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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 19, 1886)
V f i' !$ I L'9-3 1 IL jt VOL. XVIII. SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER Ii, 188. NO. 41, OREGON PIONEER HISTORY. SKETCHES OF EARLY DAYS. ---MEN AN TIMES IN TOE FORTIES , BY 8. A CLARKE. 7 Copyright applied f Jr. All rljhti rcierveJ. V NUMBER XLII. At V Bketcues of tho Free Trappors and Mountain Men of Early Tlmos. WITH JOE MEEK IN WASHINGTON. A few days beforo reaching civiliza tion, as thoy trudged along on orapty stomachs and tirocl ns they wero hungry, Miller had accosted onoof tho comrades in jocoso way and received a surly ro joindor. "Novor mind, Owens," snid Millor, "it won't bo long beforo wo shall all liavo applo plo with loaf sugar all ovor it." Tho landlady at St. Jo was amazed at eocing her rudely-attired gnosis pass around hor pio and laugh heartily at tho sight of it. Miller ex plained that bIic had furnished tho pro phesied pio, crusted with loaf sugar, and hor faco was wreathed in smilos again. Ebbcrt remained two days at St. Jo to fix up a littlo and then wont on to Washington. Ho staid thoro thrco weeks, and as his means wero rather short ho called on Benton, who said ho was cer tain to get his monoy ; so ho went to tho West to visit among his relatives. Ho was in Iowa all winter and returned to Oregon in tho spring. Ho sold his val uable animals to get monoy to uso ; his nephew gavo him a good maro and ho hired out for $72 to pilot n train to Ore gon. HOMEWARD BOUND. Ho had a pleasant trip back, as honto with tho different camps. Somo days ho had "more curses than a horso could pack." Tho groatost trouble was with tho women, who wanted to stop and wash up regularly, but Ebbcrt was look ing out for good grass and wator. Tho mon wero angry when they mado long marches, but such troubles wero transient and generally all wero good friends. From Fort Hall thoy needed no guido, so ho and thrco othors wont ahead. On Fowdor river Indians fuirly swarmed. When told that men and troops wero coming they folt alarm for tho safety of their chiefs, who had gono up tho road a day or so bofore. Fortunately for tho safety of tho whites tho chiofs ennio into camp whilo thoy talked. Ebbcrt was from homo from March, 18 IS, until tho full of tho following year. Ho used up what monoy ho could command and sold thrco valuablo animals and spent tho proceeds. Besidos nearly 18 months of time ho was out of pockot fully $500 actual means expended, and that was far less than tho actual expense Incurred. EI1BERT AND JO MEEK COMPARED. Ebbert mado this journey of hardship from motives of tho purest patriotism, and on tho direct, personal appeal of Governor Abernethy. Mok was selected to carry back tho nows of tho Cayuso outbreak and tho Whitman murders. Ho know that Ebbert thoroughly under stood tho routo across tho continent, and knew further that Ebbert wns as courageous as man could be. Ho in duced Governor Abernethy to write to Squire Ebbert and ask him to inuko the journey. Ho camo himself to Ehberl's homo on tho Tualatin, bringing this letter and urging Ebbctt to accompany him as escort, pledging himself, unasked, with hand uplifted, swearing by tho honor of a mountain man, to Fannie, Ebbert' ife, that one-half of all that should ever como to him for tho journey should go to G. W. Ebbert. No doubt Benton and others would have seen to it that his expenses were paid had ho remained in Washington, but when ho was absent tho matter was forgotten by them. Monoy enough was appropriated by congress, but because Meek was in 6omo way related by a brother's mar riage with the Folk family, ho was given $7,250 to squander as he pleased, and it wont to lewd women and lowd purposes generally about Washington. Ebbcrt rendered disinterested scrvico for Oregon in n time of a great trial, and deserved to bo well paid. Whilo I have ncvor had any personal acquaintance with Ebbort, and havo not tho least per sonal motive in theso narrativos, and only try to show tho truth of history, I shall try to vindicato truth wherovor I find it, and do honor to tho humblest instruments that wero useful to mould tho dostinics of this young State. Squiro Ebbert suflbrcd great loss of timo and moans whon ho could ill afford it. A thousand dollars woufd not havo com pensated him then for the actual ex ponso incurred, but he seems never to havo mado any claim. Jo Mock, on Tualatin plain, venting his worthless promises "to divido all ho should rccoivo with Q. W. Ebbort," corresponds but illy with tho craven spendthrift who aftor wurd assured Ebbort at Washington