|
|
| 1847 |
| |
Methodists
offer to sell the Dalles Mission to the American Board.
|
|
|
| Spring:
|
Whitman
makes a trip to the Willamette Valley for supplies. He discusses
transfer of the Dalles property with Reverend George Gray. |
|
|
| June: |
Annual
meeting is held at Tshimakain.
- Discuss
Greene's suggestion of the closure of the Tshimikain
Mission (letter dated Feb. 25, 1846).
- Discuss
the purchase of the Dalles Mission.
- Decide
Walker's would move to the Dalles and Eells to Waiilatpu.
|
|
|
| June:
(After annual meeting) |
Whitman and Walker visit the Dalles station. Whitman informs
Methodists that the American Board (Presbyterian/Congregational)
would take over the Dalles mission in September. |
|
|
| July
18: |
Paul Kane, Canadian artist, visits Waiilatpu. He paints
pictures of Cayuse Indians, Tiloukaikt and Tomahas. Visits
for four days and warns Whitman about the Indian hostilities. |
|
|
| Aug.
3: |
Whitman writes letter to Greene informing him of the decision
to allow Mr. Hinman to take the mission press to the Willamette.
He also tells of James Douglas succeeding John McLoughlin
as Chief Factor at Fort Vancouver. |
|
|
| Sept.:
|
Dr.
Whitman and John Sager take two wagons to the Dalles to
bring back supplies that have been shipped to him. On the
return trip they find a better inland wagon route to the
Dalles. |
|
|
| Early
August: |
Between 4000 and 5000 emigrants begin to arrive from the
Oregon Trail. |
|
|
| Sept.
7: |
American Board buys the Dalles Mission for $721.13. Property
is turned over to the American Board. The Hinmans and Perrin
Whitman move to the Wascopum mission site. |
|
|
| Sept.: |
A number of Catholic missionaries arrive in the area. |
|
|
| Oct.
16: |
Whitman
writes a six page memorandum:
- U.S.
Government needs to establish a line of posts along
the Oregon Trail for protection, food, and supplies
for the emigrants.
- Have
fresh horses at each post to speed up mail delivery
(On
the same day John McLoughlin wrote to the Secretary of
War from Oregon City and gave similar recommendations.)
|
|
|
| Oct.
26: |
Father
Brouillet meets with Tiloukaikt, Tamsucky and others at
Fort Walla Walla. Tiloukaikt says he would not object to
the establishment of a Catholic Church near Waiilatpu. Brouillet
visits the proposed site on Nov. 5th and learns that Tiloukaikt
had changed his mind. The Catholics then accept Young Chief's
offer to live in a house on the Umatilla River. |
|
|
| Nov.
22: |
Eliza Spalding is brought to Waiilatpu to be placed in the
school. |
|
|
| Fall: |
Waiilatpu has two half Indian-half white men - Joe Lewis
and Nicholas Finley. They are troublemakers for Dr. Whitman. |
|
|
| Fall: |
Waiilatpu
is crowded after the large wagon train introduced the measles
and dysentary to the Indians (the measles epidemic could
also have partly come from California). The Cayuse become
seriously infected, increasing hostility and suspicion.
The Indians try the traditional cure of taking a sweat bath
then immediately jumping into the river to cure the new
disease; approximately half of the tribe dies of measles.
Being a te-wat (medicine man), the Cayuse believe Dr. Whitman's
medicines should cure them. Among the Cayuse, an ineffective
medicine man could be killed by the people of the tribe. |
|
|
| Nov.
29 |
On
November 29, a small group of Cayuse attack the mission
at Waiilatpu. Dr. and Mrs. Whitman are killed along
with eleven others. At that time, seventy-five people
are at the mission site; the remainder are taken hostage.
Mrs. Whitman is the only woman killed.
|
|
|
