THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN
PAGE 4
OREGON TERRITORY
(Continued from page 1)
the Willamette River on the north bank of the Col
umbia River, which was called Fort Vancouver. Up
on establishing this trading post he developed a farm
of three thousand acres on which agriculture, fruit
growing and dairying prospered. He manufactured
flour and lumber, which he shipped to other posts.
These events marked the beginning of a higher
civilization in the Oregon Country. Men who met
him were encouraged to settle, and he helped them
establish farms.
This was the beginning of the
settlement of this territory.
Few men came with
other intentions than that of fur trading, but none
met with the success of Dr. John McLaughlin.
John Ball was the first school teacher.
He had
come west with Nathaniel Wyeth, a fur trader that
met with success in that line. John Ball was a grad
uate of Dartmouth. When he arrived at Fort Van
couver in 1832 he was requested by Dr. McLaughlin
to teach school.
His first class was twenty-five
Indian students, whom he taught to speak English.
The Indians were eager to learn the religion of the
white people. They were told that the greatness of
the white people was largely due to their religion.
The Methodist denomination sent five missionaries to
the Flathead Indians, but they joined Wyeth’s over
land party and located a mission in the Willamette
Valley under advice of Dr. McLaughlin. Reverend
Jason Lee established a manual labor school for Indians
and children of French fur traders who had Indian
wives. This school was moved to what is now Wil
lamette University grounds and was placed in charge
of Reverend George Gary. A large frame building
was erected here. The white settlers moving into
this locality purchased this site and resolved that it
be a school for white children. It was known as the
Oregon Institute until 1853. It was then incorporated
as the Willamette University.
Other missionaries came into this territory and
erected mission schools. Some of these pioneer mis
sionaries were Dr. Whitman, Dr. Samuel Parker,
Reverend Daniel Lee and Reverend Spaulding.
Commissioners were sent by President Jackson to
the Oregon Territory so that he might know more of
its resources and aid in the development of the north
west. It was reported to the President that this boun
dary should be the 49th parallel, which was yet the
contention of Great Britain and the United States.
Many influential men gave lectures for the aid of
settling this Territory.
In 1843 a train of one thousand persons migrated to
the Oregon Territory, which was more than all the
^ettlers in Oregon who had preceded them. The fami
lies and their wagons and property were taken down
the Columbia River on rafts and boats, and they set
tled in the fertile valleys of this section. Many other
parties soon followed this large emigrant train. Laws
were made for this Territory. A band of twenty-five
rangers were organized to protect the settlers and their
property. An election was held in 1845 for a governor
and other officers. George Abernethy was the first
governor.
A new route for the ox teams was opened in 1846.
This road left the old Oregon road at Fort Hall and
ran down and across the Modoc and Klamath country,
onward into the Willamette Valley.
The number of settlers was so great now that many
people were unwilling to accept the 49th parallel as
boundary. They made their slogan “Fifty-four Forty
or Fight.”
In the inaugural address of President Polk, the
Oregon Country was given much prominence. The
United States was willing to accept the 49th parallel
a* the boundary. Great Britain refused this offer
and based her claims as follows: The exploration of
Francis Drake and other English seamen; the complete
control of the fur trade by the Hudson Bay Company;
and the construction of Fort Vancouver in 1825.
The United States based her claim to the territory
on the right of discovery by Captain Robert Gray;
the Lewis and Clark expedition; and the founding of
Astoria in 1811.
But after 1825 there came a foundation of more sub
stantial claims for the United States. The American
fur traders began to compete with English fur traders,
the great migration into the Willamette valley and
the missionaries establishing mission schools.
When England refused this offer oi the 49th parallel,
Congress voted that the joint occupation of Oregon end.
But to avert war the question was again opened with
Great Britain. That nation accepted the 49th parallel
as the boundary. The treaty was signed in June,
1846.
This great Oregon Territory was then distinguished
as the only territory that the United States has not
acquired by war or purchase.
It was secured by
those “love-of-adventure six-footers” and their sons,
and those missionaries who brought the “Light” and
settled, “stayed and stuck.”
They made known
their desire to be a part of the United States to Presi
dent Polk, who had a vision of its present day worth,
and with an iron will pressed the question, and put it
under Old Gtory.
Dr. Charles H. Mayo, world famous surgeon, de
clares that glandular operations performed to regen
erate the old and those exhausted from life’s excesses
are the “bunk.” The only way to grow old grace
fully, he says, is to protect your health during youth.
He claims that by personal care we can add 10 years
to our life. He thinks hip flask drinking, auto petting
parties, irregular eating and improperly balanced diets
are being felt already, but will take their greatest toll
10 to 15 years hence. In his opinion it is impossible
to keep step with the rhythm of the jazz age and hope
to join the Methusaleh club.