Dedicated to the Pioneers of Whitman County
The Brave Men and Devoted Women
Those Who Have Gone and those Who Remain
"Yet never a doubt, nay, never a fear,
Of old, or now, knew the pioneer."
PREFATORY,
In presenting this work to the public we are not sustained by any comfortable
consciousness that it is as complete or as accurate as might be wished. Its
preparation has been attended with much greater difficulty than one uninitiated
in the collection of detailed historical materials could well imagine. The
memories of ordinary men and women are strikingly deficient in the power to
retain initials, dates and details, and where it has been necessary to record
facts communicated orally the element of indefiniteness could not be eliminated.
We have not, however, trusted wholly to oral statements where it was at all
possible to verify them by reference to printed accounts, bearing in mind that
the newspapers of the time an event happens, though not infallible, are much
more likely to be correct than the unaided memories of men.
In the introductory portion of our work—that dealing with the early history of
the northwest—we have made free use of the investigations of other men.
Especially are we indebted to the excellent work on the subject written by the
late Hon. Elwood Evans; but we have received much assistance also from the works
of Bancroft, Hines and other writers. Professor W. D. Lyman, of Whitman College,
Walla Walla, is to be credited with the authorship of the chapters on Indian
wars (except that part of Chapter VIII which relates to the Steptoe and Wright
expeditions) and of that on "Missions of Walla Walla and the Whitman Massacre."
We have also made free use of his history of Walla Walla county, as we have also
of Rev. Jonathan Edwards' valuable history of Spokane county. Great gratitude is
due the Colfax Gazette and the Colfax Commoner for the use of their files,
without which this compilation could not have been made. Nor must we forget to
acknowledge the very valuable assistance rendered by Hon. James A. Perkins.
Captain James Ewart and B. H. Hulin, who listened for several evenings to the
reading of our manuscripts, calling attention to occasional errors and offering
many valuable hints and suggestions. To all who have in any way aided in the
compilation of the work, whether specifically named herein or not, we desire to
express our deep gratitude.
For the many imperfections of the work of which we are conscious, but which we
find ourselves unable, under the circumstances, to rectify, and for possible
others of which we may be in blissful ignorance, we must invoke the kindly
charity of the '' gentle reader."
We, the undersigned, after listening for several evenings to the reading of a
large portion of the manuscript containing the " History of Whitman County" to
be published by W. H. Lever, bear testimony that it gives evidence of extensive
reading and conscientious research, and presents—to our best knowledge—an
accurate, comprehensive and impartial record of events, and as such we endorse
and commend it.
T. A. PERKINS,
J. EWART,
B. H. HULIN
Committee of Citizens.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. EXPLORATIONS BY WATER.
Cortereal—Maldonado—The Strait of Anian—Ferrelo—Francis Drake—Juan de
Fuca—Admiral Pedro de
Fonte—In the Eighteenth Century Interest in the Northwest Revives—Vitus
Behring—Spanish Explor¬
ers—Captain James Cook—Inception of the Fur Trade—The Nootka Controversy—Its
Settlement—
Meares—Americans Enter the List of Explorers—Captains Kendrick and Gray—Gray
Meets Van¬
couver—Their Conference—Vancouver Explores Puget Sound—The Discovery of the
Columbia—Its
Exploration by Lieutenant Broughton
CHAPTER II. EXPLORATIONS BY LAND.
The Verendryes—Moncacht-ape— Alexander Mackenzie—Jefferson Meets Ledyard and
Becomes Interested
in his Scheme of Opening a Fur Trade—Ledyard's Experiences—Jefferson Makes
Another Effort
Toward Inland Exploration—It Fails—Recommends to Congress the Fitting out of an
Exploring Expedition—
The Lewis and Clarke Expedition—The Louisiana Purchase—Details of the
Expedition—
The Explorers Winter at Fort Clatsop—The Return Journey—Interest in the
Expedition
CHAPTER III. THE ASTOR EXPEDITION.
Profits of the Fur Trade—The Pacific Fur Company—Mr. Astor's Plan—The Northwest
Company's Per-
fidy—Personnel of the Company—Sailing of the Tonquin—Thompson Arrives at
Astoria—The Hunt
Expedition—The Beaver Arrives at Astoria—South Pass Discovered—Arrangements with
the Rus-
sians—War Declared—Apprehensions for Astoria—Preparations for Abandonment—Mr.
