Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/103



FIRST PRESBYTERIANISM ON PACIFIC COAST 95

(From J. A. Hanna, dated Los Angeles, California, March 18,

1904.)

"I married a young and handsome lady in Pittsburg, Pa., in February, 1852, at 6 o'clock A. M., and started west at 7 o'clock of the same day. In the absence of railroads we came by steamboat on the Ohio and Missouri rivers to St. Joseph, Mo. Here we convened as a Presbyterian colony and purchased our outfit for crossing the continent with ox teams and wagons. Our company consisted of about sixty persons and eighteen wagons. We endured the usual privations and hardships in- cident to such a journey had some Indian scares, but nothing serious. After five months we arrived in Oregon City, where we received our first mail from home. Here I learned that the Presbytery of Oregon erected November 19, 1851, stood adjourned to meet with the First Church of Clatsop Plains on the first Thursday i'n October, 1852. After a few days rest I went by steamboat to Astoria. Accompanied by Elder T. P. Powers and others we proceeded to Clatsop Plains where we found Rev. Lewis Thompson and his congregation assembled at the church. But Rev. E. R. Geary and Rev. Robert Robe were not present and by invitation I preached and for want of a quorum we adjourned till Friday, when Rev. Lewis Thomp- son preached. When again we adjourned till Saturday when I preached preparatory to the communion on the Sabbath, and again we adjourned 'sine die.' In those pioneer days Presby- tery always met on Thursday and remained over Sabbath and united with the church in celebrating the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. On Sunday I preached and assisted the pastor administer the sacrament. It was a precious and comforting season. We afterwards learned why Bros. Geary and Robe failed to get to Presbytery. They had arranged to come to Clatsop Plains by way of an Indian trail over the Coast range of mountains. But Rev. R. Robe's horse became lame and he returned to the river and came by boat. He was too late for Presbytery, but just in time to take the steamer to San Fran- cisco to join the brethren there in constituting the Synod of the Pacific. Had he failed in this there would have been a