USA > Oregon > The Oregon native son, Vol. I > Part 59
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much intensified. On the backs of these were painted a coating of black varnish which made the likeness appear to the best advantage. Occasionally the pic- ture was transferred from the glass to leather or oilcloth. Soon after this pic- tures began to be made upon sheet iron, which process was known as melyno- typing, or tin-types.
Photography was introduced about the same time. This latter process is said to be nothing more than a great improvement on ambrotyping.
The artist first introducing all of these various methods of picture taking in the Pacific Northwest was D. H. Hendee. Among his subjects was Dr. McLoughlin, General Lane, Colonel Joe Meek and Judge Olney. For three am- brotypes taken of the latter, he received one of the now out of date fifty dollar slugs. There were two kinds of these. . the round and the octagonal. He re- ceived an eight-cornered one. These coins, like the beaver money, were a sort of independent mintage known to the Pacific coast and were not uncommon in those years, but can now be found only in museums or in private neumismatic collections.
P. F. Castleman was the pioneer art- ist of Southern Oregon.
The first press. used to print the Ore- , gon Free Press, the first weekly news- paper to be published on the Pacific coast, is said to have been of home man- ufacture, and that the display type was also cut from wood grown in Oregon.
Such paper was published in Oregon City by Governor Curry, beginning in the early part of 1848, but suspended before the end of the year for want of compositors, they having all gone to the gold fields of California.
REMINISCENCES OF THE YAKIMA WAR. WRITTEN BY OREGON'S OLDEST NATIVE SON.
It is hardly possible, after so many ears, to realize the intense anxiety that ervaded the minds of the settlers of the North Pacific coast during the winter of 855-56.
There were hostile Indians in South- rn Oregon, in the whole country east f the Cascade mountains and along Pu- et Sound, ready for war, and seemingly cting in concert.
The immediate cause of the Yakima ar, briefly told, is as follows:
Three miners going to the Colville nines from Puget Sound, were murder- d in the' fall of 1855, by some of the 'akima : ribe.
Sub-Indian Agent, A. J. Bolen, went ut to investigate the matter and was imself treacherously murdered. Major Haller, with about 100 men, left The Dalles, O. T,, Oct. 2, not for the purpose f punishing the Indians, but to inquire nto the cause of their hostility. On the fternoon of the 6th, when about 60 niles northward of The Dalles, he was ttacked by 1500 Indians and forced to etreat to The Dalles, after some hard ighting, and a very narrow escape from general massacre of himself and men. Major Haller immediately called for a einforcement of 1000 men. All the vailable U. S. troops in Oregon and Washington territories were not suffi- ient to meet the demand, hence Major Raines called upon Governor Mason, of Washington, for two companies, and Governor Curry, of Oregon, for four companies of volunteers to take the field is fast as raised and equipped.
.At Fort Vancouver there were only nough arms to equip two Oregon com- anies.
Governor Curry saw fit to call for ight companies, most all of whom had o furnish their own horses, guns, sad- lles and blankets.
These volunteers had every reason to believe they could accomplish more in ighting Indians, not to be under the
command of the regular army officers, hence decided not to be mustered into the service of the United States, but gave the regulars to understand that they were ready to co-operate with them at any and all times. The stand they took brought down upon them the ire of Gen. Wool, who finally declared to Col. Nesmith, "I have no authority to either employ or re- ceive volunteers into the service of the United States."
In spite of the differences that existed the volunteers made such an active cam- paign that within a year from the time the war commenced, their services were no longer required, and on Oct. 3, 1856, they were disbanded.
The taking of so many able-bodied men from the heart of the white settle- ments, the hazards attending a winter campaign against bloody savages in their own country, and the possibility of a raid from some of these Indians, by some of the mountain passes or some of the In- trails across the Cascade range, kept the settlers in a constant state of sus- pense and "imagination ran riot."
Well do I remember how many an evening, as the shadows began to fall, we eagerly scanned the mountain peaks around Forest Grove to see if any signal fires were lighted.
Thus the winter wore away until in May, if I am not mistaken, a rumor came that a large body of Indians were descending Lewis river, north of the Co- lumbia, in their canoes, expecting to cross the country, and. by way of Scap- poose plains, come out and murder the settlers on the Tualatin plains.
All was excitement and even conster- nation. The able-bodied men organized what was called "The Washington Home Guards."
