|
|
| 1848 |
| Jan.
1: |
Spalding's
reach Fort Walla Walla. They are escorted there by the
Nez Perce Indians.
|
|
|
| Jan.
2: |
Peter
Skene Ogden of the Hudson's Bay Company, his assistant,
and the captives depart Fort Walla Walla for the Willamette
Valley. |
|
|
| Jan.
10: |
Ogden delivers the released captives to Governor Abernathy
at Oregon City.
Matilda Sager- lived with Spaldings.
Catherine & Henrietta Sager - lived Rev. W. Roberts
- superintendent of the Methodist Mission on the coast.
Mary Ann Bridger-died March 1848 from complications of
measles. |
|
|
| End
of January: |
Gilliam and his company are at the Dalles. He has 130
men to begin with, but by February 15, the company had
grown to 537 men. |
|
|
| Jan.
24: |
Gilliam and Company depart the Dalles. |
|
|
| Jan.
28: |
Company reaches Walla Walla River. |
|
|
| Jan.
29: |
Company reaches Waiilatpu. After their arrival they rebury
the victims of Killings as they found the grave had been
disturbed and the bones scattered. A wagon box is used
to cover the grave. They convert the mission into a fort,
naming it Fort Waters, and repair one or more of the adobe
buildings. They also operate the gristmill, the only structure
spared by the Indians. |
|
|
| March
4: |
Joseph Meek departs Oregon for the United States carrying
the news of the Killings and to appeal for help. |
|
|
| March
17: |
Meek reaches St. Louis and continues on to Washington
D. C. where he meets with President Polk. The President
immediately sends a message to Congress to organize a
territorial Government. |
|
|
| Spring: |
Walker's and the Eells' go to the Willamette Valley. Spokane
Indians protect them until they depart their mission. |
|
|
| Aug.2: |
The House of Representatives approves the Bill to create
the Oregon Territory. |
|
|
| Aug.
13: |
Senate passes the Oregon Territory bill. |
|
|
| Aug.
13: |
President Polk signs the Bill and created the Oregon Territory.
Joseph Lane is appointed the first Governor of the Oregon
Territory. |
|
|
| Aug.
14: |
By act of Congress the title of land not to exceed 640
acres then occupied as missionary stations among the Indian
tribes of Washington Territory, together with improvements,
is confirmed and established in the several religious
societies to which the said missionary station belonged.
In other words - mission lands of 640 acres or less occupied
by missionaries as of August 14, 1848 now belonged to
the sponsoring mission group (including but not limited
to the Methodist Mission Society and the Catholic Church). |
|
|
| Summer: |
A guard of 50 men remains at Waiilatpu while the remainder
returns to the Willamette Valley. |
|
|
| Sept.: |
Fort Waters is abandoned. |
|
|
| 1850 |
| |
After
two years of wandering in the Blue Mountains, the Cayuse
Tribe give up five of their men to be tried for the
crime of killing the Whitmans:
-
Tiloukaikt
- Tomahas
- Klokamas
- Isaiachalkis
- Kimasumpkin
|
|
|
| May
22: |
The
trial against the five Cayuse begins at Oregon City. |
|
|
| June
3: |
(Monday) Joseph Meek, the United States Marshall serving
as executioner, hangs the Cayuse Indians. |
|
|
| |
Congress
passes the Donation Land Claim law allowing 320 acres
of land to homesteaders. |
|
|
| 1852 |
| |
From
1848 to 1852 the previous mission site seems to have been
inhabited only by the Indians. In 1852, stockmen - Brooks,
Bumford, and Noble, use the site as their base of operation.
They leave in 1855, shortly before the Second Cayuse War
begins. |
|
|
| 1853 |
| March
2: |
President
Fillmore signs the bill creating Washington Territory.
Isaac I. Stevens is appointed Territorial Governor and
Superintendent of Indian Affairs. |
|
|
| 1855 |
| Fall:
|
The
stockmen, Brooks, Bumford, and Noble, depart. |
|
|
| |
During
the Second Cayuse War, the reconstructed buildings are
reburned. |
|
|
| 1859 |
| |
The
American Board makes claim under the 1848 Act of Congress
for the land of the Whitman Mission. The land in question
had not been occupied as a missionary station since 1847
- due to this fact the title is not issued.
It was considered by the Department of the Interior that
further action by Congress was necessary before a patent
could be issued. |
|
|
| Summer: |
Cushing Eells visits the Walla Walla Valley. After careful
consideration he is determined to establish an institution
of learning on the site of Whitman Mission. On his return
trip to Forest Grove he:
- Attends the meeting of the Oregon Congregational
Association where
he asks their endorsement to an application to the
Home Missionary Society in Boston, Massachusetts for
a commission to preach in the Walla Walla Valley.
(His intentions were to establish a Christian School)
The Association endorses his application and sends
it on to Boston.
- Writes the American Board making them an offer of
$1000.00 for the Whitman Mission Claim. He states
that he intends to give one half of it to found a
school.
- Applies to the Legislature of the Territory of Washington
for a charter for Whitman Seminary.
Results:
- The
Home Missionary Society of Boston refuses his application.
