East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-11-06
JOE MEEK, THE MAN WHO
SAVED OREGON.

The most romantic figure in the
history of the Oregon country" is
Colonel Joe Meek Virginian ''squaw
man" and first marshal of Oregon.
He was a frontiersman of the highest
! type. He was the leader al Cham
| poeg ON the most critical day in the
! history of the northwest. At this
meeting. which the British had sug-
| gested Meek was keen enough to see
| that they We're trying to force an is
sue and II possible secure u Canadian
/ provisional government and then he
and his fellows would be under Brit
ish rule
/ This thought was appalling to him,
| and he rode for two days picking up
his old mountain friends, and with
them at once rode to Champoeg AS
the British had rallied their friends in
numbers, Meek said to his four COM
panions Looks bad for uncle sam,
eh? This thing must be settled right
here. ana settled right After an
I hour in effecting organization, Meek
/ addressed the audience of lOl 'front.'
/ iersmen, dilating ON the beauty of the
republic, and he chiefly addressed his
remarks to the French trapper ele-
ment. The vote was going to be close.
| 1t was called for by the chairman,
and again Meek rose to his feet. his
six feet two of magnificent manhood
an inspiration and eXemplification of
Aemircan citizenship saying:
Fellows. have trapped with
many of you; have no quarrel with
those who want this government un-
der England's rule, but il you want
to live i'm republic with flag in
which every star shines a beacon for
free government, and every stripe is Il
band that binds us together as gov
ernment for the people-vote for your
Uncle sam. Come now. who's for a
divide?"
Meek stepped out of the crowd.
drew line in the earth with the toe
OF his great boot, and, stepping across
that zone on which every eye was
riveted said: This is American terri
tory! Here's your free government"
His ringing voice stirred the blood
of the irresolute and with a stampede
81 joined him. giving a majority of
two for American provisional govern
ment.
Each heart beat furiously as the
vote was being announced, and when
] in steady tones the words came. For
the English, so; for the United States.
52!" a wild cheer burst from the lips
of the 2 empire builders.
! Joe Meek was trembling His lips
were dry. his massive throat struggled
and sWnlla1 1Vitb afrnptipr,. trraat Jrop.,
of sweat stood out on his forehead
when suddenly, in that soft, ripping
southern accent he said In a subdued
whisper. Thank Gawd!"
In a reminiscent hour Meek once
told this story of his courtship of Yir-
ginia, a chieftains daughter:
You see, there was no white
women west of the Mississip' in those
days, and my forefathers were great
on raising families, so naturally 4
wanted wife. My first wife, Umen-
.tukket, had died, and the second wife,
both being Nez Perces, had left me,
and after a few months | took quite
shine to Virginia. From the way
that girl looked at me | half suspect
ed she liked me, and So one day, says
|, Virginia, | want you Virginia
gave me to understand that | already
had one wife, and it took me a long
! time to convince her that | was a.
| widower TO all intents and purposes
! finally overcame her scruples and
/ she consented, provided the chief
/ father was willing-and there's where
| ! had the tussle.
| Do you know, that old chief had
| been talking to the missionaries, and
he wouldn't stand for Virginia marry
| ing a man who already had a wife.
For a whole month 1 argued with
| him; / wrestled and threw every In
MN that l was strong and capablei l