Astor's
Interests Transferred to the Northwest Company—Astoria Formally Captured—Its
Restoration to the
United States
CHAPTER IV. THE NORTHWEST AND HUDSON'S BAY COMPANIES.
Joint Occupancy Treaty—The Northwest Company—Its Political Animus—Its
Organization—Its Theory
of Trade—Contrasted with the Hudson's Bay Company—Lord Selkirk's
Scheme—Hostility ©f the
Northwest Company Thereto—Battle of June 19, 1816—Efforts to Soften
Competition—Hudson's Bay
Company Absorbs the Northwest Company—Regime of the Hudson's Bay Company in the
Oregon
Territory—Its Modus Operandi—lts Indian Policy—American Attempts at Competition—Jedediah
S.
Smith's Adventures—B. L. E. Bonneville—Nathaniel J. Wyeth's Scheme—Its
Failure—Political Mis-
sion of the Hudson's Bay Company—A New Charter Granted it—The Puget Sound
Agricultural Company
CHAPTER V. THE MISSIONS OF WALLA WALLA AND THE WHITMAN
MASSACRE.
Introductory Observations—Four Flathead Indians Visit St. Louis in Search of the
Book of Life—Their
Story Reaches the Churches—Jason Lee—Whitman and Parker—Trip of Whitman and
Spalding
with their Wives Across the Continent—Mission at Waiilatpu Established—Whitman's
Work-
Whitman's Midwinter Journey—Letter of Dr. Whitman to Secretary of War
Porter—Whitman's
Work in Stimulating Immigration—The Whitman Massacre—Its Causes—Its Effects—Mrs.
Jacobs'
Story—Mrs. Pringle's Christmas Experience—The Cayuse War—Effects of the
Martyrdom
CHAPTER VI. THE OREGON CONTROVERSY.
Claims of the United States Three-fold—Founded on its own Discoveries, the
Louisiana Purchase and the
Treaty of Florida—United States Claim an Absolute Right, England only a Right of
Occupancy-
Earliest Explorations too Vague—Later Explorations—Negotiations of
1824—Negotiations of 1826-7-
Joint-Occupancy Treaty of 1827—Effect of Joint-Occupancy Treaties—Growing
Knowledge of True
Conditions—The Discussions in Congress—Weakness in the Title of the United
States—The People
Take up the Contest—Immigration of 1843—Negotiations of 1831—Of 1842 and 1843—"
Fifty-four For-
ty or Fight"—Negotiations of 1845—Arbitration Proposals—England Offers
Forty-ninth Parallel to the
Sea—It is accepted and Controversy Appears Ended—War Clouds Again—Disagreement
About the
Channel Intended by Treaty of 1846—Lord Russel's Compromise Proposal—General
Harney's' Sum-
mary Proceedings—General Scott Sent to Adjust Matters—The Case Submitted to
Emperor William
of Germany—His Decision
CHAPTER VII. THE INDIAN WARS OF THE 'FIFTIES.
The Second Struggle for Possession—Extermination of the Indian Decreed by
Fate—History of Indian
Wars Full of Controverted Questions —Settlement at Frenchtown—Jealousy of
Indians Regarding En-
croachments of Whites—Kamiakin—Peupeumoxmox—Events Leading to the Great War of
1855—
The War of 1855—First Council of Walla Walla—The Treaty—Outbreak of the
War—Movements
of Haller—General Wool—Battle of Walla Walla—The Peupeumoxmox Matter—Colonel
Kelly's
Opinion—Mystery of the Matter—Commencement of the Firing—The Frenchtown Fight—Peupeu-
moxmox and other Hostages Killed—Opinions Concerning the Matter—Kelly's
Report—The Winter
Following the Battle—Governor Stevens—His Meeting with the Nez Perces—His
Official Report-
Charges Against General Wool
CHAPTER VIII. INDIAN WARS OF THE 'FIFTIES, CONTINUED.
Governor Steven's Defensive Measures—Colonel Cornelius' Campaign—The Cascades
Disaster—The Bat-
tle of Grande Ronde—Colonel Shaw's Description—Relations of Governor Stevens
with Wright and
Steptoe—The Second Great Walla Walla Council—Its Failure—Stevens' Report of his
Return from
the Council and of the Last Battle of Walla Walla—Accusations Against General
Wool—Result of
the War—Disappointment of the Volunteers—Major Garnett in the Yakima Country—The
Steptoe
Expedition—Its Fight with Indians—Fall of Gaston, Taylor and De May—The Camp—The
Horrible
Night Retreat—Meeting the Nez Perces—Narratives of the Expedition—Relics
Discovered Near
Rosalia—Interview with Indian Lewis—The Wright Expedition—Battle of Four
Lakes—Battle of
Spokane Plains—Peace
PART II.
