Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/361

355 THE WINNING OF THE OREGON COUNTRY. 355 missions, either Protestant or Catholic, the Hudson Bay Company, or were French Canadians. It is said that the first regular emigration from the United States to this disputed and doubtful territory came in 1841. Senators Linn and Benton of Missouri, by their enthusiastic and noble defense of our rights to this coun- try, encouraged and inspired much of the early emigra- tion. It is fitting that to-day the two valley counties, Benton and Linn, should perpetuate in grateful remem- brance the names and deeds of these illustrious defenders of American control in this great contest. Senator Linn in 1842 introduced a bill granting donations of public lands to settlers, but because of his death October 3, 1843, generous land legislation was temporarily postponed. The most authentic records show that there were only 111 persons in the emigration of 1841 ; that of 1842 only 109, 55 of whom were over eighteen years of age. The train of 1842 left Independence, Mo., May 16, with only sixteen wagons. F. X. Matthieu and Medorum Crawford were leading spirits in this movement that year. Captain Crawford has left a written record of the names of those above the age of eighteen years, some of whom we have known as residents of Yamhill County. There was A. L. Lovejoy, for many years a leading figure at Oregon City, T. J. Shadden, whose donation is situated less than two miles northwesterly from McMinnville. He was also with General Fremont in 1846. There were Andrew Smith, Darling Smith, and David Weston. The party arrived at Oregon City, October 5, 1842-. Captain Crawford records the fact, of great interest to us, that within the present limits of Yamhill County, the only settlers he could re- member who were then living in the county were Sidney Smith, Amos Cook, Francis Fletcher, James O'Neill ; Joseph McLaughlin, Mr. Williams-, Louis La Bonte, and George Gay. Sidney Smith settled in the Chehalem Val-