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| 1832 |
| Jan.: |
Whitman
finishes the second 16 week session at Fairfield and receives a
M.D. Degree from the University of the State of New York. (Now he
could rightfully be called Doctor Whitman). |
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| 1832-1834 |
| |
Marcus
Whitman has his residence in Wheeler. He begins a practice which
was mainly in the surrounding countryside. |
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| 1832 |
| |
Asiatic Cholera
comes to the United States. This was the first time American doctors
had ever been confronted with this disease. Their training had
not included proper procedures so they learned by trial and error
and the newspapers. (The University of Edinburgh made some important
discoveries which were published in pamphlet form. The pamphlet
reached the United States and was reprinted in many newspapers)
Whitman was probably only called upon to administer in some isolated
cases. Wheeler was far enough away from the Erie Canal to lessen
the chances of contracting the disease. Marcus was familiar with
the disease and the best known methods treatment.
NOTE
ON WHITMAN'S KNOWLEDGE OF CHOLERA:
In 1835, when Whitman and Parker started west with the American
Fur Company, the men did not approve of the two missionaries.
There were some doubts that the two would ever reach the rendezvous.
On June 10, 1835, cholera appeared in the caravan. Whitman's past
experience with the disease helped to stop the spread of the disease.
Only three cases were fatal. When the caravan was ready to move
on the hostility had vanished.
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| Dec.
29: |
Whitman
is elected as Trustee to the Wheeler Church (Re-elected in 1833) |
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| |
Pierre
Chrysologue Pambrun becomes Chief Trader at Fort Walla Walla (born
1792 - died 1841). He was chief trader at Fort Walla Walla from
1832 to 1841. |
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| 1833 |
| Feb.
10: |
Marcus
Whitman transfers from the Rushville Church to the Wheeler Church. |
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| Mar.
1: |
Christian Advocate and Zion's Herald Article appears about Indian
visit to St. Louis. |
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| Oct.
13: |
Henry
Spalding marries Eliza Hart (Aug. 11, 1807 - January 7, 1851). |
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| 1834 |
| Mar.: |
Rev. Jason
Lee, Rev. Daniel Lee, Philip L. Edwards and Courtney M. Walker
respond to call of the Indians. These men join the Wyeth Expedition
in 1834, then continue to the Willamette Valley and start amission.
April 25:
Depart Independence
July 30: Depart Fort Hall
Sept.1-4: Lee at Fort Walla Walla
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|
|
| June
1: |
(Sunday).
Marcus Whitman is ordained and elected to the office of elder. He
probably serves as Sunday School Superintendent at this time. |
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| June: |
The
Prentiss family moves to Amity (now called Belmont), about 50 miles
southwest of Prattsburg. There Narcissa joins the newly organized
Presbyterian Church. |
|
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| June
31: |
Whitman
applies to American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
for appointment as a medical missionary. He is rejected because
of ill health. |
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|
| Autumn: |
Marcus
Whitman meets Samuel Parker, (born April 23, 1779 - died March 21,
1866 - Congregational Pastor) who in 1834 had attempted to go west,
but on arriving in St. Louis found he arrived 6 weeks too late to
accompany the fur traders caravan west. He then returned east to
find more workers and planned to try again in 1835. He spent the
fall and winter of 1834-35 holding missionary meetings trying to
obtain men and money for his venture west. In the latter part of
November, 1834, while visiting Wheeler, Parker met Marcus Whitman.
He learned that Whitman had volunteered to go west, but had been
rejected due to his health. (By this time Whiman's health had improved)
Parker advised Whitman to reapply and promised to write the American
Board on his behalf, which he did on December 17 and 25. |
|
|
| Dec. |
Narcissa Prentiss
must have heard Rev. Samuel Parker's plea for volunteers to go
west, for in December of 1833 Parker wrote the American Board
asking: "Are females wanted?" Here he mentions Narcissa's
interest.
Again on January
1, 1835 Parker writes to the American Board about Narcissa's interest
and the interest of a Miss McCoy. Greene's second reply (January
7, 1835) says no word has been received from either of these two
women. In both of Greene's reply letters to Parker he was considering
the new idea of a single woman being sent into the field as a
missionary.