WHITMAN COUNTY.
CHAPTER IX. SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION.
Introductory—First Settler in Washington—Simmons' Explorations—Thomas W.
Glasgow—Beginning of
Olympia—Steilacoom—New York Founded on Elliott Bay—Seattle Founded—Move for
Division of
the Territory—The Columbian—Territory of Washington Established—First
Officers—Governor
Stevens—Inception of Settlement in Eastern Washington—The Nez Perce Indian's
Story—E. D.
Pearce—Discovery of Gold at Oro Fino—The Gold Excitement—Its Effects on
Settlement—Inception
of Political Organization in Eastern Washington—Walla Walla County
Formed—Attempts to Organize
it—Success at Last—Original Spokane County—Stevens County Organized—It Absorbs
Spokane
County—Whitman County Organized—Boundaries—Hon. Anderson Cox—Changes in
Boundaries—
Present Boundaries
CHAPTER X.
PASSING EVENTS, 1869-1879.
Reasons for Walla Walla County's First Settlement—Inception of Settlement—J. A.
Perkins Settles at the
Forks of the Palouse—The First Saw Mill—First Shipment of Wheat—Inception of the
Fruit Industry-**-
The Indians—The Scare of 1877—Messrs. Bowman and Tipton'sTrip—Its Results—Rev.
H. T. Cowley's
Letter—Immigration—The Flood—William Pwoitz Drowned—The First Teachers'
Institute—The
Census of June, 1879
CHAPTER XI. PASSING EVENTS, 1879-1893.
Progress During Next Decade—The First Railroad—Stock Raising—Movement to Divide
the County—
Voorhees' Despatch—Looking Toward Statehood—The Walla Walla Constitutional
Convention—Mr.
Voorhees' Work—The Territory Admitted—Unusual Hail Storm—Whitman Delegates in
Constitu¬
tional Convention—Representative S. S. Cox's Tribute to the People of
Washington—Another Attempt
to Form a New County—Its Failure—First Superior Court—Severe Winter of
1839-'9O—Proposed
Railways—Whitman County's Part in Spokane Industrial Exposition—Quotation from
E. C. Warner-
New Move to Divide Whitman County—Efforts to Secure Agricultural College—Pullman
Wins—The
Daily Commoner—Prosperity in the Palouse Country—Assessed Valuations—The Pioneer
Association—
Attorney O. P. Hubbard Investigates Indian Depredation Claims—Life of Rev.
Cushing Eells—Tribute
to Him
CHAPTER XII. PASSING EVENTS, 1893-1901.
Blots in Whitman's County's Fair Record in the Lynching of Parker and Hill—Low
Price of Wheat and
the Stringent Financial Period Continued—Agricultural Fair Inferior to that of
Former Years—Agri¬
cultural Census—Bar Association Organized—Good Times Return in 1897, but
Agricultural Fair not
Good in Some of its Departments—Lynching of " Blackey "—Jack Leonard Executed,
the Only Legal
Hanging in Whitman County—Death of H. H. Spalding—Companies of Militia Organized
for War
with Spain—Crops Fairly Good in 1898 and Moderate Prosperity Continues—Great
Attendance at the
County Fair—Wm. Clifford Found Guilty of Embezzlement of Barley Stored in
Shawnee Warehouse
Assessment Roll for the Year 1900—Rumor of Discoveries of Natural Gas and
Petroleum in the Palouse
Country
CHAPTER XIII. POLITICAL HISTORY OF WHITMAN COUNTY.
First Officers—First Board of County Commissioners—Officers Elected—Results of
Election of 1876—Con-
tract for County Jail Let—Results of Election of 1878—Results of Election of
1880—Whitman County
Redivided into Precincts—Court House Proposition—Republican County
Convention—Democratic
Convention—Results of Election of 1882—Results of Election of 1886—Campaign of
1888—Results of
Election Following—Election of 1889—Democratic Convention of 1890—Republican
Convention—Pro¬
hibitionist Nominees—Results of Election—Democratic Convention of 1892—Inception
of Populism in
the County—Populist Platform—Populist Nominees—Mass Meeting of Citizens, March
3, 1894—Inves-
tigation Committee Appointed—Reports of Committee -County Poor Farm—Nominees in
1894—Re-
sults of Election—Campaign of 1896—Nominees of Various Parties—Results of
Election—Nominees
in 1898—Results of Election—Nominees in 1900—Results of Election
CHAPTER XIV. HISTORY OF COLFAX.