The election of officers was held under the oaks wear the house of William Catching, 13 miles east of Forest Grove. The manner of election was as follows:
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OREGON NATIVE SON.
All the men were drawn up in line. Each candidate took his stand opposite to and facing the men, when eacli man ' in the line walked over and stood by his favorite. The one having the most men won the office.
. I do not remember who the officers were, save that I was the last one elect- ed, and that a 4th Corporal.
It was at first determined to enclose the academy building that stood where now stands "Marsh Memorial Hall," with a stockade, and a trench was dug about 30 feet from and along the north- west side and north end of the building. but there the work was discontinued, as it was thought a better place for shelter was a large, though unfinished frame house of William Catchings that stood near his log cabin.
The most intense of the excitement came on a Sunday, and so all day long the woods north of where Cornelius now stands echoed to the noise of axes, saws and falling trees.
Ministers, deacons and laymen worked as well as others. My father, Rev. El- kanah Walker, and, as near as I can rec- ollect, Revs. Harvey Clark. Cushing Eells, S. H. Marsh, and Elder Porter were there. Deacons T. G. Naylor and A. T. Smith; also William Geiger, A. C. Brown, Benjamin Catching, Solomon Emerick, Henry Buxton. and many other prominent settlers assisted.
It will ever be remembered as the first time I was required to work upon the Sabbath, and I presume the same was true of most if not all of the others.
A trench several rods out from the building was dug on the south and west sides and the fir poles, about ten feet long, were set in the same, there to stand
The first Society organized in the Pa- cific Northwest was in 1838. It was called the Oregon Temperance Society, and was brought in to existence by reas- on of an endeavor to suppress some dis- tilleries which had begun operations and were supplying the Indians with in- toxicants.
to no purpose until taken away some time afterward, for by the next or Mon- day morning, word came that the rumor was false, and no Indians were coming. The stockade was abandoned, the guards dispersed and affairs assumed their nor- mal condition.
It but proves the intense gravity of the situation when it is considered that men who had endured the hardships and dan- gers of a six months' journey across the plains should be wrought up to that pitch of excitement as to put forth such frantic efforts to save themselves and their families in the so-called peaceful Willamette valley.
And what shall we say of those who left their families and undertook a win- ter campaign, with all its hardships, in a hostile desert country, far from the base of supplies and the mercury sometimes down to 20 degrees or more below zero?
Some of these men are still among us. known as the Indian War Veterans. Their bent forms and venerable locks too plainly denote that life's sands are nearly run. Many are in destitute circumstan- ces, and the light of hope has quite gone out of their eyes, as they have watched for the help the state and nation should have given them, aye, given long ago, for they were but poorly rewarded i:1 those distant years, for their heroic ser- vices to the whole of the Pacific North- west, not only in the Yakima war, but in the Rogue River as well, for the two were largely in concert. All honor to those noble veterans, and may their las: days be blessed with the gifts as well a- the gratitude of the generous people of a glorious republic.
CYRUS H. WALKER. Albany, Or., Dec., 1899.
It is said that Pudding River, Oregon received its name from the circumstanc . of a party of trappers getting lost an being without food. On their arrival ... this stream they made a pudding irom the blood of a mule which they killed and since then these waters have been known by that name.
OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
GEORGE H. HIMES, Assistant Secretary.
Before the election of Col. James W. Nesmith to the senate of the United States he had never visited the National Capitol. At the time of his election Or- egon was but little known, and it was doubtless thought that a senator coming from here would not amount to much among the recognized mental giants of which that body was then composed, but, if such an idea was entertained, doubts were soon set at rest in that re- spect, for on being sworn in it was at once made manifest that not only Ore, gon, but the Union at large was very for- tunate in his being in a position where brains and action were needed during trying hours. Thinking more and more of the exalted station to which he had been elected, as he nearer approached the "city of magnificent distances," his inexperience, of the men he had read of as being statesmen and all that would possibly be incident to the situation. it. is no cause for wonder that he was some- what more sobered in thought than was his usual wont, and was much impressed with his surroundings.
He was sworn in alone, being escorted to the vice-president's desk by a senator from Pennsylvania, and the scene filled him with awe. Some months later, when he had grown familiar with fellow sena- tors and surroundings, and had been dis- covered to be the most companionable of men, he was asked as to his feelings when he first entered the senate chani- ber. He replied that when he walked down the aisle to take the oath, and viewed the white venerable heads on either side of him, his heart jumped to his throat and he could hardly refrain from saving aloud: "Nesmith, how the dlevil did you get here!" "Well." said a colleague. "now that you have been with us six months and are no longer a stranger, what are your feelings as you look over the august body?'