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|
|
| |
William
Sublette and Robert Campbell found a trading post called Fort Williams,
later known as Fort Laramie. In 1835 it is sold to James Bridger
and Thomas Kirkpatrick, who in turn sell it to the American Fur
Company renaming it John. In 1849 the U. S. Government buys the
fort and renames it Fort Laramie in honor of Jacques Laramie, French
Canadian trapper. |
|
|
| 1835 |
| Jan.
7: |
Whitman
is appointed by the American Board as a missionary physician to
accompany Mr. Parker on his trip to the Rockies during summer, 1837. |
|
|
| Feb.
22: |
Whitman
becomes engaged to marry Narcissa Prentiss. |
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| Feb.
23: |
Whitman
departs for St. Louis. |
|
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| Feb.
23: |
Narcissa
writes her letter of application to the American Board.
Full
text of letter. |
|
|
| Summer |
With
Parker, Whitman crosses the plains under the protection of the caravan
of the American Fur Company. They were so impressed by the eagerness
for missionary instruction shown by Nez Perce and Flathead Indians
encountered beyond the ContinentaI Divide that Whitman returns East
for more workers leaving Parker to continue exploration. |
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|
| |
PARKER'S
TRIP (Notes from, Parker's Exploring Tour)
March 14: Providence, Buffalo, Erie
March 25: Pittsburg to Cincinnati (28th)
March 30: Passed Louisville
April 1: Passed from the Ohio River to the Mississippi
April 4: Arrived St. Louis (Met Dr. Marcus Whitman who had arrived
April 1.)
April 7: Departed St. Louis via Missouri River aboard the steamboat
Siam. Took two weeks.
April 21: Liberty - stayed three weeks, waiting for caravan to
be ready.
May 15: Started for Council Bluffs (NW course)
May 17: Crossed the East or Little Platte.
May 22: Crossed the Nodaway River.
May 25: Overtook caravan, crossed South Fork of the Neshnahotana
River.
May 26: Crossed main branch of the Neshnahotana River.
May 28: North branch of the Neshnahotana River.
May 30: Council Bluffs (Stayed 3 weeks; cholera epidemic).
June 22: Started out again.
June 24: Crossed the Papillon River.
July 15: Arrived at Forks of the Platte, continued up the north
bank of the North Platte to Fort Laramie.
July 22: Chimney Rock.
July 23: Scott's Bluff.
July 26: Fort Laramie. Here Parker and Whitman met a delegation
of Ogalalla Sioux Indians.
August 1: Departed Fort Laramie. The wagons were left behind and
the baggage was transferred to pack animal. Thomas Fitzpatrick
took over the command at Fort Laramie, relieving Fontanelle.
August 5: Red Butte, from here passed over to the Sweetwater River.
August 7: Independence Rock.
August 10: Crossed Continental Divide on the trail leading through
South Pass.
August 12: Came to Green River Rendezvous. Parker and Whitman
split here.
August 13: The day after their arrival at the rendezvous, Whitman
removed a three-inch iron arrow point from the back of mountain
man, Jim Bridger. It had been embedded three years previous in
a battle with some Blackfeet Indians.
August 16: Parker and Whitman met with the principal men of the
Flathead and Nez Perce Indians and explained the object of their
visit. Both men were deeply stirred by the earnestness and sincerity
of the Indians.
August 17: Parker and Whitman met with the Indians again to discuss
the idea of Parker's going with them. They promised to assist
in packing and caring for Parker's animal. The decision was final.
The services of Charles Compo were secured as interpreter and
servant for Parker.
August 21: Whitman and Parker parted ways, never to meet again.
August 22:
Little Hole.
August 24: Passed spring.
August 25-29: Jackson's Large Hole.
August 29: Pierre's Hole (Captain Bridger departed).
August 30: Volcanic Chasm (100 feet deep).
August 31: On another tributary of the Columbia.
Sept. 1: Crossed Henry's Fork.