Inception of Settlement—The First Store—The First Schoolhouse—First Political
Conventions—First
Hotel—First Flouring Mill—First Marriage—First Newspaper—Whitman Land
District—The Bald-
win House—First Fire Department—Colfax Academy—Business in
1878—Incorporation—First Offi-
cers—The Flood—The First Fire—Fire of July 14, 1882—Rebuilding—Reincorporation—Silsby
Fire
Engine Purchased—Arrival of the Columbia and Palouse Railroad—Condition of
Colfax in 1888—
School District Bounded—Summary of 1891—Fire of April 22, 1893—Effect of Hard
Times—Return of
Prosperity—Board of Trade—Political History of Colfax
CHAPTER XV. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
Early Reports Inaccessible—District No. 1—Vicissitudes of First School—Early
County Superintendents—
First Teachers' Normal Institute—Schools in 1891—Higher Institutions—Standard of
Qualification
Among Teachers—Facts from Superintendent of Public Instruction's Report—Review
of Later County
Superintendents' Reports—Present Status of the School System—The State
Agricultural College—
Colfax College—Edwards College—St. Boniface School
CHAPTER XVI. TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, TELEPHONE CONNECTIONS,
ETC.
Steamboats—Stage Lines—Railroads—The Northern Pacific—Branches in Whitman
County—The Union
Pacific—Henry Villard—The O. R. & N.—Its Branches in Whitman County—Telephone
Lines—
Barbed Wire Telephones
CHAPTER XVII. THE WHITMAN COUNTY PRESS.
Pioneer Journalists—The Palouse Gazette—The Colfax Commoner—Newspapers in
1888—Newspapers of
To-day—The Pullman Tribune.
CHAPTER XVIII. LIEU-LAND LITIGATION.
Extended Narration Unnecessary—Immigration Outruns the Iron Horse—Lieu-Lands
Act—The Various
Maps—The Guilford Miller Case—President Cleveland's Letter—Secretary Vilas'
Decision—The Cole
Case—Railroad Company's Selection of 1885 Recognized—Trouble Settled by a Rider
to the Sundry
Civil Appropriations Bill
CHAPTER XIX. THE INLAND EMPIRE.
Beauty and Variety of Washington's Topography—Its Wealth—Quotation from Governor
Rogers—The
Inland Empire—Its Scenic Beauty—Its Resources—Its Mining Wealth—Quotation from
Spokes¬
man Review
CHAPTER XX.
SCENIC BEAUTY, GEOLOGY, AGRICULTURE, SOIL, CLIMATE, ETC., OF WHITMAN COUNTY.
Whitman County a Rugged Region—Impressions of a Visitor—Geological Theories—The
Story of Wish-
poosh—Steptoe Butte—Kamiak Butte—Water Supply of the County—Rock Lake—Indian
Supersti¬
tions Concerning it—Timber—Agriculture—" Intensive" Farming—Fruit Raising- The
Sugar Beet In¬
dustry—Wheat Raising—The Climate
CHAPTER XXI.
WHITMAN COUNTY TOWNS.
Tekoa—Farmington—Garfield-Elberton—Colfax—Its Business, Churches, Fraternities
and Environs
CHAPTER XXII. WHITMAN COUNTY TOWNS, CONTINUED.
Albion—Pullman—Palouse Oakesdale— Rosalia—Uniontown—Colton—Pampa—Endicott—Pine
City—
St. John—Thornton—Sunset—Almota—Penawawa—Wawawai—Riparia—Johnson—Staley—Diamond
—
La Crosse—Dunlor—Meeker—Hay—Winona
CHAPTER XXIII. REMINISCENT.
Interview with L. T. Boyd—Battle of McLoughlin's Canyon—Incident of the Indian
Scare—D. S. Bow¬
man's Story—Howard and Joseph—An Oakesdale Man in Trouble—A Terrible
Experience—The
Palouse River in Early Days
©Shauna Williams