Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-01-28
Perrin B. Whitman Dead.

| morning AT O'Clock. he enc
came peacefully at the family resi-
dence in this city. After five year
of encroaching disease his Iift
ebbed away. He was surrounded
at the end by all the immediate
members of his family except Mrs
c. E. Monteith and Mrs. DR.. Ash
ford who live in Canada and ir
Oregon, respectively.
His end was not altogether {
surprise. He had suffered from
paralysis for five years. His early
demise had been feared for two
weeks, in fact, hope fingered only
, in the hearts of those who felt
his death more than they could
bear.
Perrin Beza Whitman was born
in DanviIle, Vermilion county, Ill.,,
March 4, 1880. His mother died
when he was ten years old and he
made his home with great uncle,
Captain Henry Green who lived in
New York. He remained in this
refined home for three years and be-
came much attached to his kins-
people. He attended school and
made remarkable progress till his
thirteenth year when he was ac-
counted good scholar for that
time. His uncle, DR.. Marcus Whit
man, an older brother of his father,
after his historical visit to Washing
fon made by winter ride across
the plains to save all this Northwest
to the American flag, visited Capt.
Henry Green in the early spring of
lS43. This nephew Perrin, a
motherless boy, attracted the great
political missionary and he set up a
plea, first with his guardian, then
with the boy, for his companion
ship on the return journey and to
make him his own by adoption.
Captain Green, the uncle who had
become greatly attached to Perrin,
sorrowfully yielded to the plead
ings. Then followed a visit to the
old home in RushvilIe, New York,
and there the father and grand
mother consented to the legal
odoption of the boy Perrin by DR..
Marcus Whitman. Within five
days the doy of thirteen babe his
old home farwell and from that day
till the massacre at Waiilatpu mis-
sion the history of the martyr, DR..
Marcus Whitman, is the history of
Perrin B. Whitman.
The purport of the journey across
the plains, with all its Importance,
is told in history. DR.. Whitman
had secured the promise of Presi-
dent Polk and Secretary of State
Daniel Webster that if wagons
could be taken'to the Oregon coast
the country for which DR.. Whit
man stood sponsor, should be re-
tanned at all hazards, otherwise it
would be passively relinquished to
the English in accordance with the
wishes of tine Hudson Bay COM
pany's agents who predominated
in the Northwest at that time.
."The boy Perrin" as his illustrious
uncle affectionately called our de-
parted pioneer, was an important
character in this event and he has
helped to make a great deal of our
more modern history.
Soon after his arrival at the mis-
sion he took up with his other
studies the Indian languages of the
Northwestern tribes. He was en-
couraged in this study by his uncle
who looked forward to the better
ment of the aborigines, and this
boy was to be his life companion
in the chosen work. The knowl-
edge gained served him well in
after years. He became the best
scholar in the field of Indian lore
and language in the Northwest,
and he translated the Bible into
the Nez Perce language, and pub
lished an Indian dictionary. He
accomplished far more than any
other man in keeping peace be-
tween whites and ladians; more
than all the officials and military
force combined. Every treaty of
peace ener signed in the Northwest
was promoted through his influ-
ence. When the Nez Perees were
assembled in 1861 by the govern
ment to make their first important
treaty, an old chief arose and said:I
"You told US when you called us
from our homes that our good
friend Whitman would meet US
here. Il do not see his face among
you. You are all strangers. We
have important busin ess to talk
over. We are afraid since Good
man Whitman is not here. He
always talks straight even when
his knees shake with fear. If we
were to receive justice this good
man would be here. If not we
must stop now"
The deliberations did stop, and a |
messenger was sent to Salem, Ore
qon, after P, B. Whitman; the
paying him 500 per
day to come and arrange the treaty
with the Nez Perces. Mr.. Whitman
fsIIad the pncifiot, of |