Marcus Whitman is born in a log cabin in Rushville, Now York. Third son of Beza and Alice Whitman.

Beza Whitman (May 13, 1773-April 7, 1810) and Alice Green (1777-1857):

Now 13 years old, Marcus Whitman returns home for a visit - he finds his Mother has married Calvin Loomis in 1811. There were three children born to this marriage. Loomis operated the tannery, shoeshop and a tavern.

After his return to Massachusetts, Marcus enrolls in the Prepatory School in Plainfield, conducted by Rev. Moses Hallock (Pastor of the Church in Plainfield). The school acquired the reputation of being the best boy's school in western Massachusetts. Marcus studies Greek, Latin, Mathematics, and English. Rev. Hallock, pastor in Plainfield for 45 years, left a lasting impression on Marcus. While in Plainfield, Marcus lives with Colonel John Packard.

While in Plainfield, Marcus does not join the Congregational Church. This may have been due to conflicting loyalities:

After 10 years in Massachusetts, Marcus Whitman returns to Rushville. By this time he has probably completed as much of the schooling as was offered by Rev. Moses Hallock.

He is now ready for college and wanted to study for the Christian Ministry, but he was needed to help work in his stepfather's shoeshop and tannery. He was now 18 years old and could bear an active part in the work.

Whitman's training from the years 8 - 18 consisted of:

• Foster parents (Freedom and Sarah Whitman and Grand-
  father Samuel).
  
• Five years under Moses Hallock's leadership and instruction.

During Narcissa Prentiss' 16th year she has a very impressive religious experience, as seen in part of her first letter to the American Board:

"I frequently desired to go to the heathen but only half-heartedly and it was not till the first Monday of January 1824 that I felt to consecrate myself without reserve to the Missionary work awaiting the leadings of Providence concerning me."

What this experience was does not seem to be known, but it remained quite clear in her mind, for the letter was written 11 years later, and she clearly remembered the date. Full text of 1835 letter to American Board.

Marcus decides to enter Medicine instead of the Ministry - Why?

• Ministry Required:
  • Full college course
  • Three years of Seminary work
    =very expensive
• Medicine Required:
  • Good English Education (Here Marcus could qualify)
  • Two, 16 week sessions, would give the student his M.D. Degree
    =cost much less

Marcus Whitman finishes his first 16-week session of Medical Training. He receives a license to practice. His license allows him to practice medicine in the state of New York - by courtesy such a license was usually good in the United States and Canada.

It was the accepted custom that a medical student could begin to practice after attending only the first 16-week session and this would earn the student his M.D. degree. Those who did not take the second session were allowed to practice under the title of "Doctor".

Narcissa Prentiss's Education
Narcissa attended the public grade school in Prattsburg and in 1827 was a member of the first class of girls admitted into Franklin Academy. After at least one year at Franklin Academy, Narcissa went to Troy, New York, where she enrolled in the Female Seminary conducted by the Mrs. Emma Willard (Mrs. Willard's maiden name was Hart and she was a third cousin of Mrs. Henry Spalding). How long Narcissa was a student here is not known.

Upon completion of her training, she became a school teacher. For a time she taught a kindergarten class in Bath, New York.

Narcissa was enrolled in the Franklin Academy for a term ending April 6, 1828. For the term ending September 28, 1831 the tuition accounts of Franklin Academy show Henry Harmon Spalding and Narcissa Prentiss enrolled. During this time it is possible that Narcissa rejected Henry Spalding's proposal of marriage.

NOTE: David Malin was a student of Franklin Academy. In 1837 he married Mary Porter, a close friend of Narcissa. Malin became a pastor of a prominent church in Philadelphia. (In Oregon, Narcissa named a boy who they took in David Malin)

Narcissa's Singing Voice:
Narcissa had a soprano voice and several people have written of her fine singing. In Oregon, the natives traveled many miles to hear her sing. Narcissa wrote in letter 40: "I was not aware that singing was a qualification of so much importance to a missionary.''

Jedediah Smith, Jackson, and Sublette take the first wagons to the Rockies and the first wagon on the later famous Oregon Trail.

April 10: Departed St. Louis
July 18: Reached South Pass

Four Indians reach St. Louis to see General William Clark (of the Lewis and Clark Expedition) requesting some kind of big medicine. They were looking for new incantations to use on this earth, not information on a possible world to come. They believed the Bible could give them this power.

They were: (spelling of the Indian names differs in each text consulted)

• Two were Nez Perce from the Kamiah Community (Black Eagle)
  
• One was Nez Perce from the Salmon River Band
  
• One was half-Nez Perce and half-Flathead (Ka-ou-pen)

What was their fate?

Rabbit Skin Leggins and No-horns-on-his-head did not leave St. Louis until March 26, 1832. Where they had been or what they did in the time between their arrival and their departure is not known.