The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-10-08
A VANISHING TYPE OF THE PAcI-
FIG NORTHWEST.

W
There died at Hoquiam, Wash, a few
days ago, at the age of sixty-one years,
man of familiar name and lineage,
who was born and who passed the en-
tire period of his more than three-score
years in the Pacific northwest. Marcus
Whitman Walker carried in his name a
memorial of the missionary era in
which he was born, and, in the restless
spirit that dominated his movements
through life, the pioneer instincts that
sent his parents into fhe depths of the
North American wilderness on their bri-
dial tour in 1888.
A representative of the pioneer mis-
sionary type, he carried throughout his
dfe desire to move from place to place
rather than a purpose to settle down
and accumulate property. In conformi-
ty with this desire, which crystalized
into the habit of a lifetime, he moved
when past middle life into the wilds of
the northwestern Washington coast and
set himself to a task of home building,
the requirements Of which were primi-
tive in character and Astounding in con-
tentment. And still in conformity with
the restless spirit that prompted him to
change and again change his abiding
place. his body was conveyed after
death a long distance for burial. AS a
man Of this mold Marcus w. Walker
lived a long and blameless life. Simple
in his habits, of modest aspirations. fire.
quently changing his residence, he ac-
complished little from the ordinary
standpoint of thrift or public service,
yet his name. as far as 1t extended,
stood and still stands for personal in
tegrity.
Such a life may be quoted as a con-
vincing argument of the subtle power of
heredity and early environment over
the forces in later years that make for
what is called progress. AS before said,
this man was the product of the pioneer
missionary era in the northwest. He
was born amid the most primitive SUR
roundings, of parents who were still full
of the migratory impulse and the mis-
sionary idea. Content with little, per-
force, since they had left the farthest
| western verge Of, civilization far behind
them; controlled by spirit of rectftude
! in their dealings with those around
them; unsettled, in the sense that they
were In constant readiness to move a
the behest OF circumstances, or in ODE
dience to the stern call Of necessity, the
lives of these people furnish data by
which the simple riddle Of the life just
ended may be read. And in one such a
| life is not the record of many an earn
| est and In its way useful life represent
| ing what is known as the pioneer type
written. .,,a Z ~ go %s.s~ T.
We follow the lines, of this simple re-
cord with a feeling akin to reverence.
1t is the record of the lives of men and
of women who, in quiet, transformations.
| contented fashion, did what they could,
| in their way, to push the bounds of CIV
! ilization on into the wilderness; lives
that. in the main, were we'll satisfied
with their achievement, and did not fret
and worry in the attempt, year after
year, to make it greater and yet great
er. More nearly, perhaps, than any 9TH
err class of people In the western world
have pioneers of this type solved the
riddle of contentment. The part they
played in the drama of civilization was
for many years leading one. Latterly
lit has been overshadowed by the ener-
4 gy and enterprise of those through
whose efforts the blazed trail has ex-
banded into the railway track, and the
pack train into the railway train. But
their place is an honored one in the an
Inais Of the Pacific northwest, even as
their lives were honorable in the rela-
lively narrow confines within which
they were spent.-Portland Oregonian.