that all tho appropriation mado was baroly sufllciont to pay tho expenscu of Thornton and himself. Tho two raen'B lives stand out in rolicf, tho bold and vapid utterances of tho ono comparing but poorly with tho modest courago that know no fear and tho patriotic endeavor that did not wait to count the cost of tho other. JOSEPH MEEK. Jo Mcok, so familiarly called, wan from Virginia; found his way at au early ago to tho frontier, and in tho spring of 1829, whon 18 years of ago, en listed with Wm. Sublotto to go to tho Rocky mountains. Thoro ho had as wild nnd varied experionco of hunting, trapping and Indian fighting as often falls to tho lot of any mortal. Onco his lifo was saved by a beautiful Shoshone girl, who aftorwards hocamo his wife, or was so called until a Bannock arrow ended her lifo. Tho picturo of this "Mountain Lamb" is a romantic foaturo of this trapper's lifo, and gives vnrioty to rather a wild and desperate career. The trips Meek took ranged from trap ping among the Blackfcbt of Montana to expeditions in tho Comancho country, a battle with dead mules for a redoubt, against torriblo odds, and a journey to lower California, beforo Monteroy had bocomo United States territory. Ho had a wido rango of travel and oxpori ence. THE OAME 18 UP. Wo will not go ovor his mountain life, his trapping now for ono company and then for another, his spendthrift ways and his hair-breadth escapes from Crows and Blackfect, Shoshoncs and Coman dies. At 28 ho found himself almost uluno in tho mountains. Ho wandered to ono and another placo whero brigades had met and tho old fur companies had rendezvoused, and found them deserted. The beaver wero gono and so were thoso that hunted thorn. Ho somo way got word from "Doo Newell" to meet him at Fort Hall, and went there, glad to know that any human being had ncod and uso for him. Ho was but 28, yot was old in experience. Ho had a Nez Ferco wife and a child, and was yet young and vigorous. Nowoll proposed that thtiy go down to the Willametto and bo coma Amoricau settlers, doing their sharo towards redocming Oregon from British rule. Meek acquiesced and they fitted up two of Whitman's wagons, left th'ero soveral years bofore, bought horses and stalled for tho Columbia river. IIOL'NP FOR WILLAMETTE ON A NEW DEAL. Meek and Newell and Xez Ferces wives, who were sisters, which accounts for their being partners in misfortune, and this journey together to tho AVil lumette. Newell owned tho train of two wagons and four animals to each. They were driven by Meek and Nicholas. Tho way was difficult, but they mado progress to tho Columbia river with all their personal effects piled on tho wagons, and their Indian women qnd half-breed families on top of all. They reached Dr. Whitman's, and ho killed for them the best porker in his pens. Whitman had thou bcon thrco years among tho Cayuscs, and tho tribo had mado progress towards civilized ways. Mock's first child was by a Ncz Forces woman, who loft him with a daughtor that ho named "Helen Mar." Ho engaged Dr. Whitman to cducato this child, and then thoy proceeded on thoir way to tho Willametto volloy. From Waiilatpu thoy packod thoir goods, Nowoll bringing tho wagons to Tualatin plains tho next year. It is claimed that thoy wero tho first vehicles of tho kind ovor scon nnd used west of tho Cascades. In tho Willamotlo vnlloy tho thrco mountain men met with Ebborts, Wilkins and Doughty, of thoir old timo companions who had abandoned tho mountain lifo boforo them. Thoro wero six of them, and on Christmas, 1810, thoy went ovor to tho west sido of tho Willamotto and located claims togothor in tho Tualatin country. Mcok could not work, nor did ho wish to starvo, so ho had a hard timo of it mak ing a living. Commodoro Wilkes and tho exploring expedition camo in 1811, nnd meek was employed as guido and in other various ways, so that ho lived through that wintor. Ho was also legally married to tho Noz Forco woman, Virginia, who was already mothor of two children and lived to bear seven in all. Mock finally overenmo his dlstasto for labor and commoncod to mako a farm in earnest and raise wheat, is lucky in airrriNo office. When tho provisional government was organized Meek was givon ofilco as sheriff or marshal under it, and did good scrvico by kcoping Indians and unruly whites in order. So tho years moved on ; Mcok becamo well known in tho Willametto and was as lucky as usual. Whon tho Whitman lnastncro occurred ho was deputed to carry tils patches to Washington and mado tho dangerous and fatiguing journey wo havo described in tho preceding skotoh of Squiro Ehtort. When ho renehod "tho states" ho wns a curiosity to tho civilized world, wheru his singular garb and his uncivilized ways unfailingly commanded attention. In tho city of Washington ho was especially favored becauso his family was intormarried with that of Fresidont Folk, and ho had tho freo and easy ontrauco to tho Whlto House as probably no such man ovor has had beforo or since. During soveral months ha played tho part of tho mountain man to tho satisfaction of n host of admiring friends. His natural bonhommio served a good purpose to mako him passable and attractive His own account of his cccontricitics uud popularity has been written up, and no doubt was glossed over by his habitual "freedom of spocoh." Ho no doubt bora at heart tho causo of Oregon and did what was possible to advanco Oro gou interests. It is hardly possihlo that ho had tho influcnco to control events that a sedate character would possess, but such as ho was no doubt ho worked for tho best interest of tho .State. It is possible that ho supplemented tho moro serious efforts of Judga Thornton and did what ho could to favor tho coming State. His own account of his reception at tho Whito House and trcatmout by sonators and others is strougly flavored by hyperbole, but must bo tuken cum grano salis. Ho wore at first his buck skin suit and mountain rig, becauso ho had no monoy to buy others. In this garb he calls at tho Whito If onto, where lie announces hinuolf to Knox Walker, the president's f.ictotum who was hiB private secretary and noar relative, also atid tragically exclaims, "Why, Undo Joel" Ho had thenceforth tho freo run of tho presidential mansion and saw tho world for a whilo through rose-colored glasses. Every whoro ho went ho carried Oregon with him. Ho mado tho air of Washington rodoleut of wild mountain talcs and Htorios of bear and Indian combats, so familiarly told that listening youth and onthrnllcd woman worshiped him as a horo. Meek wat good looking and conversed with oaso and lluoncy, if not gramatically. Ills smooth tones interested if thoy could not convince Ho was n romarkablo man in sundry ro spocts, nnd it sccmod far from incon gruous that tho mountains of Oregon should send as thoir representative so original and uniquo a character. Mcok entered Washington a hero of tho Western Wilds, and evidently did not stay long enough to exhaust his imag ination or dull tho brillianco and fresh ness of his fauoy skotohes. As I havo already shown Meek was woll paid for his services and failed to roimburso Ebbort according to his solemn assurance If ho had not been especially favorod it would havo been excusable, but whon ho recelvod nearly or quito -18000 from various sources and squandered his means foolishly, if not wickedly, thoro was no possihlo oxcuso for tho defalcation. Meek was marshal of tho United Slates roV Oregon territory nftor his return and tho emoluments of his official lifo should havo put h'm in dependent of tho world, but ho wns ovor Improvident and reckless. A HUMMING UP 01' JO MEEK. His character was formed of frontier material and his personal traits wero moro remarkable for careless good naturo than for earnest work or zealous patriotism. Ho was n "charactor" in various senses of tho term. His Ufa was fully illustrativo of tho lucky escapades and reckless indifferences that mado tho Indians bolievo ho had a charmed lifo and ope nod for his coming in civilized lifo and society tho portals of tho rich and great as well nt tho doors of all othor classes. Thoso woro times that called into exorcise various qualities from many mon. Tho missions did their part towards laying a groundwork of civilized lifo, ami their schools wero greatly beneficial. Wo may criticiso tho men who camo horo to dedicato their lives to Christianizing tho savago, and who turned, when tho tido of gold scokors camo thronging to tho west, to claim thoir sharo of tho profits of tho golden opoch, but wo cannot deny that tho missionary effort, howover selfish in a fow instances it became, laid tho foun dation in good part for tho progress wo havo achlovod. Tho rccklcsn mountain man camo as tho opposite oxtrcmo. Every froo man from tho mountains was a zealous patriot; thoy furnished tho primary element, daring and reck less yot bravo and truo, that preceded tho regular emigrations and Mood oponly by tho fing as missionaries did not daro to do. Mook may have beon irresponsible in a measure, but his heart was right in many respects. Besides him thero was Xowcll and McKay, and Ebbert and Wilkins, and Galo,and Gay, and Baldra, and l.arrisou, and Flilt, with mnny othors, trappers all, who ho camo good citizens