Transcriber's Note:
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation in the originaldocument have been preserved.
The quote starting on page 19 with "If, however," has no end quote.
On page 177, "as he plead" should possibly be "as he pled."
The quote starting on page 215 with "Marcus Whitman" has no endquote.
On page 287, "staid back" should possibly be "stayed back."
How Marcus WhitmanSaved Oregon.
A TRUE ROMANCE OF PATRIOTIC HEROISM,
CHRISTIAN DEVOTION AND
FINAL MARTYRDOM....
WITH SKETCHES OF
Life on the Plains and Mountains in Pioneer Days
BY
OLIVER W. NIXON, M.D., LL.D.,
For Seventeen Years President and Literary Editor
of the Chicago Inter Ocean.
INTRODUCTION BY
Rev. Frank W. Gunsaulus, D.D., LL.D.
SECOND EDITION.
ILLUSTRATED.
STAR PUBLISHING COMPANY,
CHICAGO,
1895
Copyrighted, 1895, by Oliver W. Nixon.
(All rights reserved.)
DEDICATION.
TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS OF THE
Little Log School House on the Willamette,
NOW THE GRAY HAIRED MEN AND WOMEN OF OREGON,
WASHINGTON, IDAHO AND CALIFORNIA, TO WHOM I
AM INDEBTED FOR A MULTITUDE OF PLEASING
MEMORIES WHICH HAVE BEEN UNDIMMED
BY YEARS AND DISTANCE, I GRATEFULLY
DEDICATE THIS VOLUME.
PREFACE.
This little volume is not intended to be a historyof Oregon missions or even a complete biographyof Dr. Whitman. Its aim is simply to bring out,prominently, in a series of sketches, the heroismand Christian patriotism of the man who renderedgreat and distinguished service to his country,which has never been fully appreciated or recognized.
In my historical facts I have tried to be correctand to give credit to authorities where I could. Iexpect some of my critics will ask, as they have inthe past: "Who is your authority for this fact andthat?" I only answer, I don't know unless I amauthority. In 1850 and 1851 I was a teacher of theyoung men and maidens, and bright-eyed boys andgirls of the old pioneers of Oregon.
Many years ago I told the story of that schoolto Hezekiah Butterworth, who made it famous inhis idyllic romance, "The Log School House on theColumbia." It was a time when history was beingmade. The great tragedy at Waiilatpui was freshin the minds of the people. With such surroundingsone comes in touch with the spirit of history.6
Later on, I was purser upon the Lot Whitcomb,the first steamer ever built in Oregon, and came i