Show THE occupation OF OREGON released through courtesy of tho the utah auh historical landmarks association SOO newhouse so building salt lake city utah the oregon country was a land of oc obscurity and mystery for many years a after the settlement of 0 eastorn united states tho the original area of this great unknown country GS as large as the thirteen original colonies comprised moro more than a quarter of a million square miles and was later divided into three great states washington idaho and oregon and d a part of two others wyoming and montana oregon territory Is unique in our history in that it was the only united sates st ates 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 territory w would make a plank one hundred feet wide one toot foot thick and two hundred fifty thousand miles long sir francis drako drake named the oregon coast now new albion as early as 1679 1579 it was reached by juan pere berezy a S spaniard Pan tard in 1775 and by captain james cook an englishman in 1 1778 oregon was first explored by white men from the sea by captain hobert gray who anchored by land in 1804 and 1895 18 T th bp 11 hudsons Hud sons bay corn com rany combined wa alth th the northwest pur fur company in 1831 and until 1843 there was a general recognition of 0 the of that company in this region in 1843 some enthusiastic americans established a provisional government british and canadians entered the oregon country in ig the role rola ot of trappers and traders trader s f while the american emigrants omi grants eiffe entered r ed as colonists from 1843 to 1846 oregon was a diplomatic negotiations territory 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 1859 whon it was admitted to the union the most important trading post in the oregon country was tho the one at vancouver presided over by chief factor dr john mcloughlin under his guidance the oregon country became the most profitable territory of the hudsons Hud sons day bay company to his post came jedediah Jod Jed edlah smith nathaniel wyeth marcus whitman waitman john C fremont and many others dr saw the possibilities of agriculture in the oregon country and his friendliness to the americans brought cen censure surl 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 Is burled buried at oregon city reverend pierre joaan apan delmot of i thie the society of jesus Jesu snot not pilly only traveled extensively in the oregon country Countr yI at an early date but also left excellent records of at his journeys in appearance pe arance father desmet was waa a man ot at unusual attractiveness with natural buoyancy and abundant good humor As a young man he was noted tor for his agility and strength qualities which fitted him tor for arduous travel in the w wilderness ld erness A belgian by birth he emigrated to america in 1821 completed his formal education and immediately med lately engaged in missionary york work with st louis as his headquarters he be covered a large part of wyoming montana oregon and washington brigham young consulted him on the character of the country in utah in 1851 he wrote an account of utah and great seg salt lake and also visited the state during his later years father desmet carr carried led on recorded exploration work for more than three decades ills his general attitude was conciliatory and tor lor much of our information we are indebted to this intrepid painstaking traveler the names of those who directed early fur trading organizations have passed into oblivion with tho exception of that of john jacob astor astor was a native of waldorf a small village a go near heidelberg germany 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 hu ho set out tor for america with seven mites flutes and twenty five dollars dollar a inside of six astor increased the dollars to two hundred fifty thousand an immense sum in those days his entrance into the fur busi business bess was accidental ci cid one of his shipmates across the atlantic was a fur trader and during an enforced stay in chesapeake bay astor became sold isola on the profits and advant agae agac of 0 the fur industry he hired out to a quaker fur trader for two colars a week and board beating and preparing tura furs ile he put in im all hia bis spore spare time learning everything possible about indians trappers and dealers with trinkets and gewgaws on his thack hack lia la tramped the woodland trails of western and northern lq w york visiting ano camps of 0 indians studying their languages and delving into the ways ot of the wilderness and the fur be bea in 1808 astor hai had k come a national figure joffern jette consulted him on the ex our commercial interests in the wea i in 1810 astor sent out tha afta ifta 1111 tonquin he founded fort astorg auto astoria which later became ro george the war of 1812 alsta conditions and astor relinquished b interest in the oregon counte conn astor was not lacking la in imachi nor ideals when ho he died la in loft an estate of thirty million doki do and founded a great american fu fai reverend Hever end marcus whitman n religious by nature and took a met i cal course through necess necessity itty practiced medicine in canada fort for years in 1834 he received d an from the amerlean Amerl can B of commissioners for r foreign 11 to c carry fry on work for th that t 01 g iz atlon in 1825 in comp company azzy reverend samuel parker he ha tro v as far west as green river but I 1 tit back ostensibly for the lurose securing funds recruits recruit a and ad d cupi although some accounts state that thi was waa on account of at difficulties wt reverend parker who found ilia him intolerable traveling companion in 1836 whitman married N barc prentiss immediately afterward k started west in company with lu bride reverend 11 H spalding 01 wife and william 11 gray amul A mi or er two miles above pacific aprim on the west slope of south P wyoming indicates the place aber vt this company camped on july 4 I 1 mrs whitman and mrs spam were the first white women to cm cr south pass and marcus Whitman Whit mans rj the first white man to take a W and cross the rocky mountains k earlier atti attempt ampt to cross the tha mount with wagons th year ended in the wind river riter VO mo bains in 1842 whitman ms to save the oregon country count rv tot I 1 united states state to do this heade ba inadi journey from oregon t to 0 D C in the winter of 3 passed through old fort hallow Hall tw miles northwest of pocatello fort uintah in northeastern W and yort fort uncompahgre sou south montrose in colorado this W unparalleled in history tor for conti endurance whitman established shea a m miss in 1842 discontent I 1 t u among the indians indiana 1 in 1848 1846 whid jinhe d until november 29 1847 dr whitman ME his wife and K by the ww ind others were massacred daught if miss mary bridger james bridger was la later ter r rasma I 1 peter M SL through the efforts of da d ogden helen marr meet two daa of joseph L meek died 1 ter the massacre Whit mans no principally com commemorated memOra ted whitman college f |