Notes to reader:
The following transcriptions have tried to maintain
the original spelling,capitalization and punctuation of the original
letters. In his letters Dr. Whitman often used "+" for "and" and
"+c" for "etc." Comments by the transcriber are enclosed in square
brackets, [].
"Islands" refers to the Sandwich Islands
(Hawaii), where the American Board had established missions. Any
mention of Fort Walla Walla or the place "Walla Walla"
refers to the Hudson's Bay Company post at the confluence of the
Walla Walla and Columbia rivers. The US Army's Fort Walla Walla
did not exist until after the deaths of the Whitmans.
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List of Selected 1846 Correspondence
September 8, 1846: Dr. Whitman
to Reverend David Greene
Dr. Whitman: describes his interactions with the Oregon Trail emigrants; provides updates on the other missionaries and status of the Catholic influence on the Natives; expresses concern about unscrupulous settlers; expresses his desire for another minister for Waiilatpu; describes his interest in setting up missions at the Dalles and among the Snake Indians; and mentions some financial issues with the Hudson's Bay Company.
November 3, 1846: Dr. Whitman
to Reverend David Greene
Dr. Whitman: discusses routes used by Oregon Trail emigrants; mentions the status of Native farming and fences; discusses some pros and cons of traditional Native dwellings; provides updates on missionary issues and the status of Catholic missions; notes a land claim issue that the HBC had with an American; and discusses the balance between secular and religious activities.
RETURN:
Marcus Whitman Correspondence by Year
September 8, 1846
Comments:
From Dr. Whitman, Waiilatpu Mission, to Reverend David Greene,
Boston.
Original letter begins below:
Waiilatpu Walla Walla River Sept 8th 1846
Rev
David Greene
Sect A B C F M.
My Dear Sir
Yours of July 26th 1845 came into the mouth of
the River about the first of July at which time Mr Spalding was
in the lower country and sent it to me.
Most of the Immigrants are now passed and we have
received but one letter across the Mountains but none from the Board.
A new road has been taken by those most in the rear who were met
by a party from the Wallamette. They party met them soon after leaving
Fort Hall and took them in the direction of California and so on
to the head waters of the Wallamette. This season has been one of
great prosperity to the Immigrants they being much earlier than
formerly. Thus far no calls have been made upon me for provisions.
A waggon route is now open through the Cascade Mountains to the
Willamette Valley. A general quiet prevails through out the Country
among all parties.
I know little of the situation of the station
at Tshimakain father than all are well a short time since.
Mrs Spalding has a brother who arrived here this
morning and is on his way to the station. He is a single man and
will be likely to winter with them.
We are situated in our family much as when I last
wrote. Mrs Whitman health is better than in some former years. We
have, my Nephew and three half breeds which we took some years since,
and the Seven Orphans in our family. Mr Rodgers who taught our school
last winter is also with us pursuing studies with design for the
ministry. He will teach a school for three months during the winter.
But in the mean time I have engaged Mr Geiger who is here on a visit
from the Wallamette to teach eight or ten weeks first. Mr Spalding
expects to send two of his children and we expect Mr Walker will
also. Mr Waller of the Methodist Mission at the Dalls gave encouragement
of sending two. This you will see is for white children. At present
I do not see as a school for Indians would succeed. But I have no
doubt it would as soon as the relations of the country shall become
stable if we would board and clothe the scholars. This would be
a manual labour school and the English would be taught. Your views
on the subject are solicited. Mr Greiger will be most suitable as
a teacher in case he gets a pious wife, as is likely to be the case.
My Nephew will be an able assistant by an other year. Both are apt
in the native language
I have no doubt but the Indians will be most quiet
as soon as the relation of the country shall be amicably settled
with England. A steady improvement is going on among this part of
the people. The Roman Catholic influence is still among them, but
has lost its power to a great degree. The present Superentendant
at Walla Walla Fort however is a papist. I think we have at no time
been as much in the affections of the people as now. A much kinder
disposition is manifested toward us, now more than at any former
period - exibiting the feeling that they could not do without us.
No abatement is seen in attention upon religeous instruction and
more consistent views of religeon are manifested.