"Well." replied Nesmith, "now that I've had a chance to meet you all and take a measure of each, I look on the old
bald pates by which I am hedged in, and involuntarily ask myself, 'Nesmith, how the devil did they get here?'"
THE GOLDEN STATE ASKS OREGON FOR TROOPS.
Headquarters 10th Military Department, Monterey, Cal., Jan. 28th, 1848.
Sir: From intelligence received here yes- terday from Commodore Shubrick, com- manding the U. S. naval forces off Mazatlan -a copy of his communication is enclosed herewith-I deem it of the utmost import- ance to raise a corpse of one thousand men, to send tò Lower California and Mazatlan as early as practicable.
I shall therefore dispatch an officer, Major Hardie of the army, to confer with your ex- cellency, and if possible to raise in Oregon an infantry battalion of four companies to be mustered into the service of the United states, to serve during the war unless soon- er discharged, or if it be impracticable to engage them for that period, then to engage them for twelve months from the time of ebing mustered into service, unless sooner discharged.
The battalion will consist of:
Field and Staff-One major, one adjutant, a litutenant of one of the companies but not in addition.
Non-Commissioned Staff - One sergeant major. one quartermaster sergeant.
Four companies each of which to consist of: 1 captain, 1 first lieutenant, 2 second lieutenants, 4 sergeants, 4 corporals, 2 mu- sicians and 100 privates.
Should the number of privates on being mustered, not fall below sixty-four effective men in a company, it will be received.
In the United States, the volunteer officers are appointed and commissioned in accord- ance with the laws of the state from where they are taken. The officers from Oregon will therefore, of course. be appointed pur- suant to the laws of Oregon, if there are any on that subject, and if not, in such. manner as your excellency may direct, in which case I would respectfully suggest that the company officers be elected by their re- spective companies and that the major be appointed by yourself, and I would further respectfully suggest the extreme importance to the public service, that the officers be judicion By selected.
The place of rendezvous for the several companies, as fast as they shall be organiz- ed. is necessarily left to yourself and Major Hardie.
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OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
The battalion will be inspected and mus- tered into service by Major Hardie, of the United States army, who will in every case be instructed to receive no man who is in years apparently over forty-five, or under eighteen, or is not of physical strength and vigor. To this end the inspector will be ac- companied by a medical gentleman, and the volunteers will be submitted to his examina- tion. It is respectfully suggested that public notice of these requirements will prevent much disappointment to the zealous and patriotic citizens of Oregon who may be dis- posed to volunteer.
It may be proper to remark, that the law provides for the clothing (in money) and subsistence of the non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates who are received in- to the volunteer service of the United States.
In respect to clothing, the law requires that the volunteers shall furnish their own clothing, for which purpose it allows to each non-commissioned officer, musician and pri- vate, three dollars and fifty cents per month during the time he shall be in the service of the United States. In order that the vol- unteers who shall be mustered into service under this requisition. may be enabled to provide themselves with good and sufficient clothing, the commutation allowance for six months (twenty one dollars) will be ad- vinced to each non-commissioned officer, musician and private, after being mustered into service, but only with the express con-
dition that the volunteer has already fur- nished himself with six months' clothing .---- this fact to be certified to the paymaster by the captain of the company, or that the amount thus advanced shall be applied un- der the supervision of his captain, to the ob- ject contemplated. In this latter case the advance commutation for clothing will be paid on the captain's certificate that he is satisfied it will be so applied.
In respect to subsistence. before arriving at the place of rendezvous, and for traveling home from the place of discharge, the allow- ance if fifty cents for every twenty miles distance.
The volunteers from Oregon will be dis- charged in California, or if they prefer it, they will be transported at the public ex- pense back to the place rendezvous.
I do not know how this call for volunteers will be met in Oregon, but I flatter myself with the assurance, that it will receive the cordial support of you excellency, and I am certain it will show that the citizens of Ore- gon have lost no patriotism by crossing the mountains. and that they will be equally prompt in coming to their country's stand- ard as their brethrenin the United States.
I am respectfully your Ob't. Serv't,
R. B. MASON.
Col. 1st Dragoons, Gov. of California. To His Excellency,
GEORGE ABERNETHY, Governor of Oregon.