nnd formed the bulwark of defonso that mado wives and childron feol safe anil sleep well when tho Indian war-whoop waked our cast orn hills and plains. THE FIRuT AMEIIICAN Fl.AO. Dr. McKay describes the first time ho over saw tho American Hag as an in cident that wusof great interest. About tho year 1831 two American coasting brigs came into tho Columbia and sailod up tho river. They were tho Convoy, Captain Domiuus, ami tho Honolulu, Ciptain Thompson. Tho Convoy came no further Mian St. Helens, whero its presenco created tho terrible pjstilenco wo havo narrated. Tho Honolulu went on up to Vancouver, and with all sails set was rounded to there Tho sails hid the fiugs for a timo, but as sho rounded too tho stars and stripes woro broadly flowing to tho breezo, creating a great impression on tho seven-year old on-looker of a half a century ugo. On this remotoshoro thoy seldom saw anything but Hudson bay crafts. Tho annual arrival of tho ves sol with supplies was tho great ovent of tho year. Theso two vessels woro tho only trading ships that camo hero for many years. Ono day thoy woro aston ished to seo a ship coming up with all sails sot, and woro moro astonished whon thoy saw tho Amoricau Hag float ing from hor peak. Her captain camo on shore and was hospitably treated by Dr. McLoughlin, who novor allowed any fear of competition to deter him from truo hospitality towards any and all who camo to Oregon by land or sea. OAPT. WYKTH AND DR. M'LOUOHIJN. Captain Nathaniol Wyoth camo to Orvgou to trado, and set up Fort Wil Ham on tho slough bUIo of Sauvio'o Island, whoro ho established quito a trado with tho Indians and salted salmon for shipment abroad. Wyoth had a great deal of enterprise, but in manngomont ho was at fault. Ho could not hold his own against tho Hudson Bay Company for various reasons. That company had oxperionco and managed all things with porfect system, whilo Wyoth had nil to learn and found oxperionco was a doar toachor. Tho Hudson Bay Company brought out coopors and boatmen of thorough understanding nnd conductod all thoir nlfiiirs so that thoro was tho least possible loss. Wyoth's mon woro iuelllcicnt, his boats wero not suitablo for tho fishery; so ho lost mon and boats and tho cntiro outfit. What salmon Wyoth put up proved imperfectly packod, and spoiled, ho inuoh of it as to destroy all profits. Wyoth and Mc Loughlin exchanged hospitalities and woro on the most friondly footing of personal rotations. Old Kosno was friendly with Wyoth, as much as with McLoughlin. HAQE BRUSH LAND. Capt. Will Gray, who has charge of tho transfer boats that convoy tho cars of tjjo Cascade division across tho Co lumbia, has mado a homo noar Fasco, which littlo town is tho placo of transfor from tho N. F. It. It. to tho Casoado brunch. Tills new road good through Yakima, is now finished beyond Ellens burg, and will reach Tacomn beforo an other year. Tho country through which this road passes is nearly all of this char acter, ondless fiolds of sago brush and shifting sand, which to tho uninitiated oyo looks unproductive enough. TIiIb laud is nearly all taken up by actual Bottlers, storilo as it looks, but to show productive qualities wo will tell of Capt. Gray's melon putch. He measured oil' 100 feet squaro of land and planted it in watermelon seod. It was not irriga ted, though tho land was kept stirred, producing In that way moisture suffi cient. Capt. Gray sold from that putch $110 worth of melons big ones too. Ho gave away two wagon-loads, fed four londs to tho hogs, and stored two loads in tho earth collar. Though tho weather was cool, yet tho melons wo ato of woro luscious. Tho big yield on land that looks barren and desolate Tho Cnpt. raised sumo peanuts nlso, and ho tcoms to think that tbco nuts could bo mado a profltahlo crop in that section, from tho success ho hud in his experiment. Tho looso, pliablo earth is adapted to thoir cultivation. Ho explained that as tho (lowers opened and perfected on tho lower branches, sand mutt bo sifted gently over thu blossoms ; thou, again, as tho upper branches como into bloom they must also bo covered. Tho nut forms and ripens in this way under tho sandy covering. Tho growing of pea nuts forms in the Southoru States an oxtenslvo and profitable crop. Palpitation ol too Ueart. Forsons who Buffer from occasional palpitation of tho heart aro often una ware that they aro tho victims of heart diseaso and nro liablo to dio without warning. Thoy should banish this alarming symptom and euro tho disease by UBing Dit. Flint's Heart Bemedy. At all dmggistH, or J. J. Mack tt Co., 1 and 11 Front street, H. F. rL-itoldCiLt.
