to $200. Beyond this, he wishes to itinerate and visit and preach to destitute churches and settlements, as Providence may direct, half the time. In view of the scattered condition of our numbers and the influence he would exert upon the churches and ministers, I think this will contribute more to organize and strengthen the churches than any course he could pursue. We feel that your Board, if possible, ought to increase his salary at least to $300. It has been thought advisable by all with whom. I have consulted that I should devote my time to the business of an exploring agent according to the instructions contained in the late commission, if I can be sustained. But I think no reasonable man in Oregon would say this can be done for less than $500 per year. Something might be done by the churches and individuals, should the Lord give me favor with the people. Should your Board make me the appointment of exploring agent and leave it discretionary with your missionaries here whether I should attend one or two churches monthly, I think the object you contemplate will be accomplished and I can receive about $150 of the $500 from the churches and reach all the important points in the territory except Puget Sound, and perhaps that. Through this arrangement Br. Johnson and myself would be able occasionally to spend a Sabbath together in a meeting, if Providence should indicate. I make this last suggestion partly to save your Board funds and partly from a conviction of its practical results on the cause in Oregon. In this event I would engage to labor one year, should you appoint me with a salary of $350 from your Board.
Our school building is about $200 in debt, and 1 we must have $300 or $400 more expended before it will be suitable ​
452 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
to occupy. The latter sum can hardly be raised from the old subscriptions, although we have some $1200 on the sub- scription unpaid which was subscribed in good faith. But what in Oregon is called hard times renders most of it very doubtful. Somebody must do this work, that somebody must be one of your missionaries, and I know not but that missionary must be myself. Our Congregational friends are about to send one of their ministers to the States to raise funds to liquidate the debts of the female seminary in this place. 260 We shall try to do this first work in Oregon if possible. I have no more available means to apply to this work, not enough to purchase a horse for the coming year's labors, yet I trust my friends will in some way provide me at least the use of an animal. As it respects the present appointment for three months, it will be impossible for me to devote my entire time to the agency. The next five or six weeks are among the most unfavorable in the year to travel, except as we do it by steam; and then I have engage- ments twice each month which I cannot at once dispense with, if I can reach them. I have concluded to do what I can in the agency in connection with my other engagements and report accordingly. I shall not make a monthly report till next mail as this general communication is so extended. We trust with more than usual confidence that the coming season will be one of some ingathering into the churches. The future is with the Lord. The present becomes us to devote to him. Late indications at least appear rather flat- tering. May we be enabled to wait on the Lord in His appointed ways and His providential indications. As ever,
Yours respectfully,
EZRA FISHER. Received March 16, 1852.
260 This was Rev. George H. Atkinson. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore., II:68o. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 453
Oregon City, O. Ter., April 1, 1852.
Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Society. Dear Bro. :
Herein I send you my report of labor under the appoint- ment of the Home Mission Society for the fourth quarter appointment under the commission forwarded under date of ending the last day of March, 1852 (or for the three months' Nov. 29, 1850). The condition of our churches and my en- gagements rendered! it necessary that I should supply .three destitute churches up to this time. I have visited Portland at my regular appointments four times. Have visited the church in the French Prairie three times, the Lebanon church (Marion Co.) 12 miles east from Salem, three times; the Shilo church, 12 miles south of Salem on the north fork of the Santiam once, Albany church at Albany (county seat of Linn) once; and the La Creole church, Polk Co., 8 miles S. W. of Salem (members dispersed through the county). Have labored 13 weeks, travelled 655 miles, paid $2.25 travelling expenses. Received $30 for my support, preached 42 ser- mons, visited religiously 56 families and individuals. My visit to the La Creole was to meet a public meeting called for the purpose of taking into consideration ways and means of meeting the destitution of the feeble churches and new portions of the territory, if practicable. But four ministers were present, one of whom is on the eve of leaving for the States. But four churches were represented and incipient measures were taken to supply them. It was thought desir- able that I should attend two of those churches, each one Sabbath in two months, and that Br. V. Snelling attend them the alternate Sabbath one each two months. As soon as I shall have visited them I shall report their state and what they will do for the support, if that can be learned. It is slow bringing churches into an organized state for efficient action, but we will labor toward that as fast as we can. ​
454 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
The meeting was conducted with great unanimity of senti- ment and, although the weather was very unfavorable, trav- eling bad! and the waters high, the congregations were large for the place and, after preaching, five were received for bap- tism and four followed the footsteps of their Redeemer through the liquid grave, one the teacher of the school in the place. The deferred member will be baptized next Sab- bath. He also is one of the leading men in the county. This church has received four or five others by baptism the past winter under the labors of Rev. R. C. Hill from Missouri.
Yours in the gospel, Received May 17, 1852. EZRA FISHER.
Oregon City, O. Ten, Apr. 1, 1852. To the Executive Board of the
Am. Bapt. Home Mission Society :
The subscriber desires reappointment as a missionary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society, for the term of one year from this date, to labor one-quarter of the time with the Baptist church at Lebanon, Marion County, one-quarter of the time with the Shilo church, Marion County, and the Marysville 261 church, Benton County, and to spend the re- maining time as an itinerant preacher, in which time it is proposed by the friends in Oregon that I shall visit the Ump- qua Valley and other portions in Oregon as often as circum- stances may seem to demand. The Lebanon 262 church is in an important farming country 12 miles east of Salem ; church numbers but 8 members. Average attendance on Lord's day about 50. The missionary Baptists have no church within 12 miles of the place. The church agree to pay for my support $50 and hope to raise it to $100. The Shilo church has 10 members; congregation the Sabbath I preached to them about 55. The position is important, both for farming and
261 This was the nresent Corvallis. The name was changed in 1854. The church was organized in December, 1851. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore., I:io.
262 The Lebanon Church was organized May 17, 1851. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore., I:i6. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 455
for manufacturing purposes. I cannot tell what they will do until after the next church meeting. Probably about $50 for one-eighth of the time. I have not visited Marysville church. It is just constituted by the labors of Elder R. C. Hill and consists of about 16 members. The Lord has vis- ited that region with a pleasing revival the past winter and Elder Hill, in behalf of that church, solicits my labors part of the time, with the assurance that they will aid in my sup- port. The point is at the head of navigation and the seat of justice for Benton County, 263 and probably it will become the most important place above Salem, if not above Oregon City. Providence has signally opened the door to the Bap- tists in this place and it seems to me that it should be oc- cupied immediately. I will append the concurrent certificate.
