Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-06-14

: the present site of Salem, near tn
present village of wbeatland.
This was the origin of Willamett
: university.
This event was of the deepest sig
nifcance TO the Methodist church an,
to Oregon. 1t was not only the frs
step in the development of Willamette
university. but it also marked a periot
in the settlement of the state.
Arrival on the Willamette.
When Jason Lee arrived on the
shores of the Willamette there were
only a few white men west of the
Rocky mountains and there were nc
white women Mrs. Whitman and Mrs
Spaulding. the first white women TO
arrive, came two years later, in 1886.
Jason Lee was twice married. With
his first marriage there was connected
quite romance. The pioneer sent
back to the mission board of the
Methodist church for a wife. The
board sent him Anna Maria Pittman,
whom he had met once before. She
came in company with Sarah Downing,
who married Cyrus Shepard. The
ship sailed around the Horn and came
to Oregon by way of the Sandwich
islands.
The new period of usefulness of this
splendid pioneer woman was short
lived. Sha died soon, but left the i'm
print of her strong character on the
work. on the school, and on the state.
A fine oil painting of the first Mrs.
Lee hangs in the main building of
Willamette university.
Enthused with his work, Mr.. Lee
wsnt back to the states and present
ed memorial to congress asking that
some assistance be given in order that
Oregon might be saved TO the United
States. His petition was presented to
tho senate by Senator Linn of Mis-
soui. SO strong an impression did the
pioneer make on the President and on
congress that he was given $4,000 out
of the secret service fund of the gov.
ernmen1 to assist him in prosecuting
his work. He not only asked for
money, but for men, with which to col
onize the new country.
This celebrated memorial to con
gress was written by Jason Lee and
was signed by the ten white members
of the mission school, by seventeen
white Americans, nearly all there
wtre in this country, and by nine Can.
adams, who wanted TO become Amer |
leans, The signers comprised klree
fourths Of all the white people in the
Willamette valley.
The business before congress was in
January, 1889. In the following Octo.
ber Jason Lee set sail for Oregon with |
81 settlers in the ship Lausanne. The
centennial of MethOdism was .ele-
brated on board the ship. He married |
again in the east and his second wife
was aboard this ship.
The Lausanne is the MayAow.r OF :
the west, and many of the first fam
lies Of Oregon aud Washington are
proud 20 trace their ancestry 10 pas
sengers of this vessel.
Willamette University Established.
Sometime during the year ls42, ia
SON Lee moved his mission school from
he first site TO what is now the col.
ege campus of Willamette university.
IL was during that year that DIR
Whitman set out on his famous ride
% save Oregon to the nation.
The Oregon Institute was established
IN lsiS on Wallace Prairie. Next
year the Oregon Institute moved to
the site of Lees mission school and
40 purchased the property. This com,
prised a mile square of land and
$4,000 school house. This sale was
Effected by Mr.. GeAry. who was sent
out from the east by the mission board
Of the Methodist church.
While these events were taking
place Lee was In the east working in
the interest Of the school. the mis-.
sion and the state. During this time.
JASON Lee took. sick in Canada and
Tied
II was In this sams year that the