The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-17
REV. GUSHING BELLS DEAD.
On His Eighty-Third Bfrthday-A Fa
nous PiOneer-Euneral At Seattle.

nAOOo = lOO00I@E O00I0A ~ S08tIk0s
TAcoHA. Feb. 16-iSpecial. 1.-The Rev. Cush-
Ing Eelis died this morning at the residence OF
his son. Edwin Eells. at 7Os South I street. aged
50 years. Today was his birthday. Three or
four weeks ago he felt that he was
failing, and in . systematic manner he
prepared for the end. He was con-
tent with his life's work md hoped
only that he might be spared until he had
rounded out his SD year. The cold snap affected
him az never before. Last Sunday he mounted
his old sorrel horse, La Blau, which for years
has been almost u familiar ~ the aged pioneer
missionary. and rode to the First Congregational
church and participated in the services. On the
way home he felt chilled through and through.
and on reaching home it was thought he had
not been clothed warmly enough.
After dinner he went out to feed old La Blau,
niece found him later and he was removed to
his room, where he remained until Tuesday.
Then he got up and seemed to be gaining. Tues
day and Wednesday he was better. He did some
writing yesterday.
Pneumonia seized him, and he was too feeble
to throw it of Last evening . reaction set in
and he sank lower and lower till he passed
away this morning.
The remains will probably be buried at Lake
View cemetery, in Seattle, on Monday. by the
side OF his wife, who died in 1873, aged % years.
The funeral services will probably be conducted
on Sunday At the Congregational church.
February IL, lSlo: He was the son Of joseph
aud Elisabeth (Warner) Eells, who was q major
In Cromwells army. and who came to America
IN 1861. Gushing Eells prepared for college at
Monsoon academy, Mass., entered Williams col.
leEe in 1880 aud was graduated four years later.
He then attended the East Windsor Theological
seminary, and after three years of study there
was ordained at BlandfOrd October Is, 1887. He
WAS then Amounted A n minSiOuafy to the I'm.
lus by the American board of commissioners for
foreign missions. but a. the Chiefs Dingsan
each other about that time, his departure
was delayed and instead Of going to the jungles
Of Africa he became one of the pathfinders who
led the way to the settlement Of this resource
full Pacific Northwest He was married to Miss
Myra Fairbanks at Holden, Mass. On March S,
1888, and the next day they started on their
bridal tour across the continent. in answer to a
call from DR.. Marcus Whitman and others from
Oregon Tor missionaries to the indians. Rev. <.
Walker. Rev. A. b. Smith, W. II. Gray and their
wives and MI. C. Rogers were the missionary
companions OF DR.. aud Mrs. Eeils, and most Of
the trip from Missouri was made on horseback.
They were under the protection of the American
Eur Company to the Rocky mountains ana of
Walla Walls, where they arrived August %,
1883. after q trip from Missouri of 129 days. Only
two women, Mrs. NJ. Whitman and Mrs. II. Ii.
spaulding, had ever made the trip beiore-in
1885,
The winter was spent ut DR.. Whitman's sta
ton. Wai-i-lat-pu. near waila wslla, and the
following :Pring, on March 5, 1889. with DR..
Walker and his wife, who were their associates
until ls4s, they went to their mission station
among the spokane Indians. at Tshimakim. on
Walkers prairie. in what 10 now spokane
the massacre of Dr.. Whitman, which occurred
in November, 1si7. Dr.. Eeils taught Z small
school part OF the time. besides preaching aud
doing general missionary work.
Owing, however, to the fact that the govern
ment OF Oregon could not protect them in that
region after the Cayuse war, they moved to the
Willamette valley in the summer of lSAS. under
an escort OF sixty Oregon volunteers They
spent four weeks on the Alb qua, where they both
engaged to teach in the Oregon institute at
next year they accepted q request to teach in
what was beginning to be Tualatin academy at
Forest Grove. In April, ls49, in q building 70
oDsne q n Ha ,fss: s sD'it . loo nI sn;o ,ns ; ;Ss %is wa.
one bali, with legs inserted. served for a seat:
the other half, attached to the wall, served NJ q
writing and study table. Here they remained
until August, 1s5l, when they removed to near
Hii.s5oro, where Dr. Eells taught the Washing
ton Select school about four years, and other
schools 10 that region until 1857. preaching Also
u considerable part of the time. when he re-
turned to Forest Grove a. principal of Tualatin
academy.
Three years were thusspens, when the country
east oi the Cascade mountains being open for
settlement he went to Walla Walia, moving his
family there in 1s6l, and laid plans for begin
ming Whitman seminary In memory OF his CO.
AaooiGSs ~. NEitUaue WHICH INSTITUTION mas
since grown in:o Whitman college 1t was not.
however, until ls60 that the first building was
comp eted and the school fairly begun. since
that time he lSbored for il as he was able.
In ls72 his house st Walla Walla was burned
aud lie moved TO the home of his eldest son,
Edwin. then Indian agent at ~skokomish, on
Puget sound. He remained there for nearly two
years, when he again visited Eastern Washing
ton, osvoting his time mainly to ministerial
work Mr.. Eells died at sKokomish August 9,
1873, aged 70 years. and was buried at Seattle.
Alter her death Ee!ls spent most OF his time III
Eastern arlington, living q, d different times at
Co.fax. Cheney and Medical LAKE, until lsSs,
when ne felt too old 10 longer endure the hard
NE eldest soD, Edwin, Indian agent on the Puy-
ai!np reservation. where he died
tie hd0 assisted in the organization OF the
congregations church at sKoHomish in 1874, of
which lie was pastor for nearly two years, Or
gani8ed that at Coltax in 1877, OF which he was
pastor Tor four years. also, that At Chawelsw In
1873, OF which he was pastor for about nine
years; that at Medical Lake in lsS3, of which ha
Was pastor for five years; that at Sprague In lss2,
OF wnicn he was pastor for about two years;
aided Ill Organizing that At Cheney in ISL, and
acted as It's pastor for three years. and also
Iteacned AZ many other stations IN Eastern
Washington- To the churches of Walla walls,
SoiiAx, Dayton, Cheney, sprague. Lone Pine.
SPOKANE. Oily mpia, Wash, and Forest Grove,
OIL Is known that he baa given previous 10
July, 1851, $6,s715a In addition TO what ne
has given TO hitnan college, Mrs. Eells laid
TIE lounlAt!on o! q pro.essorsnip ln Pacific Uni
versity, which with accumulated interest row
amounts to &,OA Dr. Eeiis sud wife also gave
various missionary societies nearly 1900. IL
received the degree OF D. D iron facinc Unlver-
Sky. ana was chosen assistant moderator OF The
IT,, In lssA kawin Eeils, who has been United
states Indian agent on Puget sound SINCE ISL,
ana Kew. Myron Eelts. missionary al snoXomlsh
since lisa ana TIE present agent,
Ag0 nlYVfvlny shllireu