EZRA FISHER.
The Lebanon Baptist church concur in all the terms of the foregoing application. By order of the church.
JOHN HUNT,
Church Clerk.
This is to certify that I approve of the above application.
GEO. C. CHANDLER.
N. B. Elder Johnson is absent, but he assured me he would recommend this course of labor to me.
N. B. I cannot visit Marysville church till the first Sab. in May. I have asked for an appointment of the above kind from the conviction of all with whom I have conversed that the churches already gathered should be attended at least once a month, in preference to exploring ground, no more important, which we cannot occupy. Should you be disposed to appoint me exploring agent, with the above named lib- erty, I will serve you under that name and in that capacity as far as practicable. As to the salary, your wisdom will de- cide what is necessary when I say that common laborers
263 Benton County was organized in 1847, and was named after Thomas H. Benton, of Missouri. Bancroft, Hist. O f Ore., II 1706. ​
456 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
cannot be hired short of from $2 to $3 per day and mechan- ics from $5 to $6. All articles of living are from 50 to 100 per cent above your city prices.
Respectfully yours,
EZRA FISHER. Received May 17, 1852.
Oregon City, Ore. Ten, May 25, 1852. Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Soc. Dear Br. :
A desire to be able to communicate the state of the Bap- tist cause in Benton county when I next wrote you and my being unable to visit that county till the first Sabbath in this month forms my excuse for not forwarding the concur- rent certificate of the Shilo church in Marion Co. to the ap- plication w r hich I made in the month of Mar. for a reappoint- ment as your missionary in Oregon.
At the regular church meeting the Shilo church invited Elder Ezra Fisher to take charge of the church and agreed to raise one hundred dollars for his services one-fourth of the time; also resolved to ask the Board of the Am. Baptist Home Missionary Society to appoint Elder Ezra Fisher as a missionary in the bounds of this church and to itinerate in the territory so as to promote the interests of the destitute churches and villages. The church heard the statements of Elder Fisher relating to the application which he had made for reappointment as a missionary in Oregon and concur in all the terms of the application as stated by him. Post Of- fice address is Salem, Marion Co., O. T.
Shilo Church, Apr. 3d, 1852.
AARON CORNELIUS,
Church Clerk.
N. B. By means of my being called away from the church before the clerk could attend to this application, Br. Come​
CORRESPONDENCE 457
lius requested me to make the statement of the facts and use his name in reference to this matter.
Respectfully submitted,
EZRA FISHER.
Now as I have a little spare paper I wish to state a few facts. I visited the Marysville church, Benton Co., eighty miles above Oregon City by land and 160 by water, Satur- day and Sabbath, the first and] second days in May. Preach- ed both days and visited four days in their bounds. The weather was unusually rainy, having been preceded by heavy rains for ten days so that all the streams were high, and most of the members living at a distance could not attend. The church had no meeting for business; on Saturday I preached to eight persons; Sabbath to about sixty-five. The facts touching the history of this church are interesting. Brother Hill from Missouri, having sustained himself by teaching and! practicing medicine in Albany, about 15 miles below, on the east side of the river, while he preached on Sabbaths, was invited by a brother to visit and preach to the people in Marysville on Sabbath. Br. Hill complied with the request and discovered such indications of Divine favor as induced him to repeat his appointments, till he soon found that Providence manifestly called him to visit from house to house through the day and to preach each evening in some of the sparse settlements. He continued his labors about two months, during which time he baptized fourteen con- verts, numbers of old 1 professors were revived and a church was constituted in Marysville, the county seat of Benton County, one of the most commanding points on the Wil- lamette River. The church has since increased till it now numbers 30 members; others will unite by baptism and pro- fession during the summer. The church have voted to build a neat house of worship, 30 feet by 40, paint the outside and finish the inside, and have contracted the work at $2500, to be finished next Sept. By these providential interpositions the interests of the Baptist denomination in the county are ​
458 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
more promising than those of any other sect. Marysville is the head of steamboat navigation at present and must be- come one of the best points on the river for trade, with a surrounding country unrivalled in point of fertility of soil and beauty of scenery. At the solicitude of some of the members and friends I consented to spend the fifth Sabbath in this month with them. The church will make arrange- ments during the month of June to supply themselves once or twice each month. Should they invite me to preach monthly with them, I shall regard it my duty to comply with the re- quest till they can get a man to devote his entire labors in Bent on County.
Marysville is about two years old, contains about eight or ten families, five dry goods stores and about twenty frame buildings. A brisk trade is carried on between the place and the gold mines. 264 The church paid Br. Hill something more than $200 for his services and I think would raise some $200 to $400 salary for a suitable minister to preach all the time in the county.
You will hear more from this place in two or three months. My time is all taken up in travelling and preaching and per- forming the duties of a minister in Oregon. My lungs have been troublesome through the winter and are not entirely healed. Br. Johnson is still unable to preach.
Yours truly, Received July 17, 1852. EZRA FISHER.
N. B. I received the bills of lading for the goods shipped on the M. Howes Jan. 13 and 20.
Oregon City, O. T., July 28, 1852. To Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Soc., N. York. Dear Brother:
Yours under date June 3rd came to hand by the last mail. You will learn before the receipt of this that I am making ar-
264 The Hudson's Bay Company's trail leading from Fort Vancouver to the Sacramento Valley was a few miles west of Corvallis. George H. Himes. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 459
rangements to devote all my time to the agency. Br. Read is now disengaged from the school and I hope soon to see him situated where he can take care of one or more churches. I hope he will meet the wishes of the brethren at Marysville. I look upon this place as the most surely available point of importance for the Baptists above Oregon City. I gave you a brief description of the place and its position in point of trade. Although it is difficult at this period in the history of our country to decide with certainty what may be the de- velopments of a country rich with agricultural resources on one hand, while on the other new and rich discoveries of gold mines are being made almost monthly, yet such are its rela- tions to the whole of these resources that it seems hardly pos- sible that it should fail of becoming the first town of import- ance in the Willamette Valley. I spent the Sabbath with this young church on the llth of this month, at which time three valuable members were received by letter and one related her experience and was received as a candidate for baptism. On the second Sabbath in next month on my way to Ump- qua and Rogue rivers I shall probably baptize two and re- ceive one more by experience. On the third Sabbath of this month and the two preceding days I attended the yearly meeting of the Lebanon church. This was a scene mingled with joy and: grief. Here I found a young married lady, whom the church had expected soon to receive by baptism, lying at the point of death and she expired on Saturday, en- joying a comfortable hope of a blissful immortality beyond the grave. On Sabbath I baptized one young man into the fellowship of the church who found the Saviour precious last month. One young brother was received by letter. In the afternoon the church for the first time received the ordi- nance of the Lord's Supper. Elder Sperry, 265 our itiner- ant, was with me through the meetings. This church is small, as you will see by referring to the minutes, and in the
265 This was Rev. William Sperry (1811-1857). He was born in Kentucky, moved to Ohio and to Iowa and came to Oregon in 1851. He was at this time the missionary of the Willamette Association (Baptist). In 1854 he was pastor of the Pleasant Butte Church in Lane County. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore., 1:86, 19. ​
460 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
country, but its position is good, being twelve miles east from Salem, the present seat of government, and in the heart of an extensively rich farming country. The commu- nity are mostly farmers. The members are intelligent and in- fluential. This church have sustained a Sunday school the last year and will probably soon resume it. Yours respectfully,
EZRA FISHER, Exploring Agenf.