NESIKA WA-WA.
Mr. George Breck, one of the party who were to illuminate Mt. Hood on the evening of July 4, 1886, writes that the statement in "Mountain Lore," June number, as regards the failure to illumi- nate as planned, was incorrect. He says :
"The writer and Mr. Chas. H. Gove were the persons who placed the red fire on the side of the crater rock and set the clock-work device on the occasion men- tioned. About five minutes after the red fire and mechanism were placed in position, one of the land slides of rock and earth, which are common to all snow mountains of the Northwest, occurred. just above where the red fire was located and a portion of the rock upset the sul- phuric acid prematurely upon the mix- ture of chloride of potash and sugar, and this caused the ignition of the fire at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The whole plan was carefully carried out and two clocks were used so as to lessen the liability of failure in case one was stop- ned by the the cold Id nod the reaction
tion was used, but it seemed the hand of God moved the earth and prevented the carrying out of the plans which were carefully carried out by man, to the dis- appointment of the thousands who watched Mt. Hood that night, also to the great disappointment of the writer and other members of the party who had the matter in hand."
Our readers will find among the por- traiture of this issue the half-tone en- gravings of four of our early Methodist missionaries. In subsequent numbers we will publish those of others belonging to the same denomination, as well as those of the Congregational, Presbyter- ian. Catholic, Episcopalian, Baptist and numerous other divines who were among the pioneers to engage in mis- sionary work in the Pacific Northwest.
The statement in the sketch of Mr. D. Il. Hendes, in our last issue, that he went to New Mexico to learn photog- raphy was an error of the type-setter.
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PURPLE AND GOLD.
On December 25, 1899, Dan Stearns Cabin No. 19, Native Sons, was institut- ed at Oakland, with the following offi- cers: Dwight Reed, past president; Jay Jones, president; Zopher Agee, first vice-president; L. S. Dimmick, marshal; Phil Beckley, recording secretary; C. H. Brown, financial secretary; Roy Stearns, treasurer; John Crouch, inner sentinel, and James Crouch, outside sentinel. The cabin starts out with very flattering prospects and will no doubt increase rapidly in numbers.
Sarah Newby's Cabin No. 9, Native Daughters, was instituted at McMinn- ville on December 4, 1899, with the fol- lowing officers: Mrs. Sarah Laughlin, past president; Mrs. Julia Arthur Gault, president . Mrs. Annie Nelson Hender- son, first vice-president; . Mrs. Naomi Fouts Wright. second vice-president; Mrs. Amanda Payne Warren, third vice- president; Miss Alta Booth, recording secretary; Miss Etta Redmond, finan- cial secretary; Mrs. Mattie Weisner, treasurer. Trustees: Mrs. Martha Mer- chant, Mrs. Mattie Martin and Miss Maud Hembree. Thirty-seven were ini- tiated on the evening of organization and several additional names will be pre- sented for membership at the next meet- ing.
Narcissa Whitman's Cabin No. 10 was organized December 7, 1899, at Pen- dleton, with the following officers: Mrs. M. J. Carney, past president; Mrs. C. J. Smith, president; Miss Itol Shutrum, first vice-president: Miss Mary Kees, secretary; Miss Mamie Walker, finan- cial secretary: Mrs. J. E. Bean. treasur- er: Miss Bertha Wells. marshal. This cabin was named after the martyred mis- sionary mother, one of the two first white American women to come to the facific coast. She and Mrs. Spalding came here with their husbands in 1836. M:s. Whitman was murdered in 1847 at
Waiilatpu by the Indians.
Mary Jane Hoover's Cabin No. II was instituted at Fossil on the 9th of De- cember, 1899, but we have been unable to secure a list of officers installed. Mrs. Hoover was a pioneer of 1844.
Jefferson has a flourishing cabin. It was organized on December 18, 1899, with the following officers: Pauline Looney, past president; Lou Miller, president; Leona Hale Miller, first vice- president; Laura Thomas, second vice- president; Edith Johnson, third vice- president; Harriet Clarke Looney, sec- retary; Joe Lance Jones, marshal; Net- tie Vaughn, treasurer; Lillie Conser Wendt, financial secretary. The trustees are Nancy Gunsaulus Metzger, Addie Vaughn and Emma Miller. The number of the cabin is "No. 12." So far we have been unable to learn the name of the pinoeer mother in whose honor it was named.
