The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1888-07-20
THE pI0NEERs1


Following ls the address Of Mrs. Eliza
Warren. of Brownsvllie, delivered at the
Pioneers Reunion, held at Crawfordayllle
on june 1sth, Coming from the first
white born person IN Oregon, one whose
name was connected with some Of the
most startling events OF the pioneer days Of
the Northwest, the address Il one Of grcat
interest
think / will first have to say that this IL
q very embarrassing position for me to un.
dertake. Never haying practice nor expc-
rlcncc In speaking or reading In public, and
but little conrage,p putting all together max
Ing Il very embarrassing indeed. Nor dol
think would have undertaken 1t now, but
| have been so often solicited to say or
write something, that had about made up
my mind that II ! ever intended 70 say any
thing, Il was about time 10 make start, /
was also impressed with a notice which /
saw In the OYegoafaH q short time ago, that
Geo. III. Hines, Secretary OF the Pioneer
Association at Portland had puhllshed, In
which he said that much valuable matter
that might have been preserved Il now lost
because pioneers have not fully realized
their responsibility 10 those who arc 70 fol-
low, Death has made aad havoc IN the
ranks during the past year. If few years
there will be none left 10 tell the story, and
the places that now know rs viii know us
no more. Many Of you know, no doubt,
that am an old Oregonlan. Mr.. and Mrs.
Spaiding were my parents, and IN COM
pany with DIR. whitman and wife came 20
Oregon in 1896, as Missionaries 10 the In
dlans. Ny mother and Mrs. Whitman were
the first white women that crossed the
Rocky Mountains. They were obliged 10
travel horse. back most OF the way. And
considering the hardshIpa aud dangers
through which they bad to pass, It wa
wonderful that they could survive auch a
trip, my mothers health belng very poor
most ul the time. | was born in Oregon,
in 1887. Il was Oregon Territory at that
time but since has heen divided into
Idaho Territory and Washington Terri.
tory, and State Of Oregon, which makes
my birthplace Ia Idaho where the Lapway
Agency Is now situated. My father and
mother were with the Nez Perce Indians.
DIR. Whitman and wife were with the Cay.
use Indians near where the city of Walla
Walla now stands, and ono hundred miles
from where we lived. They weresour near
est nelghbors. We lived there til was
ten years old. so you see had no school
uuainted with the ways and customs Of the
Indians, and could speak their language as
well as my own. Father and mother taught
them so that many of them could read and
write quite well IN their own language, and
some 10 card and spin and weave quite
nicely. We have witnessed their war
dances, their sham fights and other perform.
ances We travelled over the country horse
back and with pack horses the same as the
Indians and camp where night would over.
take us, crossing the rivers In canoes aud
swimming our horses. But once we were
caught, we attempted 10 ford the Clear
Water River where Lewiston Is now sltu.
atcd aud got into swimming water, Of
course we had TO stem II through. IL was
night and wc had ten miles yet 10 go before
We reached home. The weather was cold
aud our clothes were soon frozen. There
Il hardly day passes but what my memory
wandcrs back 20 those childhood daYs and
scenes. In the faii there would be some
emigrant families that would stop at DIR.
Whltman's 10 spend the winter and rest
themselves and their wogu.out teams, com.
ingon 10 this Valley la the spring. OF
course there would be enough children 10
have school during the winter. When
was niue years old my parents sent fue over
TO attend school that winter. Father was
80 busy he could not take me and they sent
mc in she care OF an Indian woman. She
helped my mother about the house good
deal We were out three days and two
nights alone ! doubt whether there Ia
mother in this assembly who would risk
her child In that way but ] was perfectly
safe in her care. The next winter when
was ten years old my father toak me
over 20 attend school again. That j. how
came to be there ~ the massacre, when
the Indians murdered DIR. Whitman and
wife and twelve Of the erulgrant men. II
was the fret day of school and near the
hour of noon when the crash was made. IL
seems can almost hear the Indians war
whoop, the firing of guns. aud the running
too aad fro. We poor frightened children
huddled together and tried 10 hide. but they
soon found rs and brought ns out felt
sure our time had come, and put my
apron TO my face so | would not see the
guns pointed at Us. For rsome reason they
did not murder the women and children.
but held Us as captIves for three weeks.
We were ransomcd By the Hudson Bay
Company who were commanding At Van.
couyer at that time. In a few days my
mother received word of what had hap.
pcned at Dr. WhItman's of course she
.was frantic. She sent two of our Indians
at once To see what had become of father
and myself. When they came tirey thought
| they would take me right home, but the
| Indians would not let me go. Timothy
was the name of one Of the Indians wic
| came for me. When nc told me that they
could not take me, the Indiars would ifo
let me go, then, for the first time. broke
down In tears. II seemed as IL my hear
would burst. Timothy wiped the tears
from my face, and said, ''poor Eliza don
cry you shall see your mother Father has
q very narrow escape in getting back home
was out six days and nights without any
thing 10 cat We all came down the Col
umbia River In open boats In Decembel
and had severe trip In 1888 we moved
up TO this Valley near where Brownsville
Is now situated. In 1851 my mother die,
and was the first person buried at the Gem
etcry near Brownsville. Number tn
graves that are there now. Neighbors wer
scarce and far between, II was though
nothing to walk three or four miles to visi
each other. We lived in small log house
lgencrally consisting OF one room. Ou
cooking was done by the fire place. Visitor
generally remained over night In thos
days. In visiting we would often TAX
some article of food which VIC thought on
| neignDor would not nave, ana 60 Tor mile
TO church on horseback or with OK teams
But those were good old times, it does m
good to think of them now. But again W
feel sad when we realize that there are bp
few left now that were the older ones theI
And how is It now with those that were
J their youth then Many of US are no.
with our heads silvered over with the frost
, of many winters. Our cheeks are furrow
! ed, our bodies are bent, and time has lai
his hands heavily on most of us. On
hearts are weeping for the loved ones thi
have been taken from us We are thanl
full that goodly number are still permi
ted to meet on this occasion, and hope ar
: pray that there will be many more rc-u
ions for us In the future.