East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-12-15

Woven into the history of Umatilla
county are some of the most stirring
incidents ever recorded in the north
west and to write the detailed history
OF this county would be to write his
tory of "Old Oregon"
The first voyagers and explorers
who penetrated the wilds of the north
west and drifted with the current of
the Columbia to the sea, were charmed
by the mild climate and verdant hills
on the west slope of the Blue noun
tains After the perilous and weari-
some trip over the Rocky mountains,
this sunshiny paradise filled with its
picturesque Indians was one of the
most fascinating prospects which had
greeted the eyes Of the adventures.
After a road was opened to the west
and the early immigration began to
pour over the mountains, the gentle
slopes of the Cayuse Indian country,
now Umatilla county, attracted the
settlers and after they had passed on
into the Willamette valley, many Of
them returned to this county and made
settlements along the streams.
Earliest Settlement
The first attempt to found a set
tlement in what is now Umatilla coun.
ty was made by Rev. \. NJ. A. Blan-
chet, brother Of Bishop Blanchet, the
first Catholic bishop of oregon, and
Father ]. II. \. Brouillet, who came
from the Willamette valley to eastern
oregon agd founded Catholic mis-
sion four miles east of Pendleton on
the Umatilla river in November, 1S47,
n few days before the Whitman mas
saCre.
After the massacre the Cayuse In
dams We're more or less hostile and
the Catholics were forced to abandon
their settlement and return to william
ette valley.
The next attemp at actual settle
ment was made by DR.. william Nc
Kay. son of Thomas Mckay, the
stepson of DIR. John Mclaughlin, the
most famous Of the Hudson Bay COM
pany factors in the entire northwest.
Mckay settled at the mouth of
what is now called Mckay creek, two
miles west OF Pendleton in the fall of
1851. 4 number OF substantial build
ings were erected there, and a small
party Of Indian and mixed bloods
gathered about the settlement, but the
Indian war broke out in 1855 and the
Mckay village was completely de-
stroyed, and every white and mixed
blood settler was driven from the en-
tire country east of the Cascade
mountains.
About the time that Mckay settled
at the mouth of Mckay creek, Ca
yuse Indian agency was established
on the JTmatilla river bottom, opposite
where the town OF Echo now stands
DIR. Aaron Dart was at that time SUI
perintendent of Indian affairs in Ore
gon and at his direction the first Ca
yuse agency was established In the
spring Of 1851. and named Utilla
f. wampole was made first agent
and assumed his duties early In 1851.
Later in the year 1851 postoffice was
established at Utilla, F.. Rogge
being appointed postmaster. Wam-
pole was soon succeeded as agent by
r. r. Thompson. who resided at The
Dalles. Green Arnold was appointed
deputy Indian agent at Utilla and took
possession at the beginning of Thomp-
sons term.
When the Cayuse war broke out in
1855, the Cayuse agency and settle
ment at Utilla shared the same fate
which befell the settlement on Nc
Kay creek, the officials in charge
were run out of the country, the
buildings burned the stock stolen and
the station was abandoned.
After the Indian War.
1t was two years before the Indian
war terminated. Return of peace
brought lack few more brave pio-
neers, who persisted in their attempts
to make homes in the fertile valley of
the Umatilla. Green Arnold came
again in 1856. Ne found location or
the Umatila at the mouth of Birch
creek n few miles below Pendleton. j,
r.. whitney. who had been n partner
of Dr. Mckay, had been left in charge
OF the latter's property in 1855, wher
DR.. Mckay went to the Colville mines