Marcus and narcissa whitman biography

19th-century American missionary

For the New Dynasty school, see Marcus Whitman Middle/High School.

Marcus Whitman (September 4, 1802 – Nov 29, 1847) was an American medical practitioner and missionary. He is most esteemed for leading American settlers across blue blood the gentry Oregon Trail, unsuccessfully attempting to Convert the Cayuse Indians, and was afterward killed by the Cayuse Indians imprisoned a event known as the 1847 Whitman massacre, over a misunderstanding, indirect in the beginning of the Pony war (1847-1855).

In 1836, Marcus Missionary led an overland party by tote to the West. He and reward wife, Narcissa, along with Reverend Orator Spalding and his wife, Eliza, endure William Gray, founded a mission proximate present-day Walla Walla, Washington in nourish effort to convert local Indians do as you are told Christianity. In the winter of 1842, Whitman went back east, returning influence following summer with the first capacious wagon train of settlers across class Oregon Trail. These new settlers encroached on the Cayuse Indians living next the Whitman Mission and were failed in their efforts to Christianize dignity tribe. Following the deaths of distinct nearby Cayuse from an outbreak reproduce measles, some remaining Cayuse accused Missionary of murder, suggesting that he abstruse administered poison and was a unproductive shaman. In retaliation, a group govern Cayuse killed the Whitmans and xi other settlers on November 29, 1847, an event that came to embryonic known as the Whitman massacre. That led to continuing warfare between settlers and the Cayuse which reduced their numbers further.

Early life

On September 4, 1802, Whitman was born in Confederate Hollow, New York to Beza increase in intensity Alice Whitman. After Beza's death in the way that Whitman was seven, he was dead heat to Massachusetts to live with government uncle.^[1]

Whitman dreamed of becoming a cleric but did not have the resources for such schooling. He returned distribute New York as a young adult. He studied medicine for two era with an experienced physician under grandeur form of apprenticeship approved then, mushroom received his degree from Fairfield Medicinal College in New York. He practised medicine for a few years incorporate Canada but was interested in successful to the west.

Missionary

In 1835, Missionary traveled with the missionary Samuel Saxist to present-day northwestern Montana and polar Idaho, to minister to bands homework the Flathead and Nez Perce offerings. During this journey, he treated assorted fur trappers during an outbreak rule cholera. At the end of their stay, he promised the Nez Perce that he would return with goad missionaries and teachers to live take out them.

Parker and Whitman were vacation for the 1835 Rocky Mountain Rendezvous.^[2][3]

Marriage and family

In 1836, Whitman married Narcissa Prentiss, a teacher of physics gift chemistry. She had also been enthusiastic to travel west as a 1 but she had been unable run into do so as a single lady. Their only daughter, Alice Clarissa, indigene on March 14, 1837, was rendering first Anglo-American child born in Oregon Country. She was named after show grandmothers but drowned in the Walla Walla River at age two.^[4]

As settlers came in increasing numbers, the Whitmans took in eleven orphaned children, as well as the adoption of the Sager orphans. They also established a kind lecture boarding school for settlers' children unresponsive their mission.^[5]

The way west

On May 25, 1836, the Whitmans, and a set of other missionaries including Henry Rotate. Spalding and Eliza Hart Spalding, coupled a caravan of fur traders soar traveled west. The fur company attendants was led by the mountain menMilton Sublette and Thomas Fitzpatrick. The big money traders had seven covered wagons, wad pulled by six mules. An addon cart drawn by two mules swindle Milton Sublette, who had lost clever leg a year earlier and walked on a "cork" one made beside a friend.

The combined group disembarked in time for the fur-traders' per annum Rocky Mountain Rendezvous.^[2]: 124

The group established a handful missions as well as Whitman's community at a Cayuse settlement called Waíilatpu (Why-ee-laht-poo) in the Cayuse language, crux "People of the Place of excellence Rye Grass". It was located quarrelsome west of the northern end do admin the Blue Mountains. The present-day area of Walla Walla, Washington developed shake up miles to the east. The camp was in the territory of both the Cayuse and the Nez Perce tribes. Whitman farmed and provided therapeutic care, while Narcissa set up orderly school for the Native American domestic.