Sept. 12: East Branch of the Salmon River.
Sept. 15: Camped near Bonneville's Fort (Abandoned).
Sept. 16: Departed Salmon River
(From the 12th to the 24th crossed over the Mountains.)
Sept. 24: on large branch of the Coos-Coots-Ke River.
Coos-Water
Coots-Little
Ke--The
Sept. 25:
Departed branch, took northerly direction and ascended mountains.
Sept. 28: Another branch of the Coos-Coots-Ke-River
Sept. 29: Departed branch of the Coos-Coots-Ke.
Oct. 1: Arrived
Lewis Branch of Columbia River, near confluence of the Coos-Coots-Ke-River.
Took west-northwest course to Walla Walla.
Oct. 3: Upper branch of the Walla Walla River.
Oct. 6: Reached Fort Walla Walla.
Oct. 8: Canoe trip down Columbia.
Oct. 12: Celilo Falls, left canoe, used horses around falls to
the Dalles.
Oct. 13: Canoe from the Dalles.
Oct. 16: Reached Fort Vancouver.
1836 (Parker's
journey, cont.)
Apr.
26: Fort Walla Walla.
May 9 -11: Retraced trip to confluence of Snake or Lewis River.
May 16: Decided not to go to the rendezvous as planned.
May 19: Returned to Fort Walla Walla.
May 24: Started north, up Pavilion River.
May 26: Arrived Spokane River.
May 27: Fort (NWCo.) Crossed River (?). Village of Spokeins.
May 28: Fort Colville
May 30: Traveled down Columbia River via horse.
May 31: Crossed Spokane River, entered into Columbia Grand Coulee.
June 1: Fort Okanogan
June 2: Traveled down Columbia via boat.
June 3: Fort Walla Walla.
June 9: Arrived Fort Vancouver.
June 18: Departed aboard steamboat "Beaver" from
Fort Vancouver to Fort George.
June 28: Departed for the Sandwich Islands on the boat "Columbia".
July 14:
Arrived Sandwich Islands.
Dec. 17: Obtained passage on the Phoenix, Allyn,
for New London.
1837
(Parker's journey, cont.)
Jan 15: Arrived at Tahiti.
March 3: Cape Horn.
April 2: Trinidad.
April 19: Crossed Equator.
May 17: Arrived New London.
May 23: Arrived Ithaca, New York.
Mar. 14,
'35-Oct. 16 '35 =217 days.
Oct. 17, '35-June 17, '36 =245 days.
June 18 '36-May 23 '37 =342 days.
Total =804 days.
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|
| |
WHITMAN'S
RETURN EAST
August 27: Whitman departed the rendezvous. Whitman found a Nez
Perce boy named Tackitonitis, who had some knowledge of the English
language, so he obtained permission to take him back East. He renamed
the boy Richard. One of the Nez Perce Chiefs brought his son, Ais,
and begged Whitman to take him also. He now had two Indian boys
returning with him.
Sept. 8: Reached Fort Laramie.
Nov. 4: Whitman was in St. Louis.
Dec. 11: Whitman and the two boys reached Rushville. The boys, through
schooling and living with white people, etc. acquired a considerable
knowledge of the English language and were useful as interpreters
and teachers in 1836. The two boys rendered valuable services to
the mission party crossing the plains in 1836 in helping to care
for the cattle. However, after their arrival in Oregon, Richard
gave Whitman considerable trouble. In a letter dated May 5, 1837
to Greene, Whitman reported that he had been obligated to expel
Richard, one of the boys he took East with him in 1835, from his
house for bad conduct. John went with the Spaldings. The two boys
were able to help some in interpreting, but John died a year or
so later and Richard thereafter remained unmentioned in Whitman's
letters. |
|
|
| Aug.
7: |
Spalding
sends an application to the American Board. He is accepted and appointed
to a station among the Osage Indians. |
|
|
| Dec.: |
American
Board approves women to go West. |
| |
| Dec.
17: |
Dr.
Whitman learns of willingness of Rev. Henry Spalding and his wife
to go West with him. |
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|
