Dr. John McLoughlin, the Father of Oregon

by Frederick V. Holman

"It was my good fortune to know him well during the last six years of his life, years which were embittered by what he considered an act of ingratitude after he had done so many acts of personal kindness to the early immigrants in their time of need. That Dr. McLoughlin was unjustly treated in this matter, few, if any, will deny. And I am very sure that a large majority of the people, in Oregon, at that time, condemned the act which took away his property, and tended to becloud his fame. And yet no act was ever done by the Territorial Government to assert its right to the Oregon City claim during the life of Dr. McLoughlin; and in 1862, five years after his death, the State of Oregon confirmed the title to his devisees upon the payment of the merely nominal consideration of $1,000 into the university fund. And so five years after he was laid in his grave an act of tardy justice was done at last to the memory of the grand old pioneer." It was largely through Col. Kelly's influence and actions that this act was passed in favor of Dr. McLoughlin's devisees.

Horace S. Lyman was a son of Rev. Horace Lyman, a Congregational minister who came to Oregon in 1849, and who founded the First Congregational Church of Portland in June, 1851. Horace S. Lyman grew up in Oregon and from his own knowledge, from personal association with pioneer missionaries and others, and from reading, he became well acquainted with the history of Oregon. He was the author of a "History of Oregon" published in 1903. His associate editors were Mr. Harvey W. Scott, Judge Charles B. Bellinger, and Prof. Frederic G. Young. In the fourth volume of this history, page 381, it is said: "Whether the justice of history, and the recognition of after times, when personal interests and partizan spites are dissipated, and a character like that of McLoughlin stands forth as one of the best ever produced under the British flag, and one of the best ever given to America, should be regarded as compensation for the injustice and sufferings of a life darkened in old age, may not be determined. Yet the historian must ever assert that a character worthy of perpetual commemoration and admiration, illuminating, by humanity and Christian doctrine, the dark chapters of wilderness life from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and setting a star of hope over the barracks of a mercenary trading company, is worth all personal sacrifice. It is of such acts that great history consists. Even to the Doctor himself, going down in old age and poverty, and doubting whether his family would have a support, and believing that he had better have been shot as a beast than to have so suffered, we may hope that it was but 'a light affliction, compared with the perpetual consciousness of a life of peace and good will sustained in a period menaced by war."

As I have said, my uncle, Daniel S. Holman, was one of the immigrants of 1843. He was then about twenty-one years old. He will be eighty-five years old the fifteenth of November, 1907. He lives at McMinnville, Oregon, strong in mind and body. When I was honored by being selected to deliver the address, I wrote him asking for his opinion of Dr. John McLoughlin, for I knew his feelings. He wrote me August 7, 1905. In this letter he said: "I received yours requesting me to tell you of some of the kind acts of Doctor McLoughlin. It would take more time than I have to speak of all the very good things that he did, but I can say that he did all that was in his power to do to help the starving, wornout and poverty stricken [immigrants] that came to Oregon. For the first three or four years after I came if he had not helped us we could not have lived in Oregon. At the time we came he sent his boats to The Dalles, free of cost, to help all that could not help themselves to go down the river. He also sent food and clothing to the destitute and gave it to them. He also furnished seed grain to everyone who wanted, and waited for his pay until they raised wheat to pay. The fact is there never was a better man than he was. He did more than any other man did to settle Oregon. History says Doctor Whitman was the man who saved Oregon to the United States, but that is not true. It was Dr. John McLoughlin of the Hudson's Bay Company. So says every man that is a man, that came to Oregon up to 1849. He furnished the entire immigration with food and clothing for the first year after we came. The people did not have money to live on and so he fed and clothed us all. Some never paid him but some did pay the good old man."

And he added a postscript to say that his wife thought he had not said enough about Dr. John McLoughlin. She has been my uncle's loving and faithful help-mate for more than fifty-nine years. She is a pioneer of 1846. She, too, is still strong, mentally and physically. My uncle said in the postscript: "I can say that I am sure no man could have done better than he did to us all. In the fall of 1845 I went out to meet the immigrants and was gone from home six or eight weeks without a change of clothing. I got back to Vancouver where the Doctor then lived. I was as ragged as I could be. I went to his office and told him I wanted some clothing, but had no money. He gave me an order to his son to let me have whatever I wanted in the store. He treated others as he did me. In 1848 he let every one who wanted to go to the mines have all they needed, on time, to go to California. Some never paid him. Have you anyone in Portland that would help any and all such men off to the mines on such chances of getting their pay? I don't think there is such a man in Oregon, or any other place. You can't say too much in his praise."