The Oregon City church at the regular meeting on the 3d of July invited Rev. George C. Chandler to continue to labor with them another year; resolved that they would raise $100 to- ward his support and appointed a committee to confer with Br. Chandler, learn the sum necessary to support his fami- ly and, should Br. Chandler comply with the request, make application to the Home Missionary Society for aid suffi- cient to enable him to devote himself exclusively to the min- istry. . . .
The church committee were informed that a committee appointed by the Methodist church to inquire into the nec- essary expenses of their minister stationed at Oregon City, with a family of the minister, his wife and one little child, a babe, exclusive of the parsonage, which would probably rent for $300 or $400, reported to the church $850. . . .
To the Executive Board of the Am. Bap. Home Missionary Society: The church at Oregon City desires the reappoint- ment of Elder George C. Chandler as a missionary of the American Baptist Home Missionary Society to labor all the time within its bounds for twelve months from the first day of Sept. 1852, at a salary of $1250, one hundred dollars of which the church pledges herself she will pay: By order of the church, George P. Newell, Lyman D. C. Latourette, 266 Ezra Fisher, Committee of the Church.. Received Sept. 13, 1852.
266 For G. ?. Newell, see note 240.
L. D. C. Latourette (1825-1886), was born in New York, came to Oregon in 1848, and after a short stay in the California mines in 1849, returned to Oregon City. In and near this town he spent the remainder of his life. His first wife, Lucy Jane Gray, was the eldest daughter of the author. She died in 1864, and Mr. Latourette later married her younger sister, Ann Eliza. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 461
Oregon City, July 28, '52. Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Soc. Dear Brother:
Will you do me the favor to order me a copy of the New York Recorder to Mr. John Robinson to Marysville postoffice, Benton Co., O. T. ? and pay for the same and charge the same to my account ?
EZRA FISHER.
N. B. I shall write you no more until after my return from Umpqua and Rogue River valleys. The distance is about 350 miles out, and my return the same, which will re- quire about six weeks to perform and reach all the points I wish. I leave home tomorrow morning. We greatly need the prayers of God's people in Oregon that Heaven's richest blessings may rest upon us in laying the foundation for ef- ficient Christian enterprise for after ages. I have collected over $1000 since last fall for our school building. The work has advanced so far that the school is now in it; but we must immediately look for other teachers, or rather teacher. It seems to me desirable that we should have an efficient young man qualified to teach an academy in N. Y. who wishes to make teaching a profession and could at the same time exert an influence in the Baptist cause. We have had no meeting of the Board for eight weeks and they are now scat- tered so that it has been impracticable to call a meeting since my return last week. I feel safe however in request- ing you to find such a man. The school will number about 30 next year, perhaps more. We need very much the port- able maps, on rollers, of the world, the United States, North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and a map of the Ancient Roman Empire and one of Palestine. Could not some friends secure them for us so that you could send them out next winter?
Yours in the bonds of the gospel,
EZRA FISHER. Received Sep. 13, 1852, ​
462 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
Oregon City, O. T., Sep. 6, 1852. Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. A. Bap. H. M. Soc., N. Y. Dear Brother:
Having just returned from a tour of the Umpqua I hasten to give you a brief account of my tour. Leaving home on the 29th of Aug., I took a small steamer 267 for Champoeg, 268 a small village of some eight or ten houses, principally log built in French style, with two small stores. This town is situated on the east bank of the Willamette near the north extremity of French Prairie, 30 miles from Oregon City by water. I landed at 1 P. M. Being without a horse, I walked 18 miles. My way lay through the French Prairie in a south and southeast course, skirted first on the right and then on the left by beautiful glades of fir and branched oak, while the prairie is studded with fields of wheat standing in the shock, indicating a generous return to the labors of the husbandman. Spent the night with Br. Smith and was happy to learn from him that the church at French Prairie had secured the labors of Rev. John Rexford 269 one Sabbath each month. From this church my way lay through the up- per end of French Prairie six miles south across what is falsely called Lake La Bish, 270 a tract of rich marsh land about 200 or 300 yards in width and some 3 or 4 miles in length, forming the summit level between the Willamette and Pudding rivers, thence six miles through timber and
267 The first steamship traffic on the lower Willamette was in 1850, and from the summer of 1851 steamers became numerous. In 1852 a number were running on the upper river. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore., 11:256.
The first steam vessel entering the Columbia river was the Hudson's Bay Com- pany's steamer Beaver, in August, 1836; the U. S. steam transport Massachusetts arrived at Fort Vancouver May 13, 1849, for the purpose of landing United States troops the first in Oregon a company of artillery.
268 Champoeg was the oldest settlement in French Prairie, which was, in 'turn, the oldest settlement in the Willamette Valley. The derivation of the word is not certain, but is possibly "Sandy Encampment." Bancroft, Hist, of Ore., 1:72. F. V. Holman, Hist, of the Counties of Ore. in Ore. Hist. Soc. Quar. XIrai.
269 Rev. John Rexford was born in Canada, came from Illinois to Oregon in 1851, and died in Detroit, Mich., in 1880. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore. I:i6.
