Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/446

 peedy posession."

The memorial is wortlij" of a statesman. It set out tlie great value of Oregon as a territory to the United States, and stated intelligently the whole situation historically and economically. This paper was signed by thirty-six residents of the Willamette valley, including all Americans and many Canadian settlers.

Lee set out on his journey in March, staying for two days at the Wascopam mission As far as possible he went by canoe. Thus he arrived at Waiilatpu, where he remained nearly three weeks in the friendliest intimacy with Dr. Whit- man and Rev. H. H. Spalding. It is not probable that there was any reserve be- tween these men, engaged in the same work, and with the same patriotic senti- ments. If we could have Dr. Whitman's word about it he would tell us now that he read every word of the memorial from the settlers of the Willamette, and knew Jason Lee would present it to the Congress of the United States as soon as he reached Washington.

At Wallula (Fort Walla Walla of the Hudson's Bay Company), Lee left the river, and from thence onward a thousand miles or more, horseback to the Mis- souri. At Fort Hall he took in charge three sons of Captain Tom McKay, who had been Lee's guide westward from that fort in 1834. The boys were com- mitted to him by their father to be put in school, and Lee took them to Wilbra- ham academy, his own alma mater. At Westport, Missouri, September 1, a mes- senger from Oregon overtook him with letters. They brought him the terrible news that his young wife and new-born son had passed away at the mission June 26. Her gravestone in Lee mission cemetery at Salem, bears the legend: "Be- neath this sod, the first ever broken in Oregon for the reception of a white mother and child, lie the remains of Anna Maria Pittman, wife of Rev. Jason Lee."

Perchance her hands planted the climbing white rose that John Minto found growing luxuriantly over the walls and roof of the log house that was her home when he purchased the mission farm in 1845. Mr. Minto has distributed this rose over the Willamette valley, nature's most favored rose garden, and he speaks lovingly of it as "the sweetest rose that grows."

By way of St. Louis, Mr. Lee passed to Illinois. Again the nation awoke to the existence of the Oregon country. At Peoria he delivered an address invit- ing immigration to Oregon. This resulted in the formation of the first company of settlers for the Willamette, which left Illinois the following spring. He ar- rived in New York in November, and so well did he plead his cause before the Missionary Board that that body determined to send the largest missionary col- ony to Oregon that had ever left American shores. The party included thirty- three adults to take various duties and eighteen children. The fund raised for the new expedition was over forty-two thousand dollars.

The memorial from the settlers of the Willamette was presented by Lee to Senator Linn, of Missouri, and by him to the Senate. Caleb Cushing, of Massa- chusetts, desiring more information, wrote to Lee for the facts, and he replied from Middletown, Conecticut, stating clearly and powerfully the needs and de- sires of the Oregonians. Senator Cushing was a relative of Captain John H. Couch, who was induced to come to Oregon in the brig ' ' Chenamus, ' ' by reason of Lee's letter to Cushing. The Cushing family were Boston merchants, and here again appears the helping hand of Massachusetts to the Oregon settlement. Two brothei-s of the Couch family commanded vessels of the Cushings. They were interested, as stated above, in Jason Lee's report to Senator Linn, and the