Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 25.djvu/346

 j. Ill 11 Mini I i 304 FRED S. PERRINE By the end of the year 1812, provisions were begin- ning to get low at Astoria, and as the valley of the Wil- lamette was a veritable hunter's paradise, a party headed by William Wallace 12 and J. C. Halsey 13 started for there on November 23, 1812. This party consisted of the two clerks mentioned above and fourteen men, and was sent for the express purpose of establishing a trading post on the Willamette. On the 15th of January, 1813, McKenzie, who had abandoned his establishment on the Payette, arrived at Astoria, and brought the news that war had been declared between the United States and Great Britain. This caused no end of excitement at Astoria, and led the Astorians to believe that the supply ship which they were expecting, would not arrive. The supply of provisions was very short, and now their numbers had been augmented by 12 William Wallace, clerk, Canadian, sailed on the Tonquin Sept 6, 1810, arrived at Columbia River March 22, 1811. Left for Willamette with Halsey November 23, 1812. Explored the Willamette for approxi- mately 500 miles, according to Ross Cox. Built the first house on the Willamette on this trip, which was situated not over 25 miles above Newberg, Ore., on the Willamette. Returned to Astoria May 25, 1813. Early in Sept., 1813, off with McKenzie for the interior. Left Fort George April 4, 1814. Nearly drowned May 25, 1814. Early in June, 1814, was at Moose Lake, Canada. 13 J. C. Halsey, clerk, sailed on the Beaver October 10, 1811, arrived at Astoria May 10, 1812. Left for the Willamette with Wallace Nov- 23, 1812, returned to Astoria May 25, 1813. Left on the Pedlar April 2, 1814, and was left by Hunt at Sitka, Alaska. No further record of J. C. Halsey, but on June 24, 1837, a Mr. J. Halsey arrived at Fort Union orf the Steamboat Saint Peter, and was a victim of the smallpox. A Jacob Halsey, clerk and partner in the U. M. O ., (Upper Missouri Outfit) served mainly at Forts Pierre and Union. While he was a hard drinker, he was a valuable man. When he arrived at Fort Union in 1837 he was sick with the smallpox, the only case on the boat when it arrived at Fort Union. In order to prevent the spread of the disease, some of the virus from the body of Mr. Halsey was used to vaccinate about 30 squaws and a few white men, but as Halsey was not in good physical condition, the innoculation proved fatal to most of those who had been vaccinated. During the summer of 1842, while on a visit near Liberty, Mo., and while intoxicated, he was killed by being knocked from his horse while riding through the woods. His head struck one of the trees and he was instantly killed. There is every reason to suppose that this Jacob Halsey, and J. C. Halsey were one and the same person.