270 Lake La Bische has since been drained. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 463
prairie to Salem, the present capital of our Territory. 271 Found three or four Baptist members near this place, but hastened to the place of my appointment twelve miles up Mill creek through one of the most delightful prairies and surrounded by one of the most picturesque sceneries in North America, if not in the world. In this valley, about two and a half miles from the north fork of the Santiam and six miles east from the Willamette, is a log school house, about 20 by 22 feet, where the Shilo church meet to worship the God of Heaven. Here I spent the Saturday and Sab- bath and preached each day, on Sabbath to a full house. The church consists of 12 members, and pays $100 for the preach- ed word one Sab. each month. Their position is good. The members of the church, although a few, are among the most substantial citizens and sustain a Sabbath school, yet are surrounded by Methodists, Campbellites, Anti-missionary Baptists and unbelievers. A good minister would find this one of the most important country locations in any new country. On the twelfth I passed through the fork of the Santiam, a fine prairie country, eighteen miles, stopping and preaching at three P. M. Spent three days with the Santiam church visiting, and preached once. This is a small and af- flicted church on the south side of the south fork of the Santiam, under the pastoral care of Rev. Richmond Cheadle, and situated in a rich, level, prairie country near the only soda springs in the Willamette Valley, which are acquiring some celebrity for their medicinal properties. This church is thirty miles south of Salem and 15 east of Albany, Lynn County seat.
Sept. 12, at Lebanon, Marion County. Passing through an open prairie country, 24 miles, I came to Marysville, the county seat of Benton County, standing on the west bank of the Willamette River 70 miles by land above this place.
271 The capital was ordered transferred to Salem in 1851 and has remained there until the present time with the exception of a few months in 1855, when it was at Corvallis. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore., II 1146, 147. See also W. C. Winslow, Contest Over the Capital of Oregon, in Ore. Hist. Soc. Quar., VIII: 173- 178. ​
464 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
Preached on the 17th and 18th, baptized two candidates and received one more for baptism. The house, 30 by 40 feet, is nearly completed. Here a minister is more immediately needed than in any other point in the territory a ready, business-like, devoted preacher, who could give direction and exercise a general supervision in bringing into existence and sustaining an academical school for the denomination. Such a man would receive $200 or $250 from the church the first year. The church is young and inexperienced, but is by far the most wealthy church in the territory. From Marysville I followed up the valley of the most western fork of the Wil- lamette 70 miles through a level prairie country studded with small groves of ash and soft maple, while the hills were crowned with oak groves, but on the Willamette bottoms the balm of Gilead, white fir and soft maple constitute the prin- cipal growth of timber. Crossing the Calapooia Mountains, a distance of 8 miles by good wagon road, one enters what is called the Umpqua Valley, 272 which consists of a series of narrow valleys varying from a few yards to three or four miles in width. In the midst of these valleys and on every hand rise hills varying in form and elevation from the gentle sloping mound fifty feet in elevation to low mountais rais- ing their imposing summits 2000 or 3000 feet above the level of the valleys below, whose sloping sides are covered with a luxuriant growth of the most nutritious grasses, everywhere interspersed with open groves of red and white oak. Fenc- ing and building timber is rather scarce till you approach the Coast, Cascade and transverse ranges of mountains. Springs of pure water are abundant near the base of these hill slopes. After crossing the Calapooia Mountains, I trav- eled about 50 miles through these valleys on the great road from the Willamette Valley to the gold mines. 273 This road has already become a great thoroughfare where loaded wag- ons, pack trains of mules and horses and droves of beef cattle
272 For the early history of the Umpqua Valley, see note 246.
273 This road followed in most places the old Hudson Bay Company's trail to California. George H. Himes. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 465
are daily passing. These valleys are fast filling up with set- tlers and it is confidently believed that the largest portion of the arable land will be taken up before the first of next January. The population of the Umpqua Valley may now be estimated at 1500 or 2000 souls, among which I found six Baptist members. On the 25th I preached at Winchester, 274 the only village in the main valley, to about 60 attentive hearers. Winchester is situated about the center of the val- ley, or rather assemblage of valleys, on the south bank of the north fork of the Umpqua on the great road. It contains four families and one store, a saw and grist mill and two or three mechanic shops. The seat of justice for the county will probably be located about six miles south of this on the south fork. The valley contains nearly two counties, and, as yet, not a single preacher of any denomination. This district of coun- try lies contiguous to the gold mines, is extremely rich in agri- cultural resources, and of water power there is no end. Great anxiety was expressed by the citizens of every description for the settlement of ministers and school teachers among them. It is about two years since the first white family settled in the valley and probably not more than five or six evangelical ser- mons have been preached in that whole district. Mr. Jesse Ap- plegate, 275 the leading man in the valley, assured me, if the Baptists would locate a school in his neighborhood with a view of raising it to an academical school, he would donate 40 acres of choice land and he and his brother 278 would each give $1000 toward erecting a suitable building and he thought another brother would give $1000 for the same object. In
274 Winchester was laid out in 1850. It was on a trail to the coast and to the mines. The county seat of Douglas County was there until 1853, when it was trans- ferred to Roseburg, as the author prophesies. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore., II 1183, 711.
275 Jesse Applegate was a well-known figure in early Oregon history. He was a leader in the immigration of 1843. He was a prominent member of the provisional legislature in 1845 and 1849. In 1846 he helped open a southern route to the Will- amette Valley. In 1849 he settled near Yoncalla, in the Umpqua Valley. He was' Indian agent in 1870, candidate for U. S. Senator in 1876, and died in 1888. Ban- croft, Hist, of Ore., 1:393, 473, 544, 568; 11:178, 564, 673, 763.
276 Charles Applegate came to Oregon in 1843 and settled in the Umpqua Val- ley in 1849 near his brother. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore., 1:393, 569.
The other brother was Lindsey, who also came to Oregon in 1843 and who had settled where Ashland now stands. Ibid. 1:569, 393. ​
466 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
the absence of a common school system, and in view of the re- ligious and literary destitution of that country and the pros- pects of its rapid development both in population and re- sources and in view of the untiring efforts of other religious sects, upon consultation with our brethren here, we have thought it best for Br. Read to proceed immediately to the Umpqua and commence preaching to the destitute, and at the same time look after the interests of education and at- tempt, if practicable, to lay the foundation for a Baptist acad- emy in as favored a location as can be secured, as his labors have closed with the Oregon City College.
