Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/414



wives, and Wm. H. Gray, came out and commenced work in Eastern Oregon among the Nez Perces and Cayuse Indians. And it may be remarked liere that Whitman did not select the location among the Cayuse who afterward massacred himself, family and attendants. If he had been left to his own judgment he would most likely have located among the Flatheads who had appealed to the Eastern States Christians for the "Book of Heaven." Rev. Asa B. Smith, and wife, also on behalf of the Presbyterians came overland and settled among the Nez Perces, at a station on the Clearwater river in 1839, and which he was compelled to abandon on account of the hostility of the Indians in 1841. Mr. Smith was the first person to make up a vocabulary and grammar of the Nez Perce language.

Revs. Elkanah Walker and Gushing Eells, with their wives, missionaries of the American Board, came overland in 1838, and established a mission on the Chemakane branch of the Spokane river, and there taught and labored among the Indians for ten years, having served in that work longer than any other mis- sionary to the Oregon Indians, except Dr. Whitman. Rev. John S. Griffin and wife and Asahel Hunger and wife, independent Congregational missionaries, came overland in 1839, and after making two efforts to establish schools and missions among the Snake Indians, both came on down to the Willamette valley, Griffin and wife settling on a donation claim on Tualatin Plains, and Munger and wife going to Salem and working for the Methodists until his mind failed and where he put an end to his life. To Mrs. Griffin belongs the honor of being the first white woman to teach school west of the Rocky Mountains. In 1840 came another missionary party overland of the Congregational church, com- posed of Rev. Harvey Clarke, Rev. P. B. Littlejohn, and Rev. A. T. Smith, each with his wife. These people came out independent of the Board of Missions, intending to support themselves by their own eiJorts ; and after spending a year in the Indian mission field in Eastern Oregon, came on down to the Willamette valley and settled on Tualatin Plains, teaching and preaching to the white people. And with this Clarke party came out from the States the first family of avowed immigrants of American settlers that came to Oregon — Joel P. Walker, wife and five children.

And in all human probability the great-hearted Harvey Clarke and wife are entitled to much credit in bringing in close after them, two men who were not missionaries, but who made a large figure in the future of Oregon; and for this Clark should have credit here. At Fort Hall, Rev. Clark made the acquaintances of Joseph L. Meek, Robert Newell, C. M. Walker, William Craig, Caleb Wilkins, William M. Doughty and John Larison, who were each and all stranded at Port Hall, and penniless on account of the American Pur Company abandoning the fur trade on the Pacific to the Hudson's Bay Com- pany. These men, like all mountain men, were of improvident habits, and had saved nothing. They were destitute and without occupation. They must go somewhere and do something or starve ; and they decided to follow Clarke. Their combined stock of worldly goods was the clothes on their backs, two wagons which Clarke had given Newell for guiding him from Green river to Port Hall, and another wagon abandoned by Joel Walker. Prank Er- matinger (The H. B. Co. Agt. at Port Hall) took an interest in the unfor- tunates and purchased one of Newell 's wagons. This gave them bread and coffee for the trip, and their trusty rifles could provide the meat. And they