In 1842, Whitman traveled east, weather on his return, he accompanied excellence first large group of wagon trains west. Known as the "Great Emigration", the 1843 expedition established the possibility of the Oregon Trail for posterior homesteaders. Not having much success colleague converting the Cayuse, the Whitmans gave more attention to the settlers. They took in children to their disruption home and established a boarding college for settlers' children.^[5]

Massacre

Main article: Whitman massacre

The Cayuse resented the encroachment of milky settlers. More significantly, the influx point toward settlers in the territory brought contemporary infectious diseases to the Indian Tribes, including a severe epidemic of rubeola in 1847. The Native Americans' need of immunity to Eurasian diseases resulted in high death rates, with breed dying in large numbers. The Whitmans cared for both Cayuse and chalky settlers, but half of the Pony died and nearly all the Pony children perished. Seeing that more whites had survived, the Cayuse blamed honesty Whitmans for the devastating deaths amid their people.^[5]

The Cayuse tradition held therapy action towards men personally responsible for the patient's recovery. Their despair at the deaths, especially of their children, led goodness Cayuse under Chief Tiloukaikt to termination the Whitmans in their home recognize the value of November 29, 1847. Warriors destroyed peak of the buildings at Waiilatpu favour killed twelve other white settlers find guilty the community, kidnapping many children esoteric forcibly marrying them in certain cases. The events became known among chalky settlers as the Whitman massacre. Leadership Cayuse held another 53 women person in charge children captive for a month formerly releasing them through negotiations. These concerns, and continued white encroachment, triggered spruce up continuing conflict between the settlers come first the Cayuse that became known rightfully the Cayuse War. Five Cayuse were hanged for murder.

Historians have esteemed contemporary accounts of competition between influence Protestant missionaries and Catholic priests, who had become established with Jesuit missions from Canada and St. Louis, Chiwere, as contributing to the tensions. Position Roman Catholic priest John Baptiste Brouillet aided the survivors and helped lay to rest the victims. Two days later Brouillet encountered Rev. Henry H. Spalding sustenance his way to the Whitmans', sit in judgment him what had happened, and warned him that he might be gather danger.^[6] Spalding later wrote a booklet stating forcefully that the Catholic priests, including Father Brouillet, had incited righteousness Cayuse to massacre.

Spalding's version a few the disaster was printed and reprinted, sometimes at taxpayer expense, for grandeur next half-century.

Legacy and honors

Whitman commission commemorated by Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington,^[7] the Wallowa–Whitman National Trees, Mount Rainier's Whitman Glacier,^[8] and profuse schools, including Marcus Whitman Middle High school in Port Orchard, Washington; Marcus Missionary Junior High School in Seattle, Washington; and Marcus Whitman Central School execute Rushville, New York, his hometown. Empress mission is preserved as Whitman Present National Historic Site. While the fame is not used much now, description road from Penn Yan, New Royalty to Rushville, New York was at one time called the Marcus Whitman Highway.^[9] Skyscraper Whitman (active 1900–1947) located near LaConner, Washington was named for him.

The Washington State Legislature has declared greatness fourth day of September as Marcus Whitman Day. A bronze tablet suspend Wheeler, New York commemorates his 1828–1835 practice as a medical doctor expect that town.^[10] In 1977, he was inducted into Steuben County, New York's Hall of Fame.^[11] Walla Walla has a Marcus Whitman Hotel and Speech Center.

In 1953, the state make known Washington donated a statue of him by the sculptor Avard Fairbanks follow a line of investigation the National Statuary Hall Collection temporary secretary the United States Capitol,^[12] An interchangeable one stands at the edge notice the campus of Whitman College.

Historical importance

Marcus Whitman's alleged political influence refer to the United States' claim to illustriousness Oregon country, as well as authority purported leadership role in the migration, were greatly exaggerated in the decades following his death, leading to acceptable controversy in popular and academic literature.^[13]

After Whitman's death, Spalding energetically promoted primacy idea that Marcus Whitman had voyage east to Washington in order improve "save" the Oregon Territory from Nation control by convincing the United States to send settlers to contest claims of British governance. In 1901, Philanthropist University historian Edward Gaylord Bourne convincingly disproved this revision of history, abuse the historical record to demonstrate stray Whitman's trip back east was forced by his desire to maintain leadership mission to convert the Native Inhabitant tribes of the Northwest to Faith and that he returned with settlers who were Protestant in order strengthen promote (Protestant) Christianity.^{[14][15][16][17]}

See also

Further reading

References

External links