Jane Cleaver's Cabin No. 13, was or- ganized at Baker City on January 4, Iyoo, with the following officers: Miss Ada Cleaver, past president; Mrs. Mary C. McClelland, president; Mrs. Jennie Jasper Baisley, first vice-president; Mrs. Emma Barden Wickersham, second vice- president; Mrs. Ally Toney Garrison, third vice-president; Miss Lulu V. Clea- ver, secretary; Miss Pearl Baisley, finan- cial secretary; Miss Bertha Fisk, treas- urer; Miss Edna Prescott, marshal.
Hannah Chaplin's Cabin No. 14, was instituted January 5, 1900. The officers are: Miss Nellie Stevens, president ; Miss Mollie Proebstel, past president; Mrs. Annie Makin Romig, first vice- president; Miss Syra Kuhn, second vice- president: Miss Helen Hibbard, third vice-president; Miss Rebecca Balderree, secretary; Miss Lora Belkley, financial secretary; Miss Daisy Ralston, treasur- er; Mrs. Minnie Robbins Whidby, mar- shal.
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BOGRAPHICAL:
REV. GEORGE GARY.
Rev. George Gary was born in Middlefield. New York, December 8, 1793. At an early age he became identified with the ministry of the Methodist church. His abilities were of such high order that, though only twenty- four years of age he was chosen presiding elder of the Genesee conference. In 1843 he was sent as superintendent of missions in Oregon, arriving here in the month of May, 1844. He came with plenipotentiary pow- ers as regards the missions and even the des- tiny of the missionaries were to a great ex- tent subservient to his will. The Home - Board had become impressed with the idea that the missions were giving too great attention to the acquiring of properties, and his instructions were to dispose of such. This he did, much to the future detriment of church enterprises, selling them in some instances for a song and giving them away in others. Had this short-sighted policy not have been carried out, the Methodist church would long since have been able to have built cc'leges, hospitals and other institu- tions of use and benefit to it. communities and the state at large, and have been en- abled to well maintain them. In 1845 he asked to be relieved of duty on the coast and be permitted to return to the East. In July, 1847, he set sail for New York, Rev. Wm. Roberts who had been sent to relieve him, having arrived in June preceeding.
On his arrival in the East he again took up his work as a minister in his native state. He died in 1855, aged 62 years.
REV. JOSIAH L. PARRISH.
Of all the old settlers of Oregon none commanded a greater share of respect than the subject of this sketch. Mr. Parrish canie to the Pacific Northwest as an assistant to the Methodist Missionary Board, and con- tinued the work of evangelizing the Indians for nearly twenty years. He was born in Onondago county. New York. October 14, 1806. He learned the trade of blacksmithing, but a desire to enter the ministry coming upon him he began to preach near his home. At the solicitation of the Methodist Board of Missions, he accepted a call to come to Oregon for the purpose of bringing a knowl- edge of Christianity to the Indians, and set sail for his new field of labor on the ship Lausanne, arriving at his destination in June, 1840.
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He first located at the old mission near the present town of Wheatland. After a stay
Salem was at first called Chemekete, but of some three years here, he went to labor among the Indians on Clatsop plains. re- maining there for three years. From that time up to 1849 he visited very near all sec- tions of the Willamette valley as a minister. In that year he was appointed sub-Indian agent. and in 1854 was appointed regular agent, but owing to ill health was compelled to resign. In 1855 he resumed his missionary work among the Indians, visiting many tribes, ministering particularly at the Grand Ronde Agency. For some four year there- after he rode a circuit and preached, in widely varying localities; but ill health again come upon him and he was obliged to retire from active duties, settling in Salem.
Mr. Parrish was married three times. his first occurring in 1833. to Miss Elizabeth Winn, a native of New York. To them was born four sons, the youngest, Chas. W., be- ing an Oregon boy. His second wedding oc- curred in 1870, to Miss Jennie L. Litchten- thaler. of Portland. To them were born two daughters. His second wife died in 1887 and in 1088 Mr. Parrish was married to Mrs. M. A. Pierce, who survived him.
Mr. Parrish died May 31. 1895, in the ninetieth year of his age. He survived the date of his arrival in Oregon full fifty-five years; died near the site of the first Meth- odist mission in Oregon, of which he was a potent factor, having served well his day and generation. No history of the mission- ary era of Oregon will be complete without his name and a chronicle of the simple but active part that he took in its development.
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