He cannot get any church sponsorship.
-
In December 1859 the Territorial Legislature at Olympia
grants a charter to "An Institution of Learning
in Walla Walla County to be known as Whitman Seminary."
This was the first charter granted to an educational
institution in Washington Territory. On December 20,
1859 the Governor signed the Charter. A Board of Trustees
was selected:
- Rev.
Cushing Eells - Walla Walla
-
James Craigie - Walla Walla
-
J. C. Smith - Walla Walla
-
Rev. W. A. Tenney - The Dallas
-
Deacon E. S. Joslyn - White Salmon
-
Rev. George H. Atkinson D.D. - Portland
-
Rev. Elkanah Walker - Forest Grove
-
Deacon E. S. Tanner - Forest Grove
-
Rev. H. H. Spalding - Hillsboro
- The
American Board accepts Eells offer. Eells is now on
his own, he has the land but no church support.
|
|
|
| 1860 |
| March: |
Rev. Cushing Eells and his eldest son, Edwin, depart for
the Walla Walla Valley. They spend the summer raising
corn and Cushing Eells preaches on Sundays throughout
the Walla Walla Valley. In the fall they sell their corn
crop to the military post, receiving $1000.00 - he sends
half of this to the American Board. He spends the winter
at Forest Grove, while Edwin is left in charge at the
mission site. The log cabin at the mission site is 14
feet square. |
|
|
| Dec.
17: |
The Board of Trustee's of the Whitman Seminary meets for
the first time. Unfortunately, transactions of this meeting
were lost when Cushing Eells home burned in 1872. |
|
|
| 1861 |
| Summer:
|
Cushing
Eells returns to the mission site and raises wheat - he
acquires about the same amount of money as for the 1860
crop. This allows him to complete his payment to the American
Board. |
|
|
| 1862
|
| June: |
Cushing Eells arrives at the mission site with his family.
At this time he builds a larger cabin. |
|
|
| 1863 |
| Fall: |
Cushing Eells and his family build a sixteen foot square
rough board room on the cabin at the Mission Station.
This addition is to be used as a schoolroom. |
|
|
| Dec.
3: |
Edwin Eells (eldest son of Cushing Eells) commences teaching.
Thirteen scholars are enrolled on the first day. Teaching
lasts only three months because the distance between Walla
Walla and the Seminary is too great. This was the first
attempt to organize the Whitman Seminary. |
|
|
| 1864
|
| Nov.:
|
The
original plan of operating the Seminary at the Whitman
Station changes. It is deemed necessary to locate the
seminary closer to Walla Walla. The selection of a new
site becomes a perplexing struggle. |
|
|
| 1865 |
| Jan.: |
The first congregational church in Washington Territory
is organized. Rev. Cushing Eells helps Rev. P.B. Chamberlain
organize this church. |
|
|
| 1866 |
| May
8: |
The Trustees of the Seminary formally accept Dr. D.S.
Baker's offer of a four-acre site. Later the gift is increased
to six acres. |
|
|
| Mid-June: |
$1200.00 has been secured for the Seminary in addition
to the fulfillment of Eells' promise to give the school
one-half the appraised value of the mission claim. Eells
gives the Seminary half of the Whitman mission claim which
was put up for sale at $2,000.00. This money was to clear
the debt of the Seminary. There are no purchasers and
Rev. Eells, who had signed the notes, now faces the financial
ruin of the seminary, goes to work to earn enough money
to pay off the notes. Along with teaching and being superintendent
of schools, he farms, raises stock, sells cord wood, peddles
chickens, eggs, etc. Mrs. Eells makes butter to sell.
All income is used to pay off the debt of the Seminary.
Upon completion of payment of the notes the cost came
to $2,900.00 with interest. Eells surrenders the notes
willingly to the Board of Trustees for the land. |
|
|
| Summer: |
A two story, 26 by 46 foot wooden building is erected
for the cost of $4842.42. The builders are Messers. Dexter,
and Leidy. |
|
|
| Oct.
13: |
(Saturday)
Dedication of the Whitman Seminary. |
|
|
|
Oct. 15: |
(Monday)
Whitman Seminary opens - the names of 36 scholars are
placed on the rolls. The Rev. P.B. Chamberlain is the
first principal; he resigns after six months. |
|
|
| Nov.
6: |
Notwithstanding the decision of 1859, the American Board
for Foreign Missions gives Cushing Eells a warranty deed
for the Waiilatpu property. |
|
|
| 1867
|
| April
1: |
Rev. C. Eells succeeds the Rev. P. D. Chamberlain as principal
of the Seminary. Eells continues to be principal until
June 1869. |
|
|
| 1869 |
| 1869-70 |
Seminary is closed. |
|
|
| 1870 |
| Autumn: |
The Seminary Board of Trustees employs W.W. Freeman as
principal. He continues to be in charge about 7/8 of the
academic year. |
|
|
| 1871 |
| Fall:
|
Rev.