I did not visit Scottsburg, 277 the commercial point for the Umpqua, but learned that it consists of six dry goods stores, is near the head of tide water on the Umpqua, some four or five families residing in the vicinity, and that the entire com- munity consists of about 70 or 75 souls. Fifteen vessels have entered the mouth of the river within the last 15 months. Next month I expect to visit Rogue River. On my return I visited the church just constituted in the forks of the Wil- lamette 278 and spent the Sabbath. At present I shall defer giving you a description of this church, except to mention that our itinerant, Rev. Mr. Sperry, preaches to them month- ly and they are sustaining a Sunday school. Circumstances over which I have no control prevented my proceeding to Rogue River as I intended when I left home, but, by Divine permission, I shall visit that part of the country next month Indications seem very favorable that an immediate and ur- gent demand will be made for the appointment of an effi- cient, enterprising, devoted missionary to labor at the Indian Agency, where we have two valuable Baptist families, and
277 Scottsburg was at the head of tidewater on the Umpqua and was named after Levi Scott. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore., II: 178.
The first newspaper in Oregon, south of Salem, the Umpqua Gazette, was pub- lished at this place April, 1854. George H. Himes.
It was the point from which settlers in Southern Oregon got many of their supplies. There had been a Htidson's Bay Company's post there, and mule trails to the interior of Oregon. Mrs. Sallie Applegate Long, Mrs. Jesse Applegate, in Ore. Hist. Soc. Quar., VIII .-182.
278 This church was organized May i, 1852, by Revs. Vincent Snelling and William Sperry. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore., l:ig. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 467
Jacksonville, the trading town for the rich mining district now attracting many miners on the Rogue River, and but seven miles from the Agency. I trust you will be casting about you with prayerful anxiety to find the very man to meet vice in all its forms and succeed in that place. . . ,
Numbers of appointments must be made, which will re- quire from $300 to $400 each from your Board, or the cause must be given over into other hands for the want of effi- cient ministers. The Old School Presbyterian Church has three missionaries here, with but one church, very small. 279 Con- gregationalists have seven or eight ministers, the Methodists about a score, Seceders four to five, Cumberland Presbyter- ians four or five, Campbellites six or seven and Anti-mis- sionary Baptists six or eight. It strikes me that four mis- sionaries should be immediately appointed for Oregon who should be subject to the advice of the ministers here in the selection of their location. Marysville, Salem and Portland are all suffering for want of efficient Baptist ministers, yet the distance is so far from New York and the time is so long before you can secure the labors of the right man that we are obliged to throw such laborers into the field as we have and, by the time of the arrival of a man just adapted for the field, we have a man in the way who cannot be removed without temporary injury to the cause.
Our school at Oregon City is doing well as yet. Br. Chan- dler's labors close in about two weeks and we have found no teacher to succeed him. We expect we shall be compelled to take up a temporary teacher. The Trustees, at a late meeting, instructed me to correspond with you and request you to secure for us a teacher, if possible, from one of the New England or New York colleges, who wishes to identify himself with a rising institution and grow up with it, with hopes of permanency in the profession of teaching. We think
279 The three old-school Presbyterian missionaries were Revs. Lewis Thompson, Robert Robe and E. R. Geary. J. A. Hanna had also probably arrived by this time. The church was probably the one at Corvallis. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore., II:68o, 681.
Among the Congregational ministers were Revs. Gushing Eells, Elkanah Walker, J. S. Griffin, Harvey Clark, George H. Atkinson, Horace Lyman. ​
468 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
the school will give such a man a reasonable support. He should by all means bring along with him an amiable, in- telligent wife.
The goods that were shipped on the M. Howes arrived safe and in good order except a few pairs of ladies' shoes and gaiters; the numbers of pairs I cannot now state, as I am from home and have not the invoice of goods along, but will state particulars in my next.
The importance of our mission to Oregon is every day be- coming more manifest and we daily need more grace and wisdom and energy to meet the openings of providence in laying broad and deep the foundations of institutions for en- larged Christian philanthropy. As a denomination we are suffering for the want of an efficient colporteur of the Amer- ican Baptist Publication Society. A colporteur who could be kept constantly supplied with books to meet the demands of the people, and so sustained that he could go everywhere carrying and selling his books and preaching the Word, would, by harmonizing discordant elements and scattering broadcast the seed of evangelical truth in a luxuriant soil, ac- complish a work for Oregon which no other man can do. When I think on this subject all my bones are pained. We are now out of books and the Society's agent 280 is at home providing for his family, teaching school for a support, while every Methodist circuit rider is selling books of the Arminian stamp through the country and the Campbellites have their books on the way to proselyte to their faith. It strikes me that a colporteur missionary must be sustained by the Publication Soc. and that the results will soon justify the outlay. Pray for us that our faith and labors fail not.
Respectfully,
EZRA FISHER.
289 This was Rev. Richmond Cheadle. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 469
Oregon City, O. T., Sept. 22, '52. Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Soc., N. York. Dear Br.:
I learn by a letter which Br. Chandler has just received from you that you are in correspondence with a brother who is willing to come to Oregon as a professional teacher, and who is a licentiate. 281 If he can preach, and your Board cannot send him as a teacher, could you not give him an ap- pointment as you did Brs. Chandler and Read? If so, and he can preach to the edification of the people, we can find profitable use for him as a teacher and preacher in this place and vicinity. This would operate to liberate the pastor here and enable him to exert a more general personal influence in the surrounding villages and the churches in the Willamette Valley. We feel that we must have an efficient, professional teacher, and we must look to you for the man. . . .
Please send the Home Mission Record to the following brethren: William S. Wilmot, 282 eight copies, Salem Post- office, Russel T. Hill, eight copies, Santiam Post-office, and John Trapp, eight copies, Marysville Post-office, and charge the same to my account. I have received pay. Will you order to Talbert Carter, 283 Albany Post-office, one copy of the New York Recorder, and pay for the same and charge me with the amount. I wish not to be responsible for any paper I order more than a year at a time. Should they not order them renewed, you will have them discontinued at the end of the year.
281 This was probably J. D. Post, who came to Oregon in 1852. 'Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore., 1:37.
282 Rev. William S. Wilmot, M. D., was born in Kentucky in. 1808, moved to Missouri in 1841, and to Oregon in 1850. He settled in Marion County and was connected with the Shiloh Church for about twenty years. He was ordained in 1859, and later lived in Washington and Idaho. He died at Beaverton, Ore. Mat- toon, Bap. An>. of Ore., 1:71.
