Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/451



THE CENTF.NNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON 29^

romance and pathos of this incident thrilled the whole Christian churcli and kindled it to a new zeal and enthusiasm in Indian missions.

The first response to this appeal from the Oregon country was the mission of the Methodist Episcopal church, under Jason Lee, who came with his com- pany overland to Oregon in 1834, and settled in the Willamette valley. The nest response was by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mis- sions, located at Boston and representing the Congregational, Presbyterians and Dutch Reformed churches. Earlj- in the year 1835, this board commissioned the Rev. Samuel Parker of Ithaca. New York, and Dr. Marcus Whitman, to go to the Oregon country and explore the field with a view to the establishment of missions among the Indians of that region. Mr. Parker and Dr. Whitman set out at once on this mission, and joining the caravan of the American Fur Company which left Liberty, ilissouri, in May of that year, proceeded under the safe conduct of this company as far as the company's rendezvous on Green river, one of the headwaters of the Colorado. Here they met representative men of the Nez Perces nation, who were so earnest in their entreaty that mission- aries be sent to their people, that it was at once decided that Mr. Parker should go on alone, and Dr. Whitman should return and report to the Board of Mis- sions and secure, if possible, the sending out of missionaries the next year.

Dr. Whitman's fitn&ss for pioneer missionary life was abundantly .shown during his connection with the caravan of the Fur Company, composed of hunters, traders and trappers; the type of men with whom in after life he was to have much to do. While at the rendezvous on the Missouri river an epidemic breaking oiit which threatened serious results, by his promptness and skill he not only saved the lives of many, but saved the expedition itself from destruction or disbandment. And later, at the rendezvous on Green river as well as on the route, he commanded respect for his professional skill, and by his readiness to put his skill at the sen'iee of his fellow travelers won the good will of the men of the company.

Dr. Whitman lost no time in carrying oiit his agreement with I\Ir. Parker, Ijut retiirned at once to New York and Boston. The spring of the following year found him again at the rendezvous on the Missouri river with a company of missionaries commissioned and equipped for the Oi'cgon country. He had been married in the meantime to Narcissa, daughter of Judge Stephen Prentiss of Pratt.sburg, New York, a young Avoman of strong character and devoted piety, who had given her life to the cause of missions. The mission consisted of himself and Mrs. Whitman, and the Rev. H. H. Spalding and Mrs. Spald- ing, together with ilr. W. H. Gray of Utica, New York, in the capacity of assistant mi.ssionary. Mrs. Whitman and Mrs. Spalding were the first white women to attempt the daring feat of crossing the Rocky mountains into the wild i-egion beyond. But to their honor it must be said that they performed it with a I'ourage and endurance that commanded the admiration of all who witnessed it.

They reached the Columbia river early in September of the same year, and proceeded at once under the escort of agents of the Hudson's Bay company to Fort YancoiTver. Here they w'ere received with the utmost hospitality by Dr. John ilcLoughlin, chief factor of the company. Dr. Whitman had already pro- visionally agreed with IMr. Parker that the mission should be established among the tribes east of the Cascade range. He was advised by Dr. IMcTiOughlin to