P.B. Chamberlain is again employed as principal and he
keeps the school in operation for nearly two years. |
|
|
| 1872 |
| May
28: |
Rev. Eells' home catches fire about 3:00 p.m. The fire
destroys almost everything they have, including the records
of the Trustees of the Whitman Seminary. Discouraged by
his apparent lack of success in establishing an institution,
which should have been self-maintaining, Eells leaves
the Walla Walla Valley. |
|
|
| June
20: |
Cushing
Eells conveys the farm on the former mission land to Charles
Moore and his wife, Julia, by quiet claim deed. |
|
|
| |
The
Baker railroad from the Columbia River to Walla Walla
is completed. |
|
|
| 1876 |
| Sept.: |
Professor L. K. Grim becomes principal of the Seminary
(through 1878). |
|
|
| 1878 |
| Feb.
6: |
Charles
and Julia Moore deed their land to Montraville Fisk. |
|
|
| Sept.: |
The Rev. Horace Lyman, principal, reopens the Whitman
Seminary. Within six weeks he is taken ill with typhoid
fever. His son, W.D. Lyman, becomes acting principal through
the winter. Professor Grim was summoned to help, and he
completes the year's work.
After that, the Seminary is closed due to the lack of
proper leadership. |
|
|
| 1880
|
| April
10: |
Montraville Fisk and his wife, Josephine, convey the farm
on the previous mission land to Charles Swegle. |
|
|
| 1881 |
| |
Rev.
and Mrs. E. R. Beach are employed to operate the Seminary.
Rev. Beach carries the entire responsibilities of the
school for a year, but due to ill health the school
is forced to close. Upon hearing of the condition of
the Seminary, Dr. George H. Atkinson comes to Walla
Walla. He feels its only chance of survival is to transform
it into a college of the American type. Rev. Cushing
Eells, still president of the Board of Trustees, is
against this bold action.
The
Chronology of the Whitman Seminary:
1859 -- December 20: Chartered
1863-1864: Opened
1864-1866: Closed
1866: Open
1869-1870: Closed
1871: Open
1873-1874: Closed
1874: Open
1876: Closed
1876: Open
1879-1881: Closed
1881: Open
1882: Closed forever as a Seminary
Reasons
for closure:
- Lack
of money.
- Lack
of teachers - most teachers were drifters wanting
to teach only a term or two while scouting the country
for better opportunities.
- Lack
of enrollment.
|
|
|
| Nov.
7: |
Charles and Lucinda Swegle give a warranty deed of approximately
7 acres to the Oregon Pioneer Historical Society of Portland.
The land includes the grave and the hill. In part the
deed states, "in consideration of the erection on
the grounds hereinafter described of a suitable monument
to the memory of the late Dr. Marcus Whitman within the
period of five years from the date by the Oregon Pioneer
Historical Society... the said monument to be in accordance
with certain designs now in the hands of the Said Society..."
(Walla Walla County, Volume X of Deeds, page 92). This
monument was never erected. |
|
|
| 1883 |
| Nov.
28 |
The
territorial legislature issues a new charter, changing
Whitman Seminary into a four-year, degree-granting college
- Whitman College. |
|
|
| 1888 |
| May
7: |
Charles Swegle dies, leaving no will. His property goes
through probate and is distributed among the various heirs
- they, by warranty deeds at various dates, convey their
interests to Marion Willard Swegle, who becomes the sole
owner. |
|
|
| 1896 |
| |
Whitman-Eells
Memorial Church is built on former mission property through
land donated by Marion Swegle. It is there until approximately
1923. |
|
|
| 1897
|
| Oct.
14: |
Marion Willard Swegle and his wife deed the tract of land
for $1000.00 including the grave and monument hill (about
eight acres) to the Trustees of the Walla Walla Trust
Foundation - W. S. Holt, Levi Ankeny, and Allen Reynolds.
|
|
|
| Oct.
22: |
The bodies of the victims of the Whitman Killings are
disinterred in preparation to be buried in a more fitting
tomb. |
|
|
| Nov.
29-30: |
Fiftieth anniversary observances of the Whitman Killings
are held by the citizens of Walla Walla.
November 29: Monday evening: Ceremonies are held in the
opera House.
November 30: Tuesday: Two special trains take people to
the mission grounds for dedication ceremonies of the monument.
The monument does not arrive. Brief ceremonies are again
held in the Opera House.
W.H. Gray spent the last years of his life collecting
funds for a monument to the Whitmans. At the time of his
death in 1881, about $800.00 had been collected. It was
turned over to the Trustees for the Walla Walla Trust
Foundation (W. H. Holt, Allen H. Reynolds, John D. Ankeny).
The Trustees contracted Niles Uinson Company, of Walla
Walla for a granite monument and a marble slab for the
grave. The cost for a granite monument and a marble slab
for the grave was approximately $2,500.00. The difference
between the amount collected by Gray and the purchase
price was contributed by Walla Walla citizens. |
|
|
| 1898 |
| Jan.
29: |
A
burial service is conducted by Rev. E.L. Smith and Rev.
E.N. Condit, pastors of the Congregational and Presbyterian
churches of Walla Walla; the metallic coffin (presented
by Mrs. Picard of Walla Walla) is placed in the vault
and a two-ton slab of marble is lowered in place and sealed. |
|
|
