Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-10-13
ORIGIN OF THE
WORD OREGON
Clouded In Mystery-First Used
BY Jon athan Carver in His
Book of Travels.

The origin of the word Oregon is
clouded in mystery. 1t was frs
used by Captain Jonathan Carver in a
book called Three Years Travels
Through the Interior Parts of North
America. for More Than Five Thous.
aud Miles, in the Years l766.l16S,
which was published in London in
l77S. 1t does not appear from the
book that Carver came any farther
west than Minnesota, where, he says
the indians told him great river
called "Oregon, or the River OF the
West, rose near the sources of the
Mississippi and flowed westward
ocean. This is the only reference to
the river in the book. Carver was a
Connecticut yankee, who served as a
soldier through the French and lu.
dian war, and afterwards, on his own
hook, explored northern Michigan,
Wisconsin and Minnesota. He return.
ed to his home, wrote his book and
endeavored to persuade the colonial
authorities in New York and New
England to pay the cost of its publi'
cation, or at least reimburse him for
his expenses. Having failed on this
side, he went to London to appeal to
the government there, He managed
to get his book printed, but obtained
nothing more, and died destitute in
London in 1880.
The name Oregon did not appear in
print again until William Cullen
Bryant published his poem Than
topsis," in 1917 He had evidently
read Carver's book, and his sensitive
ear was pleased with the poetic
rhythm of the word Oregon. Theo-
dore Winthrop created the word
Tacoma" in his Canoe and Sad.
die" in a similar manner. So far as
anyone can ascertain, il was never
written or spoken before the charming
narrative Of his western experience
appeared in 1862.
In 1920 Boston school teacher
named Hall Jackson Kelley became
Infatuated with Oregon, aud, al
though he never visited this country,
he described it as a paradise and
predicted for it wonderful future.
He wrote pamphlets and newspaper
articles, made speeches, delivered
lectures and addressed memorials to
congress advocating colonization
of Oregon, and succeeded in exciting
much inquiry and interest. Among
others whose curiosity and ambition
were awakened by the writings and
speeches of Kelley was Nathaniel j.
Wyeth of Cambridge, Mass, who dis.
patched vessel loaded with merchan-
disc around the Horn, and started
overland in 1928 TO meet IL at the
mouth of the Columbia river. The
boat never arrived, AMI was probably
lost at sea with all on board. Wyeth
waited year or two and then went
back to Bost N, fitted out another yes.
sci called the May Dacre, which ar
rived safely at the mouth Of the viii.
annette, where he st up trading
post aud collected furs and packed
salmon. During his first journey he
was accompanied by John Ball, who
taught the first school In Oregon, be.
ginning in November, 1882. Among
Balls pupils was Ronald A. Nc
Donal, who went to japan IN lS4s,
succeeded in obtaining the good will
of the officials and the people, and
established the drst English school IN
that empire. Commodore Perry found
him there in 1858 and used him as an
interpreter. John Ball returned &c
the East aud afterward founded the
city of Grand Rapids, Mich.
The great river Oregon was after
ward called the Columbia in 1872 by
, Captain Gray Of Boston, who sailed d
considerable distance inland, in the
ship Columbia and gave the river thai
name. He never heard of the wore
Oregon. Careful investigation hal
failed to find that word in any Of thu
Indian languages, or any Indian Wit
, ever heard of it before Caryer's bool
was printed It is Il question
whether lie invented it or whether Ia
, misunderstood the pronunciation o
some other name mentioned to him b,
the Ind ans in MINES ota William
!, 4. Curtis in Chicago Record. Herald.