Methodist Mission in Oregon
These were maintained to allow for material independence from the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), then the preeminent economic entity in the region among European descendants.
Jason Lee's leadership was criticized by members attached to various posts; his failure to provide adequate financial accounting led to his dismissal in 1843 as superintendent.
While the main station in the Willamette Valley remained active in missionary efforts, it no longer held as much prominence in the changing political scene of Oregon.
Despite failure in converting the natives west of the Rocky Mountains, the Methodist Mission played a significant role in the westward expansion of the United States of America.
[2] The visit of St. Louis by the delegation was announced by William Walker, a Wydandot Methodist, who published an article in the Christian Advocate and Journal.
[3] President Wilbur Fisk of Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut was the first church leader to respond, by advising the establishment of a mission among the "Flathead" people.
Along the way two laypersons, Cyrus Shepard from Boston, Massachusetts, and Philip Leget Edwards, from Missouri were hired by Daniel to accompany them.
[6] After crossing the continent the Methodists met Thomas McKay of the British Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) at Wyeth's recently created Fort Hall.
Epidemics of malaria had begun to afflict the Kalapuya and neighboring Chinookan peoples of the Lower Columbia region starting in 1830, and continued throughout the decade.
Upon visiting the various indigenous tribes of the Lower Columbia region, Daniel Lee reported that they were the "most degraded human beings that we have met", and concluded that "the time is not far distant when the last deathwail will proclaim their universal extermination.
In the same year the Methodists received a small donation from McLoughlin and other employees of the HBC, hoping that God would "bless and prosper your pious endeavours.
[13] Included in the party was White's wife, William H. Willson, Anna Maria Pittman, Alanson Beers, Susan Downing, and Elvira Johnson.
[14] A second group consisting of a teacher, Margaret Jewett Smith Bailey, and two more ministers, David Leslie and H. K. W. Perkins, arrived at the Mission on September 7, 1837.
[15] As the number of members increased, missionaries added a large granary and hospital to Mission Bottom and eventually a small retail store was opened.
[14] Surplus manufactured goods were traded for items such as lumber or food stuffs with the French Canadian settlers and the Native Americans.
[19] In March 1838, Jason Lee and Phillip Edwards began the planned visit to the United States to recruit more laborers for the mission.
While waiting on an escort of the HBC headed to the annual rendezvous the party spent several weeks at the ABCFM missionary posts ran by Henry H. Spalding and Marcus Whitman.
[20] On this journey they carried a petition signed by 36 pioneer farmers from both the American and French-Canadian communities along with members of the Methodist mission asking the United States Congress to create a territory out of Oregon lying south of the Columbia River.
[21] Without the protection of the American government, a "good community" would not form and only "the reckless and unprincipled adventurer..." would move to the region the address warned.
[14] The lectures included speeches from William Brooks, and both speakers tended focused more on public donations than amassing pioneers to head West.
[23] Other members of the Oregon Mission had often mentioned in letters to the Board of the need to "civilize" the various native peoples before they could be converted.
[27] A party was organized in August 1840 composed of Jason Lee, a native guide, Hines and White to find a suitable location for the mission.
Under the impression that the doom of extinction is suspended over this wretched race, and that the hand of Providence is removing them to give place to a people more worthy of this beautiful and fertile country,...[29]When the housing at the Mission Bottom was complete, the Indian Mission School was built to be used to teach the Native American children the ways of Western society.
An assessment by mission members was not promising with the most positive feature being "quite a number had experienced religion here and died when in school and hopefully gone to heaven.
[26] Runaway students were treated as "criminals", and when caught "[they were] put in chains, severely whipped, &c., &c., guarded and kept in a high enclosure, like prisoners.
"[26] In Salem on January 17, 1842, at Jason Lee's home, a group of settlers met and formed the Oregon Institute as a school for the Euro-American children in the area, eventually evolving into present-day Willamette University.
[10] Additionally criticisms of Jason Lee from Elijah White, John P. Richmond, Gustavus Hines and other mission members were sent over the years to the board.
[32] After receiving instructions to detail the financial history of the mission, Lee admitted he "was not accountant enough to understand..."[19] No action by the Methodist Church was taken until July 1843, when Rev.
[35] Lee began to collect donations for the school he helped form, the Oregon Institute, and while in his hometown Stanstead on March 12, 1845, he died.
[4] In an endeavor with large sums of money were spent, the Methodist Mission of Oregon ultimately had results left in a "painful mystery".