I wrote you upon the subject of our stations being
located from under us; at the time when that spirit was abroad in
the land, and when an effort was making by Mr Craig a neighbor of
Mr Spalding to get his claim so recorded as to cover the station
improvements at Lapwai. A more consistent state of things is now
in exercise, but still you should recollect that we cannot hold
the stations as our own property, and laws regulating claims may
not recognize the rights of the Mission, in case the stations may
be taken from us by unprincipled men. At present we could make a
claim by paying five dollars a year to the treasury of Oregon. But
I do not think it best for us to take claims in that way just now.
I think we ought not however to let the opportunity pass in case
the line becomes settled with England, and Congress opens the way
for us to share with our country men. But you must be aware that
it will require the consent of the Board, for us to make claims
in case either time or money are required to make improvement in
order to hold them, as all our time belongs to the Board as well
as all of the property in our hands -
May I not here inquire at this time, how those
who have salaries under the Board differ from common stock system
of support?
We were hoping to see an Associate with this Immigration,
but are disappointed. As the Indians become more permanent in their
plans for cultivation, they are selecting what each esteems his
more appropriate section of country to cultivate upon This is calling
for a minister who could visit them more or less at their respective
locations. We hope not to be overlooked in your plans of enlargement
for the benefit of the Indians. Surely no part will sooner feel
the need than this from the growing influx of the white population
The methodist have been upon the point of relinquishing
their last station situated at the Dalls. A most important point
to be kept. This would make a good addition for us. The Snakes will
also now require attention. They consist essentially of two languages
the Banak near us and Snakes proper toward Fort Hall.
The health of Rev Hervey Clark is so poor I have
invited him to winter with us which invitation we expect him to
accept.
This is the day of the convention of the Annual
Meeting of the Board. Situated as we are at this time we could not
meet as a Mission - but Thursday I trust will be kept as a day of
prayer as you desire. No Mission I think has been so remote as this
from the Board - so far as time is concerned for the interchange
of letters. For the last two years I have had but two letters from
the Board which have been acknowledged in their order. Surely no
mission has more need than ours to prize every effort to call forth
concert of feeling with our patrons and the Board or more to prize
concert in prayer and effort
As the Immigrants have not called on me this year
for any supplies, I shall have no means to meet the small bill I
have made at Vancouver therefore I shall need to draw upon the Board.
The Company have agreed to pay us back the 20 per cent added to
our bill of last year, because they did not give us notice before
we had had our bill ordered and filled. In future we have to pay
100 per cent to the company on London costs but shall only draw
our bills for payment on Boston
With esteem
I am My Dear Sir
Yours Truly
Marcus Whitman
Return to List of 1846 Letters
November 3, 1846
Comments:
From Dr. Whitman, Waiilatpu Mission, to Reverend David Greene,
Boston.
Original letter begins below:
Waiilatpu Oregon Territory Nov 3d 1846
Rev
David Greene
Sect A B C F M
My Dear Sir
I wrote you Sept 8th after the receipt of yours
of July 26th 1845 and your printed sheet of May - 45. In that I
mentioned that a part of the present Immigration were gone a new
route. I have recently been informed by a Gentleman who passed that
way that it bids fair to be a good route and that it passes through
the country of Klamat and Umpqua and head waters of the Willamette
all of which are the countries calling for speedy settlement. This
route will doubtless greatly facilitate the settlement of the country
and will at the same time take the Immigration away from our vicinity.
This completes two distinct waggon routes to the Willamette Valley.
After I wrote you a party came this way and as is usual with the
last of the parties some among were in very needy circumstances,
their teams being very much reduced and quite unfit to proceed.
