Elkanah Walker and Mary Richardson Walker papers
Scope and Contents
The collection consists largely of typescript and photostatic copies of the Walkers' diaries and papers, although the original of Elkanah Walker's 1842 diary is included, along with a few original letters.
The collection includes Elkanah Walker's diaries for 1838, 1841, and 1842, and Mary Richardson Walker's diaries for 1838, 1847, and 1852. Diary entries from 1838 to 1847 describe the Walkers' overland journey with fellow missionaries William H. Gray, Cushing Eells, and Myra F. Eells, including hardships along the trail, child bearing and nursing, and arguments among the missionaries; and missionary work both at the Whitman mission at Waiilatpu and the Walkers' own mission at Tshimakain. Mary Richardson Walker's 1852 diary describes life in Forest Grove, Oregon.
The collection also includes correspondence of Elkanah Walker (1837-1868) and Mary Richardson Walker (1828-1885) concerning religious and personal matters, mission operations, the Whitman killings, and the Cayuse War. Correspondents include Henry Harmon Spalding, Marcus Whitman, Narcissa Prentiss Whitman, William Henry Gray, David Greene, Cushing Eells, Peter Skene Ogden, John Lee Lewes, and Mary Richardson Walker's parents, Joseph Richardson and Charlotte Richardson. Some letters contain anti-Catholic and anti-Indigenous sentiments.
Additional materials in the collection include: an 1865 letter from one of Elkanah Walker and Mary Richardson Walker's sons, Cyrus H. Walker, to another of the Walkers' sons, brother Samuel T. Walker, about military service at Fort Hoskins; and Samuel T. Walker's handwritten transcript of an 1853 letter sent to Elkanah Walker, with Samuel T. Walker's own commentary.
Dates
- 1828-1931
- Majority of material found within 1838-1868
Creator
- Walker, Elkanah, 1805-1877 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Biographical note
Reverend Elkanah Walker (1805-1877) was a Congregational missionary in Oregon and Washington. He was born in North Yarmouth, Maine, and graduated from Bangor Theological Seminary in 1837. Following his ordination in 1838, he came overland to the Oregon Country to convert the Spokane people, bringing along his bride, Mary Richardson Walker (1811-1897), with whom he would have seven children. The Walkers established their mission at Tshimakain (the place of the springs) in a part of the Oregon Territory that would later become northeastern Washington State, where they studied the Npoqínišcn (Spokane) language and prepared a primer which was published by the Mission Press at Henry H. Spalding's mission at Lapwai.
After the Whitman killings in 1847, the Walkers moved to Oregon City, Oregon, where they assisted in the organization of the Congregational Association. In 1848 they helped establish the Tualatin Academy (later Pacific University) at Forest Grove, and they moved to the Forest Grove area in 1850 to begin farming. They lived there the rest of their lives, taking an active role in religious and educational matters. Elkanah Walker died on November 21, 1877, and Mary Richardson Walker lived until 1897.
Extent
0.5 Cubic Feet (1 legal document case; 1 shared reel of microfilm)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Diaries, correspondence, and other papers of Elkanah Walker and his wife, Mary Richardson Walker, missionaries in the Oregon Territory in the mid-19th century. The diaries describe their overland journey and efforts to establish a mission among the Spokane Indigenous people. Correspondents in the collection include other missionaries such as Henry H. Spalding, Narcissa Prentiss Whitman, Marcus Whitman, and John Lee Lewes. Most of the materials are typescript or photostatic copies, except the Elkanah Walker diary of 1842 and a small number of letters. Also includes some correspondence by the Walkers' children.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in three series: Series 1. Elkanah Walker papers; Series 2. Mary Richardson Walker papers; Series 3. Other family papers.
Other Finding Aids
The 1838 diaries of Elkanah Walker and Mary Richardson Walker are described in "Overland passages: a guide to overland documents in the Oregon Historical Society," entries 214 and 215. Mary Richardson Walker's 1838 diary is also listed in "Platte River road narratives," entry 43.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquired prior to 1971, mostly in the late 19th century, early 20th century, and mid-20th century, including acquisitions in 1896, 1900, 1906, 1945, and 1947 (RL2021-028-RETRO, RL2021-029-RETRO, RL2021-030-RETRO, RL2021-031-RETRO, RL2021-032-RETRO, RL2021-033-RETRO. RL2021-034-RETRO, RL2021-035-RETRO, RL2021-036-RETRO, Lib. Acc. 29208).
Existence and Location of Originals
Originals located at Washington State University, Pullman, Washington; Yale University Library, New Haven, Connecticut; the Houghton Library at Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts; and the Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Bibliography
- American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
- Cayuse Indians -- Wars
- Indians of North America -- Missions -- Northwest, Pacific
- Missionaries
- Missionaries -- Northwest, Pacific
- Overland Journeys to the Northwestern United States
- Overland journeys to the Pacific
- Spokane Indians -- Missions
- Walker, Elkanah, 1805-1877
- Walker, Mary Richardson, 1811-1897
- Whitman Massacre, 1847
- Women missionaries -- Northwest, Pacific
Creator
- Walker, Elkanah, 1805-1877 (Person)
- Walker, Mary Richardson, 1811-1897 (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Elkanah Walker and Mary Richardson Walker papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Todd Welch; revised by Jeffrey A. Hayes
- Date
- 2006; revised 2021
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Revision Statements
- 2018 April: Revised to include addition of letters found in the OHS institutional archives and to reflect current best practices.
- 2021: Revised to better conform to current standards and to more accurately describe contents.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org