Joseph Watt, a pioneer of 1844, from whose "Recollections of Dr. John McLoughlin" I have already quoted, also said, in said Recollections:[77] "The next I saw of the Doctor was in Oregon City, he having stayed at Fort Vancouver until all the immigrants for that year [1844] had arrived. He was building a large flouring mill, at that time nearing its completion. He already had a saw mill in full blast, also was building a dwelling house, preparing to move to that place, which he did in the following spring. From that time to his death he was a prominent figure in Oregon City. Nothing pleased him better than to talk with the settlers, learn how they were getting along, their prospects, of their ability to live, and to help others. He was anxious that every one should be well and kept busy. He could not endure idleness or waste. Over-reaching, or, what we Americans call 'sharp practice,' he had no patience with whatever. As far as he was concerned all transactions were fair, straight-forward and honorable. Those who knew him best never thought of disputing his word or his declared intentions, although there were some high in authority who did this in after years, apparently for selfish motives; and through their representations, caused the U. S. Government to do an act of great injustice. But I am proud to be able to say that all, or nearly all of the first settlers, did not endorse the action, and never rested until the wrong was adjusted as nearly as it was possible to do so.... It appeared by common consent that he was practically the first governor of the great North Pacific Coast. No man ever fulfilled that trust better than Dr. John McLoughlin. He was always anxious over the Indian problem. No one understood the Indian character better than he did. All the Indians knew him as the great 'White Chief,' and believed whatever he said could be depended on; that he was not their enemy, but was strictly just with them in every thing;—could punish or reward, as he thought best, and no trouble grew out of it. But with the settlers the case was different.... Dr. McLoughlin! Kind, large-hearted Dr. John McLoughlin! One of nature's noblemen, who never feared to do his duty to his God, his country, his fellow-men and himself, even in the wilderness. The pioneers of this great North-West feel that they owe Dr. John McLoughlin a debt of gratitude above all price, and that they and their posterity will cherish his memory by a suitable monument placed on the highest pinnacle of fame within the State of Oregon."

Archbishop F. N. Blanchet came to Oregon in 1838 as Vicar-General of the Roman Catholic Church in Oregon. He was consecrated as Archbishop in Quebec in 1845. In his "Historical Sketches of the Catholic Church in Oregon" (published in 1878), from which I have already quoted, he also said of Dr. McLoughlin (pp. 8 and 9): "He was one of 'nature's noblemen' in every sphere of life. Of commanding presence, strict integrity, sound judgment, and correct principles of justice, no man was better qualified for the position he occupied as the father and friend of both the Indians and the whites who then jointly occupied the Pacific northwest. Dr. McLoughlin was the arbiter to whom both whites and Indians looked for the settlement of their differences, and the friend from whom they sought relief in all their difficulties.... Under the impartial supervision of this good and great man the business of the Hudson Bay Company prospered amazingly; he perpetuated peace between the Indians and the employes of the Company.... He also extended assistance to every immigrant whose necessities required it, and his good deeds have enshrined his name amidst the most honored of the pioneers of the Pacific Coast." And on page 71 Archbishop Blanchet said: "Dr. John McLoughlin was the father of the orphans and servants of the H. B. Co.; the father of the French-Canadian colonies of Cowlitz and Wallamette Valley; of all the American immigrants; and a great benefactor of the Catholic Church."

It will be remembered that Rev. Daniel Lee was a Methodist missionary, who came to Oregon in 1834. He worked faithfully and earnestly for about ten years when he returned to the Eastern States. He continued in the ministry and died about 1895. His son, Rev. William H. Lee, is the Pastor of the People's Mission Church at Colorado Springs. He was in Portland in 1905. In answer to the inquiry of Mr. G. H. Himes, Assistant Secretary of the Oregon Historical Society, Rev. William H. Lee wrote the following letter at his home, July 31, 1905, to Mr. Himes: "As the son of a pioneer Oregon Missionary I wish to add my tribute of respect to the memory of Dr. John McLoughlin. For 10 years my father Rev. Daniel Lee labored in missionary work in Oregon and during all these years John McLoughlin was his friend. When my Father and Mother were united in marriage it was within the hospitable walls of Ft. Vancouver and we treasure a marriage certificate signed by John McLoughlin as one of the witnesses. Many times have I heard my Father and Mother speak of the kindness of Dr. John McLoughlin. And one of the most pleasant memories of my recent visit to Portland was the privilege I had of stopping in Oregon City and placing some flowers on the grave of my Father and Mother's friend."

The well known writer, S. A. Clarke, who was an Oregon immigrant of 1850, published a two volume work in 1903, entitled: "Pioneer Days of Oregon History." In this work (vol. 1, pp. 214, 215) Mr. Clarke says of Dr. McLoughlin: "It was because of his loyalty to humanity and his kindness to Americans that he lost his high official station and was left almost heartbroken in his old age. We can afford to hold up in contrast those who profited by his bounty and left him to pay the bill; also those—be they Missionaries or who—that tried to rob him of his land claim, with the nobler minded man—John McLoughlin—who did so much and lost so much for humanity, and never expressed regret."

Mr. Clarke in this work (vol. 1, p. 226) narrates the following incident, which was told to him by Dr. William C. McKay, who was a grandson of Mrs. Dr. John McLoughlin. It will be remembered that her first husband was Alexander McKay, who was killed in the capture of the Tonquin in 1811. "In 1843 William Beagle and family reached Vancouver destitute, and he had the typhus fever. McLoughlin heard of it and told Dr. Barclay there was a sick and destitute family at the landing; to fix up a house for them, make them comfortable and attend to the sick.

"Dr. W. C. McKay had just returned from the States where he pursued medical studies. So the doctor invited him to assist in taking care of his patients. There was the mother and several children, who had all they needed for two months, until Beagle got better, when he went to Governor McLoughlin and asked what his bill was. 'Tut, tut, tut! bill, bill, bill! Take care of yourself, sir! That is the bill!" Beagle pleaded that even the doctor couldn't afford to take care of his family and treat them so long without pay. 'Tut, tut, tut,' was the reply. 'You do the best you can for some other man who is in trouble, and that will pay me.'