283 Tolbert Carter (1825-1899) was born in Illinois, moved to Missouri in 1841, and to Oregon in 1846. He settled in Benton County and served several terms in the state legislature. He was prominent in church life as a licensed preacher and deacon. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore., 1:57. ​
470 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
The ladies' shoes and gaiters not received in the bill of goods referred to in another sheet are one pair women's Brogans, 90 cents; two pairs morocco, marked $1.00 each; one pair calf marked 70 cents; one pair kid marked $1.00, and one pair colored gaiters $1.38. Total $5.98. I presume they were overlooked and not put up. It is possible the box might have been opened on the way, but not probable During my absence the past three weeks, my family have been occupied with the family of Rev. Mr. Stevens 284 from northern Ohio. His wife and three of the children have had a severe attack of the camp fever. The affliction was deep- ened by the death of his eldest daughter of seventeen years. Br. Stevens goes to Marysville. I hope he will succeed there. His family left my house this morning in an en- feebled state. The immigrants are every day reaching our valley in large numbers. The number of immigrants for Oregon are variously estimated from five to twenty thou- sand souls. 285 There has been an unusual amount of suffer- ing on the way by cholera, in a mitigated form, and camp fever. Those who come by the overland route should in- variably start early, take the most wholesome kinds of food, drive regularly and make no forced marches, except in the absence of grass or water, and rest Sabbaths, except where water and grass is not to be found. I write this that fol- lowing immigrations may profit by the advice. No doubt many on the route have lost their lives through neglect either in providing a suitable outfit, or through too much haste and irregular habits on the way. It should be pro- claimed through the length and breadth of the States that food made up principally of rancid bacon-sides, shoulders and hams, hot biscuits mixed with the fats fried therefrom and water, hot coffee, as strong as it can be made, mornings, noon and night, with no vegetables and little dried fruit
284 Rev. Thomas Stephens (1803-1888) was born in Wales, where he was or- dained, lived later in New York and Ohio, and came to Oregon in 1852. He preached for the Shiloh and Corvallis churches for a time and later settled near Roseburg. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore., 1:14. See also the letter of Aug. 22, 1853.
285 See note 154. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 471
for four or five months in succession, is enough to generate fatal diseases in any climate, but especially where all, both male and female, are exposed to extreme fatigue and con- stant anxiety of mind. I shall leave in about two weeks for the Rogue River, if the rains do not become too severe. In the meantime I shall attend a yearly meeting in Polk Co. with the LaCreole church.
Yours respectfully,
EZRA FISHER. Received Sept. 30, 1852.
Oregon City, O. T., Oct. 16, 1852. Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Soc. Dear Brother:
Herein I send you a bill of goods which I wish you to purchase for me and forward as soon as you can ship direct to Portland, Oregon, as follows :
1 large cooking stove, furniture and ten pieces of pipe. Let the pipe be bent for locking and be left open so that it can be packed close; it can be put together here. 1 good patent lever watch, full jeweled, chain and key. I want a good time keeper. 1 small timepiece. Let it not cost more than $10 or $12. 1 good hat for riding, rather wide-brim- med, 23^2 inches around the outside of the hat at the head. I travelling overcoat, suitable for my business in a wet Oregon winter, thick and firm, not coarse. 1 pair stout cassimere pantaloons, lined throughout. 1 stout cassimere frock coat; coats rather large for you will fit me. 1 good double-breasted cassimere vest for winter traveling. 1 sub- stantial black summer vest. One vest for a young man, mid- dling size. 25 or 30 yds. of woolen plaid ; if not in the market, linsey, green and black or green and red. One web of bleached sheeting, fine and firm. 2 bolts of unbleached cot- ton sheeting, not coarse. 1 bolt good, dark calico. 25 yds. of worsted delaine, figured, not light colored; if no worsted ​
472 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
delaine in market, get the amount in worsted goods for women's dresses. 8 yards of white muslin for young ladies' dresses. 1 bolt of good gingham, not very light colored.
1 parasol, suitable for a young lady, not very light. 16 yards cambric for lining. 6 yards brown holland.
2 good brown linen tablecloths, 6 feet square. 10 yards good brown linen toweling, all linen. Half-pound black Italian sewing silk, good.
18 yards good, fine twilled red flannel. 6 papers of pins, different sizes.
1 pound black linen thread.
6 cards good hooks and eyes. 12 fine ivory combs, large. 6 tucking combs. 1 roll of black ribbon, 1^ inches wide. 1 box adamantine candles. 1 good glass lantern. Fourth gross matches. 1 barrel New Orleans sugar, good. 200 letter en- velopes. Half-ream letter paper, best article.
One dozen cut glass tumblers. 2 ladies' bonnets, one of which is for a girl of 11 years, each trimmed. 2 copies Downing's work on Horticulture. 286 1 copy Preacher's Man- ual by Rev. S. T. Sturtevant. 287 1 copy of Williams' Miscel- laneous. 288 1 pair fine calf boots, number 10's. 1 do. No. 11 's, high in the instep. 1 pair water-proof calf boots, dou- ble sole and feet, lined with good calf, not very heavy. 1 pair calf shoes, fine, No. 9. 1 do. No. 10, good article. 2 pair little boys' calfskin shoes, No. 9. 1 pair ladies' gaiters, drab or slate colored, No. 4's. 1 do. black, No. 4^. 2 pairs morocco boots. No. 4^. 2 do., one morocco and one enameled, No. 4. 1 pair ladies' calfskin boots, No. 4. 1 pair misses' enameled boots, No. 12. 1 pair morocco do. No. 12. 1 pair calfskin do. No. 12. 2 pair ladies' India rubber boots, Nos. 6 and 7, rough bottoms. 10 pairs good, long-legged men's half hose. 6 pairs lamb's wool ladies' hose. 2 pairs colored
286 Andrew Jackson Downing's "Fruit and Fruit Trees of America" was first published in 1845, and passed through many editions.
287 S. F. Sturtevant, Preacher's Manual, publisher by John C. Riker, New York, 8vo., $2.50. O. A. Roorbach, Bibliotheca Americana, p. 525.
