Elijah White | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1806 (1806) New York |
| Died | April 3, 1879(1879-04-03) (aged 72–73) |
| Occupations | Missionary physician |
| Known for | Oregon Trail |
| Title | United States sub-Indian Agent |
Dr.Elijah White (1806–1879) was a missionary and agent for the United States government inOregon Country during the mid-19th century. A trained physician from New York State, he first traveled to Oregon as part of theMethodist Mission in theWillamette Valley. He returned to the region after a falling-out with mission leaderJason Lee as the leader of one of the first large wagon trains across theOregon Trail and as a sub-Indian agent of the federal government. In Oregon he used his authority to regulate affairs between the Natives and settlers, and even between settlers. White left the region in 1845 as a messenger for theProvisional Government of Oregon to theUnited States Congress, returning in 1850 before leaving again for California in the early 1860s.
White was born in New York, in 1806.[1] There he received his education, including medical training at a school of medicine inSyracuse, New York.[1] Prior to 1836 he married, and the couple had a son named Jason as well as adopting another son named George.[1] In 1836, White accepted an appointment to join Jason Lee in Oregon Country at theMethodist Church’s mission.[1] White and his family sailed to theSandwich Islands aboard the vesselHamilton, arriving in July 1836.[1] Others on the ship bound for the mission includedWilliam H. Wilson,Alanson Beers, and MissAnna Maria Pittman who became Lee's first wife.[2] On the islands both White and his wife taught to the Native Islanders until May 1837 when they continued on to Oregon.[1]
After arriving the family took up residence at theMethodist Mission along theWillamette River at Mission Bottom.[1] His infant son Jason drowned in 1838 after a canoe his wife andDavid Leslie were traveling in flipped over on theColumbia River.[1] His other son also drowned that year while trying to ford the Willamette River.[1] Elijah White and Jason Lee developed animosity towards each other and differences in opinion on the direction of the mission leading to White leaving in 1841 to return to the East.[1]
In 1842, White led the first wagon train over theOregon Trail that had more than 100 people.[1] Trapper and later politicianOsborne Russell served as guide to this migration.[3] The party set out on May 16, 1842, fromElm Grove, Missouri, with 112 people, 18 wagons, and a variety of livestock.[4][5] Along the journey, some in the migration grew wary of White’s leadership and L. B. Hastings was selected as leader for a time until the party split into two groups.[4]François X. Matthieu along with several other Canadians joined the party along the way toOregon.[4] White arrived atFort Vancouver ahead of the main party, arriving on September 20, 1842.[4]
White also returned as an official agent of the United States Government, after appointment as sub-Indian agent.[1] Also in 1842 in his official capacity he brokered a code of conduct for theNez Perce tribe as well as placating tensions with theWalla Walla andCayuse tribes near theWhitman Mission in the eastern section of the region.[1] In Oregon he served as teacher toWilliam J. Bailey, training Bailey as a doctor.[3] On September 22, 1842, White organized a meeting atChampoeg where he informed the settlers that he had been commissioned by theUnited States War Department as a sub-Indian Agent and implied that the pioneers could select him as their leader.[4][6] He appointed judges to deal with disputes between Native Americans and United States citizens, and even between citizens.[7]
In 1843, White was selected as one of twelve members of the secondWolf Meeting to determine if the settlers wanted to form a government while waiting for theOregon Question to be resolved.[1] He was not involved in the final meetings, but in May 1843 the settlers voted 52 to 50 in favor of creating theProvisional Government of Oregon.[6]
The following year White was involved with theCockstock Incident when the provisional government’s recorderGeorge LeBreton was killed by aMolala by the name of Cockstock.[1] He had tried to capture Cockstock prior to the bloodshed, and then worked to resolve tensions between the settlers and Native Americans after Cockstock and two settlers were killed.[7][8]
White then discovered a pass through theOregon Coast Range to what is nowNewport, Oregon in 1845 before leaving the region with a petition from the Provisional Government to theUnited States Congress that same year.[1] According to historianFrances Fuller Victor, White, through his exploration and advocacy for a southern cutoff to the Willamette Valley, may have been primarily responsible for the disastrousMeek Cutoff party of 1845.[9]
Elijah White returned to what had become theOregon Territory in 1850 to promote the community ofPacific City, Washington along the Columbia River.[1] Located near what is now Ilwaco, he partnered withJames Duval Holman to sell property to settlers.[1] White received a second commission as an Indian agent in 1861 for the region west of theRocky Mountains and moved to California.[1] Doctor Elijah White died on April 3, 1879, at the age of 73.[1]
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