The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-06-02

of So His wife and sons also gave their
lives to missionary work among the In
dlans. 1t was his idea that the memory
OF DR.. Whitman could be best preserved
by the founding OF an educational In
stitutlon Of high character to stand FOR
the highest and best influences In the
northwest, and name 1t In honor OF the
great missionary hero whose life and
work made II possible. Above all, 1t
must be for both sexes, for the wives
OF those brave pioneers, with equal cour-
age and DEVOTION shared the privatlons
and perils of all their struggles.
Accordingly a charter for Whitman
academy was secured from the territorial
legislature in 1859. 1t was dedicated and
opened In 1885, the principalship being
taken by Rev. p. b. Chamberlain. pastor
OF the First Congregational church of
Walla Walla at that time. A few
months later Or. Eells took the princl-
palship and continued In charge till 1869.
For the next dozen years vicissitudes
caused the academy to remain inert.
In 1882 DR.. A. j. Anderson assumed con-
troll and In the following year a new
charter was obtained and Whitman coll
lage was born. DR.. Anderson was presi-
dent for several years and In 1891 was
succeeded by Rev. James H. Eaton. The
death Of Dr. Eells In 1893, on his S3rd
birthday was OF course felt as q great
loss to the institution, and while 1t thus
ALhb ANoibACQs
The attention OF persons with large
means who are deeply interested In mat
ters educational was soon drawn to the
situation at Whitman college. IL was
then that DR.. ID. X. Pearsons, the Chi
cago phllanthropist, came forward with
the muniflcent offer to contribute $4,000 of
an endowment of 100000 to the institu-
tion, provided the balance be raised with
In a stipulated time, and Rev. Stephen
B. l.. Perrose, graduate OF Yale
divinity school, was chosen president.
Marcus Whitman's heroism, his strong
personality, patriotism and zeal for
Christian religion and education, are held
up formulation by all who know the
story of his deeds. He was born in
Western New York In 1902, Of parents
who had come not long before from New
England. His early home was the log
cabin of the pioneer. He was but 8
years old when his father died and he
was taken into the home OF his grand
father, who was a New England deacon.
Young Whitman soon became a member
of the CongI egational church and was
strong in mis- religious character. He
studied medicine and got his diploma and
practiced for few years, Dut his spirit
was restless and he looked longingly to
other fields.
In 1884 he was asked to 60 to Oregon
by Rev. Samuel Parker of Boston,
whose heart had been fred by the pathet-
" appear VI NHt ANtl 1tTCtb IOI
knowledge of God and the Bible. He
agreed to undertake the journey. No
wagon had ever crossed the great d.
vide when Whitman and his wife, II.
II. Spaulding and wife and W. I'll.
Gray and wife In the spring Of 1886 set
forth on their perilous journey across the
continent. They were six years before
Fremont; with them the first white wom-
an appeared In Oregon; they took the
first wagon across the mountalns they
were among the very first Protestant mis-
slonarles in that country; they wers
iargey instrumental in gaining a foot
hold for Christian civilization on that side
of the rockies.
Their destination was an unknown
land; their mission to preach the gospel
TO the Indians OF Oregon; their road y
over mountains and through wilderness.
1t was trip which resulted in heroism
unsurpassed by any of the deeds of chiv-
airy and the crusades. For women 1t
was declared to be an undertaking not
merely hazardous, but hopeless. Be-
set with perils, harassed by false reports
OF the Hudson Bay company's traders,
confronted with obstacles which seemed
the little band Of mission
Dn.s pressed body on, the iadominit-
able spirit of Whitman overcoming all
barrie >. W ,ut4 4Ad ..J oner
arrived than two facts were apparent;
one was the inestlmable. value OF the
country, which has been So fully demon
s.fate1, and uhe other that the nuIsJn
Bay company was determined to secure
1t for the Iingnsn
In the fail of 1912 Whitman learned that |
a company of British settlers were maxi
ing their way down from the Saskatche- |
wan to take possession of Oregon. The |
Ashburton treaty was then under nego- |
tiation and Whitman knew that no |
American statesman realized In the
uliUhfaCf AnnPan he ota.a nr tknt
try to the United States. He then re- |
solved to ride across the country to |
Washington City and lay the matter be- |
fore President Tyler and Secretary Web |
ster. In October he set forth, and In tn |
following March he reached Washington. |
The story of that winter journey OF 1000 |
niles VIA some day De wrieten dlnonq tne |
lmperishable records OF heroic ond fear |
less achievements. Whitman was re-
celved with suspicion, incredulity and in |
difference, but finally his voice was heard |
and the great country was saved to the |
union and opened up to immigration.
So sucGcssfpl was he IN creating ar
interest In far-away oregon that less
than three months later he started from |
Mo-, with a train load of |
nearly 1000 persons and over 100 wagons
while 1t was still declared to be impos-
ible to cross the Rocky mountains. Diff
flculties were vast; many were discour-
aged, but the dauntless man who inn
parted his faith and courage to all was
this Christian missionary. The journey
was completed. Whitman with his train
reached his destination one month be-
fore Fremont, whom the nation has de-
lighted to honor and to whom II has
given the name Of the Great Pathfinder.
In the fall Of 1877, Whitman having re-
sumed his mission work, measles broke
out among the Indians, which they were
deceived Into attrlbuting TO his medicine.
They surrounded the mission, slew Whit
man and his wife, mutilatlng their bod
es beyond recognition, and killed twelve
other fellow laborers A few escaped to