288 William R. Williams, Miscellanies. New York, 1850. See also note 237. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 473
cotton do. and 2 pairs white cotton do. 3 pairs boys' half hose, boy 6 yrs. old. 2 bandana silk handkerchiefs. 2 ladies' dress collars. 1 pair large ladies' silk gloves, drab or snuff color. 2 dozen nutmegs, l t pound cinnamon, be sure it is good; 1 glass jar, about 1 gallon; 8 Ibs. salsoda; 6 pounds saleratus, 1 good razor, 2 washing tubs, one to fit inside other; 1 waiter for tea table, medium size; 1 flatiron, large; 3 good cotton umbrellas; 1 good steel blade shovel, round pointed; 12 sheets perforated cardboard for ladies' marking, white, pink, blue, green. Worsted for working different col- ors. 15 skeins silk of different colors for marking. 1 pair saddle bags for riding, rather large size; 1 large travelling trunk; pack it full before boxing it. 65 pounds of nails, 15 Ibs. 4's, 25 Ibs. 6's, 15 Ibs. 8's and 10 Ibs. of 10 pennys. 1 good walking cane, good length. 1 good ladies' winter shawl. 1 silk scarf for young lady, changeable blue and pink or blue and white. 1 pair good spectacles set in silver for a man 53 years old. 3 boxes water-proof boot blacking. Received Nov. 29, 1852.
Oregon City, Oct. 18, 1852. Dear Br. Hill:
In my last quarterly report I omitted! to state the amount I received for my support, which was twenty-five dollars ($25.00). This was occasioned by my haste to get my report to the office before the mail closed. I have made out a bill rather large, but it falls short of the wants of the family. I have thought that, in the event it exceeds the amount due me for the time I have reported, you might perhaps accom- modate me with the amount and forward the goods by the first vessel up for Oregon and wait for the balance till I report again, as it is inconvenient for me to order my family supplies oftener than once a year.
I wish you also to order on my account one copy of the New York Recorder, or the Christian Chronicle, as it may suit your convenience, and pay for the same in advance, for J. M. Barnes, to be directed to Cincinnati Post-office, Oregon Ter. ​
474 REVFREND EZRA FISHER
I believe I acknowledged receipt of yours under date of June 25, 1852. I shall leave today for a yearly meeting on the French Prairie and shall not return till I have visited Rogue River settlements, unless the rains should swell the streams so as to make travelling dangerous. As ever yours in Christ,
EZRA FISHER. Received Nov. 29, 1852.
Lebanon, twelve miles east of Salem, Marion Co., Oregon Ter., Nov. 22, 1852.
Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Soc. Dear Brother:
Owing to the winter rains coming down with so much frequency just at the time I got in readiness to make a tour to Rogue River, the fact that the immigration was moving on in that direction in such numbers and the great scarcity of provisions in that country, all of which would contribute to throw the community in an unsettled condition, I con- cluded to spend the rainy season in the older and more settled parts of Oregon and defer my visit to Rogue River and Puget Sound till the opening of the spring. At that time the immigrants will find their homes and begin to look around them with desire to secure the necessary appendages of civilization and a means of grace. From all the facts that have fallen under my observation I have not the least doubt there is an important opening for the constitution of a Baptist church at the Indian agency only seven miles from Jacksonville, a rising mining town near Rogue River. 289 Judge Rice 290 and wife and some two or more members besides are located near the agency and will do what they can to sustain Baptist preaching. Br. James S. Read is in
289 In January, 1851, gold was discovered near the present Jacksonville, the beginning of successful mining in the Rogue River. Other discoveries soon fol- lowed, and there was a large influx of miners. George H. Himes.
290 This was L. A. Rice. He was County Judge for two years. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore., 1:137. ​
CORRESPONDENCE 475
the Umpqua at Winchester, and I learn by a letter that he will soon constitute a church at that place. He should be reappointed to labor at Winchester and other parts of the Umpqua Valley. I am unable to say what will be necessary to enable him to give himself to the ministry. He will be able to give you the necessary information. I think he will not be able to sustain himself on less than $500 or $600. Br. Read is a devoted, studious, thinking, exemplary man and wishes ardently to give himself wholly to the ministry. Br. Chandler has moved onto a claim twelve miles south from Oregon City. 291 This he did with a view of securing his family the means of sustenance. We do not blame him for making the move, but regret that our best men must take their families on to farms because they cannot be sus- tained in the towns. We expect he will preach to the church at Oregon City this year. We have at this time not a single minister located in a town as pastor, unless Winchester may be called a town. It seems that we must have a minister sustained at Oregon City, Portland and Salem, each, if it is possible. We need to have the example given to our churches of an efficient, devoted ministry, and this influence should go out from our towns. Yet in our towns we have few members, and they are not able like our landholders. We can find no self-denying man who will leave a flourishing church in N. York or N. England and move to our new towns in Oregon without seeing a prospect of having his family sustained. Till some provisions are made adequate to the support of the ministry, if they are induced 1 to move to Oregon with a prospect of sustaining the cause in a rising town, they will not long stay where want stares them in the face while they see that their wants may be easily met by laboring three or four days in a week with their hands in the country. At this time wheat is worth from $3.00 to $4.00 per bushel, flour $14.00 to $15.00 per hundred pounds;
291 This claim, known on government maps as the G. C. Chandler Donation Land Claim, is in Township 4 South, Range 2 East, of the Willamette Meridian, and is on Milk Creek, about three miles southeast of Mulino, Clackamas County. ​
476 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
fresh beef 14 to 16 cents per pound, rice 25, sugar about 20, eggs from 50 cents to a dollar per dozen. A good cow and calf $100. Wood from $7.00 to $9.00 per cord. With these prices, no minister in Oregon with a small family can support his family and give himself entirely to the ministry of the word short of $1000 per year. In Umpqua and Rogue rivers we must add from 25 to 100 per cent to these prices. With all these embarrassments staring the ministry in the face and with all these temptations to leave the ministry to serve tables we need tried and devoted men. And it does seem to me that such men should not be forsaken. Yet we have the promise of the Good Shepherd, "Lo, I am with you," and we still pray and trust Him and work on, if we have to do as Paul did for the Corinthian Church. Our country churches are advancing in pecuniary ability and I think I can say, too, in willingness to sustain the ministry. If our churches are rightly trained, they will soon give liberally for the support of the gospel, both at home and abroad. I spent Saturday and Sabbath with this church. Sabbath was unusually rainy; few persons were out, not more than fifteen, yet it was thought best to take up a collection in favor of the Home Mission Society. Accordingly the hat was passed. It was rather a family circle than a church. The collection amounted to ($3.50) three dollars and fifty cents. I shall be unable to take up collections this winter, but hope the churches will begin to sympathize deeply with your Society's operations by contributing liberally to its support. I shall spend most of my time with the churches and destitute settle- ments in the Willamette Valley and the valley of the Columbia the coming winter. Probably shall spend a Sab- bath at Salem during the coming session of the legislature. Should you appoint a man to preach one year at Oregon City and vicinity who will teach the school, probably he would render effectual service to the church and meet press- ing wants in the school with a commission of $200 or $300 salary and we would be supplied with a man who could in ​
CORRESPONDENCE 477
a great measure superintend the cause of education. Elder Johnson is yet feeble, but able to preach part of the time. We have an accession to the ministry by the last immigra- tion of five or six men, but most of them are far advanced in life and manifestly came to Oregon to settle their families and to find a quiet repose for their declining years. Yours respectfully,
EZRA FISHER. Received Jan. 14, 1853.
