Show 77 THE occupation OF OREGON released through courtesy of th the utah historical landmarks association newhouse building salt lake city utah the oregon country was a land of 0 obscurity and mystery for many years after the settlement of eastern united states the original area of this great unknown country as largo large as the thirteen original colonies comprised more than a quarter of a million square miles and was later divided into three great states washington idaho and oregon and a d part of two others wyoming and montana oregon territory Is unique in our history story lil in that it was the only united states territory ever acquired through priority of discovery exploration and settlement also our only acquisition secured bloodshed or money incidentally the timber we acquired in the oregon Tarri territory tory would make a plank one hundred feet wide one foot thick and two hundred fifty thousand miles long sir francis drake named the oregon coast now new albion as aa early as aa 1579 it was reached by juan perez pere a spaniard in 1775 and by captain james cook an englishman in 1778 oregon was first explored by white men from the sea by captain aobert gray who anchored by land in 1804 and IS qa the abo hudsons Hud sons bay corn com pany combined with the northwest fur company in 1831 1891 and until 1843 there waa a general recognition of the au hority of that company in this region in 1843 some enthusiastic americans established a provisional ai government british and canadians entered the oregon country IQ in the role of trappers and traders while the american emigrants entered as colonists from 1843 to 1840 oregon was waa a diplomatic negotiations territory tor into which thousands thousand of emigrants swarmed over the oregon trail through wyoming and idaho the provisional government established by the americans existed from 1843 to 1869 1859 when it was admitted to the union the most moat Impo important trading post in the oregon country was the one oneat at vancouver presided over by chief factor dr john mcloughlin U under his guidance the or oregon egon country became the most profitable territory of the hudsons Hud sons bay company to his post camo came jedediah Jed edlah smith nn na chantel wyeth marcus marcua whitman john 0 and many others dr mcloughlin saw the possibilities of agriculture in the oregon country and his friendliness to the americans americana brought censure from his english company peter skene ogden his right hand man remained a true to the last mcloughlin spent his last days as an american citizen and la Is burled buried at oregon city R reverend pierre je apan an desmit of the society of jesus not only jonly traveled extensively in the oregon country at an early date but also left excellent records of his journeys in appearance pe arance father desmet was a man ot unusual attractiveness with natural buoyancy and abundant good humor As a young man he wes was noted tor for his agility and strength qualities which fitted him for arduous travel in the wilderness A belgian by birth ho he emigrated to america in 1821 completed his formal education and immediately med lately engaged in missionary work crork with st louis as his headquarters he covered a large part of wyoming montana idaho oregon and washington brigham young consulted him on the character of the country in utah in 1861 1851 he wrote an acco account of utah and great salt lake and also visited the ibe state during his later years father desmet carried on recorded exploration work for more than three decades ills his general attitude was conciliatory and for much of our information we are indebted to this intrepid painstaking traveler the names of those who directed e early irly fur trading organizations have passed into oblivion with the exception of that or of john jacob astor aster astor was a native of waldorf VV aldort a small vill age near heidelberg gormany germany ile he resided in london temporarily where he was associated with his brother in merchandising musical instruments A piano owned by john jacob astor and valued at ten thousand dollars was a feature at the unveiling of the astor monument at astoria in 1927 in 1783 he set out tor for america with seven flutes and twenty five dollars inside of six astor increased the dollars to two hundred fifty thousand an immense sum in those days ills his entrance into the fur business was accidental ci one of his shipmates ship matee across the atlantic was a fur trader and during an enforced stay in chesapeake day bay astor became sold on the profits and advantages ot of the fur industry he hired out to a quaker fur t trader rader tor for two colars a week and board beating and preparing furs ile he put in all his spare time learning everything possible about indians trappers and dealers with trinkets and gewgaws on abts hack he tramped the woodland trails ot of western arid and mor northern corthern thern new york visiting we camps of indians studying their languages and delving into the ways ot of the wilderness and the fur lealiu tea in 1808 astor had k come a national figure jeffera Jeff erp consulted him on the expansion our commercial interests in the rei rd lit in 1810 astor sent out the akay tonquin he founded fort astorg astoria which later became vor OB george the war of 1812 di disturbs conditions and astor relinquished lii interest in the oregon coulte astor was not lacking in nor ideals when he died la in left an estate of thirty million nill llon collm and founded a great american f reverend marcus whitman n religious by nature nature and took a ma ad cal course through necessity E practiced medicine in canada tor for ra c years in 1834 he received w aagaat from the amerlean Amerl can boi of commissioners for foral foreign 1 to carry on work for that orin ori iza tion in 1835 in compa company my i reverend samuel parker he trat ave as far west as green breon river but tur back ostensibly tor for the purpose bo securing curing funds recruits and although some gome accounts state that thai was on account of difficulties n i reverend parker who found him intolerable traveling companion in 1836 whitman married nud prentiss immediately afterward h started west in company with b bride reverend H H spalding al i wife and william vV illiam H gray amu A na er two miles above pacific on the west slope elope of south pas fa wyoming indicates the place wbk fali this company camped on july 4 IS mrs whitman and mrs were the first white women to cernok en south pass and marcus whitman ta the first white man to take a W and cross the rocky mountains i earlier attempt to cross the with wagons tt year ended in the wind river moi MOD bains in 1842 whitmar whitman was 1113 PIrd to save the oregon country tot rt t united states stata to do this hOmade he journey from oregon to lo wasfi washing D C in the winter of 1842 45 i 9 pa passed ased through old r bort ort hall twel miles northwest of pocatello ahroni fort uintah in northeastern northeast 6 r vw and fort uncompahgre south montrose an colorado T this trip unparalleled in history for conteh continue endurance whitman established a W in 18 1842 42 discontent t I 1 among the indians in 1846 which i tinned until november 29 1847 1 dr whitman his wife 1 I e an and d t f others were massacred by the nt ind miss mary bridger daughter james jamea bridger was later through the efforts of peter S ogden helen marr 31 meek ako tko dis W deedee daa W Y of joseph 4 meek aleek died two ter the massacre I 1 Ians B principally commee commemorated orated tw whitman college 4 |