|
|
| 1836 |
| Feb.
1: (About) |
Board
approves the Sp
aldings
to accompany Dr. Whitman in the Oregon mission. |
|
|
| Feb.
14: |
Dr.
Whitman drives hastily to Prattsburg, New York, to tell Spalding
the news. But he was too late, Spalding had just left for his mission
in Western Missouri. Undismayed, Whitman gave chase and over took
the Spaldings on the road, reportedly exclaiming, "We want
you for Oregon." Henry and Eliza agreed to accept the call
to the Columbia. They continued on their journey to wait for Whitman
in Cincinnati. |
|
|
| Feb.
18: |
Marcus Whitman marries Narcissa Prentiss at Angelica, New York,
. |
|
|
| Mar.
3: |
Depart
Rushville. |
|
|
| Mar.12: |
Reach
Pittsburgh. |
|
|
| Mar.
15: |
Depart
Pittsburgh on the boat "Siam". |
|
|
| Mar.
17: |
At
Cincinnati, the Whitmans meet the Spaldings. |
|
|
| Mar.
22: |
Depart
Cincinnati on the boat "Junius". They stay
one extra day in Chester, Illinois, then secure passage on the "Majestic"
to St. Louis. |
|
|
| Mar.
29: |
United
party arrives at St. Louis. |
|
|
| Mar.
31: |
Depart
St. Louis aboard the boat "Chariton" bound for
Liberty, Missouri. |
|
|
| April
7: |
Reach
Liberty, Missouri. |
|
|
| April
19: |
William
Gray arrives on the "St.Charles". (Appointed by
American Board as a mechanic). |
|
|
| April
25: |
Reinforced
by William H. Gray, who had joined them early in April at Liberty,
Missouri, the party begins the overland journey. |
|
|
| April
28: |
Spalding,
Gray, and Whitman start overland with livestock to the Otoe agency. |
|
|
| May
26: |
Catch
up with Fitzpatricks caravan. |
|
|
| June
6: |
Pass
the forks of the Platte. |
|
|
| June
13: |
Reach
Fort Laramie. Depart June 21. Leave heavy farm wagon there.
|
|
|
| July
4: |
Mrs.
Whitman and Mrs. Spalding become the first white women to cross
the Continental Divide of the Rockies, the party having reached
the Platte River on May 20, Fort Laramie on June 13, and the Great
Divide on July 4. |
|
|
| July
6: |
Reach
the rendezvous, which that year is on the Green River near Daniel,
Wyoming. |
|
|
| July
14: |
Mission
party moves to the camp of McLeod and McKay (Hudson's Bay Company
men). |
|
|
| July
18: |
Begin
journey to Fort Walla Walla. |
|
|
| July
30: |
Pass
near what is now known as Soda Springs. |
|
|
| Aug.
3: |
Reach
Fort Hall. |
|
|
| Aug.
4: |
Depart
Fort Hall. |
|
|
| Aug.
13: |
Ford
Snake River at Island Ford. |
|
|
| Aug.
19: |
Arrive
at Fort Boise, having reached Fort Hall on Aug. 3 (near the present-day
Pocatello, Idaho). |
|
|
| Aug.
22: |
Depart
Fort Boise. |
|
|
| Aug.
26: |
Party
divides. McLeod, Whitman's, and Gray push ahead. Spaldings remain
with animals. |
|
|
| Aug
29: |
Whitmans
reach summit of Blue Mountains. |
|
|
| Sept.
1: |
Whitmans
arrive at Fort Walla Walla. |
|
|
| Sept.
3: |
Spaldings
arrive at Fort Walla Walla (of 17 head of cattle, only 8 survive
as far as Fort Walla Walla). |
|
|
| Sept.
5: |
Having
spent $3363.96, the missionary party's balance on hand is $210.00.
Average cost per person from their homes in the East to Fort Walla
Walla, was about $360.00 |
|
|
| Sept.