Oregon City, Oregon Ter., Dec. 29, '52. Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Soc. Dear Brother:
Your letters under date Oct. 5 and Nov. 2 and 3 were received by the last two mails. Having just returned from a tour up the Willamette Valley after a detention at Salem and vicinity of two weeks by rains, high water and snow, I take the earliest opportunity to answer your inquiries touch- ing the cause of Br. Chandler's leaving the school. While he continued connected with the school he gave as general satisfaction, both to the Trustees and supporters, as we could reasonably expect of any man in that station. As far as my knowledge extends, all were desirous that he should continue in that station. Sometime during the summer term (I think) he expressed his doubt whether it could be his duty to confine his labors to a school of boys but little in advance of a common school in the States. The Trustees could not say to a man evidently called to preach the gospel, "You must continue to teach." We, however, expressed our wishes that he would continue to sustain the relation he had to the school. Near the close of the summer or early in the fall term Br. C. informed us positively that he must leave the school at the close of the year and wished us to look out for another man. At that time the church in the place felt a strong conviction that they needed more pastoral ​
478 REVEREND EZRA FISHER
labors performed than Brother C. could do in connection with the school and that it was very desirable that we should have the undivided labors of a minister in this place and vicinity, if we hoped to secure our proportion of influence as a denomination in the place where our school was located. How much this consideration influenced Br. Chandler to leave the work of teaching, I cannot say. Probably some- what. It was Br. Chandler's decision that it was his duty to leave the department of teaching, and not that of the Trustees. If he erred, it was an error of judgment, not of design.
Br. Read was appointed by your Board, I understand, at Br. Chandler's request, to be associated with him in tiK school; I am quite sure it was not at the request of the Trustees of the College. But as you had appointed him and made the outfit, we regarded it our duty to remove all the obstacles we could and render every facility to their use- fulness as teachers and preachers we could. But I never ad- mired the economy or utility of that part of the arrange- ment. However, before the close of the second quarter, Brother Read signified to the Trustees his determination to leave the school at the expiration of the year, or as soon as he could be spared from the school, with a strong conviction that it was his duty to devote his labors exclusively to the ministry of the Word. I have no doubt the Trustees would have given him the school when they found Br. Chandler must leave, but he could not for a moment entertain the thought of teaching and we had no control of his convic- tions of duty. He left the school by mutual consent at the close of the third quarter.
It is true the school did not give an entire support for two men, yet I think, if Br. Chandler's health would have al- lowed him to teach five days in the week and preach occa- sionally on Saturday and regularly on Sabbath, that the in- come of the school, $200 from your Board and $100 from the church would have given him a comfortable living. You ask what the school is worth per year. The school last ​
CORRESPONDENCE 479
year must have been worth something like $600 or $700. It must have averaged about 25 scholars at $6.00, $8.00 and $10.00 per quarter. The average price was a fraction short of $8 per quarter. I think we may safely calculate that, by the time our teacher will be ready to enter the school, the school will be worth as much the first year as it was last, and from that time forward we hope for a gradual increase.
All practical business men in Oregon give their opinion that Oregon City must become one of the few important places in Oregon. I have no doubt but a good professional teacher, with a small family, would be able to sustain his family from the school, with a prospect of a gradual increase of salary, and find himself admirably situated to exert a general influence on the formation of the civil and religious character of one of the most important future states in the whole union. If we could pay the passage of Br. Post's fam- ily out and give him the school when he arrives in the place, we would gladly do it. But it strikes me that this is beyond our power. We have but eleven or twelve feeble churches in the territory and they together number less than 200 mem- bers men, women and children gathered from all parts of the western states, a few from the old states, but mostly from Missouri. It is no strange thing to me that many of them cannot see clearly what relation our school bears to the future destinies of the cause of Christ in Oregon, in the world. Besides, we must raise $300 or $400 the coming summer to glaze our house and thus secure it from the weather, and finish another room or two (and I know of no man who will do this work but myself, and this must be done so as not to interfere with my appropriate duties as your agent and missionary) and most of this must come from men not connected with our denomination, as I inci- dentally fall in with them to spend an hour or a night. If the country was a little older or the churches had a few more efficient pastors, this money might be raised. Since Brother Chandler left the school, we have made temporary arrangements for teaching and intend the school shall be ​kept up from quarter to quarter till we learn the result of your correspondence with Br. Post. We cannot tell Br. Post how much he ought to sacrifice for the cause of Christ and humanity in Oregon. But this I will suggest, that, if he will give his whole soul to God for this work, I think the day will come before he is fifty years old, if his life is spared, that he will find himself connected with relations which should satisfy the most aspiring mind and afford the richest consolation in the decline of life. It is true our beginnings are small, but the destinies of Oregon for the next fifty years, who can calculate?
Very respectfully yours,
EZRA FISHER.
N. B.—Dear Brother :
Will you give me an interest in your fervent prayers that I may do my whole duty to Him who died and intercedes for me with the Father of us all.
Received March 19, 1853.
Oregon City, Ore. Ter., Jan. 1st, 1853.
To the Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,
Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Soc.
Herein I send you my report of labor as exploring agent for Oregon for the 3rd quarter ending December 31st, 1852.
I have visited during the quarter, Salem, the seat of government, and Lebanon church, attended the yearly meeting of the French Prairie church; visited Shiloh church, Oregon City church, and Molalla church, and spent a Sabbath with brethren on Butte Creek, 22 miles south of Oregon City.
Traveled 435 miles to and from my appointments, labored 11 weeks during the quarter, collected $3.50 by collections from Lebanon church, paid for traveling expenses $2.50, for postage 12½ cents. Total, $2.62½. Delivered 18 sermons.
Respectfully submitted,
EZRA FISHER,
Exploring Agent.
Received March 19, 1853.