Page:History of Oregon Literature.djvu/616

568 proved fruit true to name. The Hudson's Bay Company had fruit at Fort Vancouver; but it was all the produce of seeds and pits of stone fruits brought out from England in 1825, and from its variety was at that time considered very fine,...

Subsequent to Luelling's other nurseries were founded; but Luelling's was substantially the foundation of all the good orchards started in the pioneer era of Oregon. In four years from planting these young trees Luelling had a few apples to sell, and sending a few boxes down to California, sold them out to the gold miners for a dollar for each apple.

William H. Gray was the earliest historian of Oregon. His book antedated the two Bancroft volumes on Oregon by 16 and 18 years. As a matter of fact, when Mrs. Frances Fuller Victor first came to the state she used him as an authority, and was peeved to find out later, after she became more familiar with Oregon history, that he had steered her badly on some point. They were not good friends after that and, it will be remembered, Sidney Walter Moss did not have much use for him or his book—"Billy Gray did not suit me. His history of Oregon is one of the most untruthful articles I have ever read."

The following account of his life is condensed from the biographical sketch of him in History of the Pacific Northwest by Elwood Evans: "This pioneer of pioneers, and historian of events in which he took so conspicuous a part, was born in 1810 at Fairfield, New York, of Scotch descent. While but a lad of 14, he lost his father and was apprenticed to learn the cabinetmaker's trade.... Upon attaining his majority he studied medicine, and being a member of the Presbyterian church, and known as a promising young man, he was sought and intrusted by the American board with the work of going as a missionary in company with Whitman and Spaulding to the Columbia river.... Gray's services in establishing the Provisional government were as that of originator of the scheme.... After the full establishment of the Provisional government, Gray went to Clatsop Plains, and in 1852 went East once more for the purpose of getting sheep for the young settlement.... He was early engaged in many business operations, being in California in 1849 to dig gold.