A number also were sick and stoped to winter with us. Six families
and some young men remain. The families do not expect to go on untill
they can pass the Cascade Mountains, in June. I shall try to employ
them to the advantage of the Mission and the Indians so as to give
them a living, but not to call for funds from the Board
I wish much to have the Indians aided in fencing
and ploughing their land. In doing this I shall have to act the
part of a Father to them. but still I shall be able to get horses
enough of them to pay the men for their work. I also wish to get
them store houses built as I think the habit of putting their grain
under ground for the winter where it gets stale and mouldy is productive
of desease. I hope by the help of the saw mill which we are about
to start not only to supply myself with many useful conveniences
- but to aid the Indians in building as hinted above - I do not
see much advantage that would accrue to them to have permanent dwellings.
nor do I think they have habits of neatness sufficient to warrant
the effort of building houses for them. Besides the climate is so
mild and there is so little snow or rain that their lodges answer
very well. They are most convenient also for the business of herding
to which this section is so well adapted and to which they are so
rapidly tending. In one respect do I find their present dwellings
unfited for human habitation, that is the injury done to the eyes
by the smoke in winter.
Mr Eells was here in September and expressed a
strong desire to have a meeting of the mission at Tshimakain. I
gave encouragement that I would go past Mr Spaldings and that we
would try and be at a meeting as desired, But I have been detained
by the sickness of the Immigrants who came soon after Mr Eells left.
I have now given up the idea of going for this fall, and shall send
an express with letters to notify them to that effect. Our school
is prospering under the care of Mr Geiger. Mr Spaldings two eldest
children attend but none of Mr Walkers as yet.
Three of the families are at the sawmill where
I have been obliged to attend some of the sick and on that account
have been absent from home for the three last Sabbaths but my Nephew
has read the scriptures to the Indians and by the aid of Mr Geiger
kept up the meetings regularly. The Chiefs are now assembled at
our house and all appear to be well disposed. Tauatui the Papist
is among them. Some of the Indians say he alone of the Indians desires
the Jesuits to come among them. Although it seems to be an object
of the Priests and some of the Papists of the H B Co's people to
obtain an invitation to obtain an invitation to locate among them,
Still it is defered. No action seems to be desired at present by
the Indians. One occasion of my writing so much about the danger
of our stations being taken from us, by the system of land claims
- was a secret effort of Mr Craig a neighbor of Mr Spaldings to
get a claim recorded so as to include the mission premises. Lately
a person was detected by Mr Douglas marking out the very spot on
which Vancouver stands - upon which he was designing to make a claim
Mr Douglas caused him to be arrested and kept in confinement for
a time. This might have made a serious difficulty - but a British
man of War and the American sloop of War - the Shark were both lying
there at the time and all was kept quiet.
I feel as though you might think my mind was more
occupied with the temporal and physical wants of ourselves and the
people rather than care for their spiritual wants. I must confess
that I am so much occupied with these that it leaves but little
room for the more important and spiritual part of our duty. But
I hope not to loose sight of this most important part of our duty
and would be glad to know where the line of duty lies of diligence
in business and fervency in spirit in the service of the Lord. It
is true we now have much help for a short time - but it takes much
care to provide them labor still I hope not to loose the opportunity
of doing them good spiritually as also the natives.
I often feel desirous to give my whole time to
the instruction of the people and resolve to do so more than heretofore
- but then a call of sickness either from the people the Mission
or some of our neighbors which as a Physician I must regard as superior
to any other; the duties I owe to my family and necessary business
either of my own or of the Indians. the friendly or business calls
of friends or others take my time and leave the native to their
own occupations and amusement The time of one man is more than required
for all these calls and duties. Still we have a constant attention
to religious instructions on the Sabbath, Having a meeting in the
Native for the people, and sabbath school by Mrs Whitman aided by
Mr Rodgers at the same time for the children - I have also maintained
regularly a meeting in English for our own family and others. At
this time Mr Rodgers is taking a part of this labor off my hands
by reading us a discourse of his own composition in the form of
a desertation in the regular Theological Course. Any books that
would aid me in this duty such as sermons would be most useful to
us. We have found the Barnes sermons very valuable in this way.
As I have the duties of a Minister to perform I need more than a
Ministers helps on sermons commentaries and other good books. I
have never felt more contented in my work and that I was usefully
employed than for the last year and at present.
With desire for the prayers of our Patrons and
much esteem
I am my Dear Sir
Yours Truly
Marcus Whitman
Return to List of 1846 Letters
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