6: |
Depart
Fort Walla Walla for Vancouver via water with Pierre Pambrun. |
|
|
| Sept.
12: |
The
party reaches Fort Vancouver and meet Chief Factor, John McLoughlin
(1769-1857). Missionary party buys supplies at Fort Vancouver --
household furniture, books, stationary and other provisions. They
spend about $2560.00. American Board paid out nearly $6300.00 to
establish the Oregon Mission. |
|
|
| Sept.
21: |
Whitman,
Spalding, and Gray leave Fort Vancouver for Fort Walla Walla. |
|
|
|
Sept. 29 & Oct. 2: |
Party
reaches Fort Walla Walla. |
|
|
| Oct.
4: |
Men ready
to search for suitable locations. Whitman, Spalding, Gray and
Pambrun set out to explore Walla Walla River.
|
|
|
| Oct.
5: |
Whitman selects
his spot. Learns that the mission site was on ground claimed by
Chief Umtippe, the Mill Creek area was called Pasha by the Indians.
Whitman's
reason for choosing Waiilatpu:
- Cayuse
tribe lived in area.
- Strategic
location of Fort Walla Walla. Columbia River was main artery
of travel.
|
|
|
| Oct.
6: |
The
group returns to Fort Walla Walla. |
|
|
| Oct.
8: |
Whitman
and Spalding leave Fort Walla Walla to find a location for Spalding.
Chief Rotten Belly and 20 or 30 Nez Perce escort them. |
|
|
| Oct.
12: |
Spalding
chooses spot for his mission. |
|
|
| Oct.
14: |
Spalding
and Whitman return to Fort Walla Walla. |
|
|
| Oct.
16: |
Spalding
leaves Fort Walla Walla for Fort Vancouver to get Mrs. Spalding
and Mrs. Whitman. Arrived Oct. 18. Meanwhile Whitman and Gray begin
constructing house at Waiilatpu. |
|
|
| Nov.
3: |
Spalding
and the women depart Fort Vancouver. While at Fort Vancouver, Mrs.
Whitman saved some apple and peach seeds, which she later planted
at her new home. |
|
|
| Nov.
13: |
Arrive
Fort Walla Walla. |
|
|
| Nov.
20: |
Spalding
and Gray depart for Lapwai. |
|
|
| Dec.
10: |
Whitman
escorts his wife from Fort Walla Walla to Waiilatpu. Whitmans begin
living in rude lean-to house built on the mission site at Waiilatpu
selected by the men while the women had remained at Fort Vancouver. |
|
|
| 1837
|
| |
Unusually
severe winter. (Dr. Whitman and Spalding dependent on Indians and
Hudson's Bay Company to survive until the first harvest.) |
|
|
| |
Spalding
opens Idaho's first school. |
|
|
| Mar.
1: |
Whitman
begins plowing the land for crops. He has very little assistance
from the Indians. |
|
|
| Mar.
14: |
Alice
Clarissa Whitman is born. She is the first white girl born to American
parents West of the Rockies. She is born on Narcissa Whitman's 29th
birthday. |
|
|
| April
5: |
Gray
departs Spokane for the East. |
|
|
| |
Whitman
begins instruction at Mission, mainly religious (average attendance
was 25). |
|
|
| |
Dr.
Elijah White arrives In the Willamette Valley. |
|
|
| Summer
and Fall: |
Dr.
Whitman builds first house to take the place of the lean-to. |
|
|
| Aug.: |
Mrs.
Pambrun gives birth to baby girl. She names her Harriet. |
|
|
| Sept.
15: |
Joseph
Beers is born. He is first boy born to American parents west of
the Rockies to live to maturity. |
|
|
| Nov.
15: |
(Monday)
Mrs. Spalding gives birth to baby girl - Eliza Spalding. First white
girl born west of the Rockies to live to maturity. Whitmans present
(first visit to Lapwai). |
|
|
