Chapter 16

PRESTON HALL, WAITSBURGPUBLIC SCHOOL, WAITSBURGFACULTYWalter Irvine Smith, president, mathematics and astronomy; Elder O. A. Johnson, Bible and ecclesiastical history; Elder F. S. Bunch, Bible and pastoral training; George W. Rine, history and public speaking; Winifred Lucile Holmden, ancient and modern languages; J. Alvin Renninger, English and Biblical literature; Clara Edna Rogers, rhetoric; Bert Bryan Davis, normal director, psychology and education; William Miller Heidenreich, German; Arthur C. Christensen, chemistry and biology; George Kretschmar, physics and mathematics; A. Wilmar Oakes, director of music, violin, orchestra and chorus; Grace Wood-Reith, pianoforte and voice; Estella Winona Kiehnhoff, pianoforte, voice and harmony; ——, stenography and typewriting; William Carey Raley, bookkeeping and accountancy; Win S. Osborne, art.NORMAL CRITIC TEACHERSCharles Oscar Smith, grades seven and eight; Grace Robison-Rine, grades five and six, intermediate methods; Rosella A. Snyder-Davis, grades three and four, manual arts; Anna Aurelia Pierce, grades one and two, primary methods.INDUSTRIAL DEPARTMENTSFrank W. Peterson, superintendent; Glen R. Holden, printing; Wm. B. Ammundsen, carpentry; Philip A. Bothwell, baking; Mrs. R. D. Bolter, dressmaking; Mrs. F. W. Vesey, cooking.The catalog shows an enrollment of 293 pupils.From a historical and educational standpoint there is no more interesting institution under private control than theFORMER WAITSBURG ACADEMYThat community of beautiful homes and intelligent citizens, of which much more will be said in other parts of this work, has always recognized the value of education, and it is not surprising to find a demand in the early days for a more advanced type of education than that afforded by the common schools. During the first part of the decade of the '80s that demand eventuated in the appointment by the United Presbyterian Church of Rev. Joseph Alter in 1884 to go to Eastern Washington as a general organizer of home missionary and educational work. The church founded by Mr. Alter secured Rev. W. G. M. Hays as its pastor in 1886. Being filled with the spirit of the need of higher education and encouraged by ample evidence of probable support of a first-class academy, Doctor Hays became a steadfast advocate of such an undertaking and on September 14, 1886, the church building was opened for the meeting of the first classes, Prof. J. G. Thompson being placed in charge of the work. At that time the academy had no corporate existence and no board of trustees. But in 1887 the infant institution was adopted by the synod of Columbia of the UnitedPresbyterian Church of North America and became regularly incorporated with its first board of trustees consisting of the Revs. Hugh F. Wallace, W. G. Irvine, W. A. Spalding, W. G. M. Hays, and J. H. Niblock, and Messrs. A. W. Philips, David Roberts, E. F. Cox, T. J. Hollowell, and J. E. Vans. In May, 1887, in pursuance of the plans of the board, a joint stock company was organized to conduct the academy. Six thousand dollars was raised, of which $4,000 was devoted to a building and the remainder to supplementing tuition as a means of maintenance. During the ten years following the founding, Doctor Hays, Rev. W. R. Stevenson, and Miss Ina F. Robertson made journeys east for the purpose of securing funds for building and endowment. As a result of the last campaign of Miss Robertson, funds were secured for an excellent building which was erected in 1896. During the entire term of its existence Waitsburg Academy received the respect and support of the community, and its teachers were men and women of the highest type.The principals with their terms of service were these: J. G. Thompson, 1886-9; T. M. McKinney, 1889-90; W. G. M. Hays, 1890-1; Ina F. Robertson, 1891-4; and Rev. J. A. Keener, 1894, to the termination of the life of the institution. For rather sad to relate Waitsburg Academy, in spite of all its excellent work and a growing body of alumni enthusiastic in its support, found itself in the situation which has confronted practically all such educational institutions in the West. When high school instruction was undertaken at Waitsburg it was found that the interest and desire to support that public system was so general that the support of the academy fell off, and though the people of the community had no sentiment other than of commendation, yet their first interest was in the public school system. As an inevitable sequence the academy found it wise to disband. Its building was sold to the district and there the public school work of part of the city is conducted. The academy, though disbanded, had performed a great mission, and the present excellent high school, as well as the general culture and intelligence apparent in the beautiful little City of Waitsburg, may be attributed in large degree to the noble work of the academy.We have elsewhere given a general view of the public school systems of the county, and in that the schools of Waitsburg appear. But there is one feature of the schools of Waitsburg already named so unique and interesting as to call for further special mention. This is Preston Hall, connected with the high school. This beautiful and well-equipped building was the gift of one of the noblest and most philanthropic citizens of the Inland Empire, a man of whom old Walla Walla County, and particularly Waitsburg, may well be proud. This was W. G. Preston. This big-souled and big-brained builder of the large affairs of his community, had a deep sense of the value of practical industrial training for the growing youth of the land. Carrying out his favorite idea he gave about twenty-six thousand dollars for the creation of a building, with suitable equipment for the best type of industrial education, as well as gymnastic training. While this was but one of the many contributions to the advancement of the community in which the Preston family lived so long and so well, it is perhaps the one which will be most wide-reaching in influence and the one which will perpetuate most effectively the influence of its donor.Before leaving the subject of the schools it may be suitable to note thefact that the schools in what was old Walla Walla County, as well as the narrower limits which now retain the name, have during the past ten or fifteen years shown a great tendency to build more beautiful and better equipped houses. This has been due partly to the increase in wealth and culture and to the general recognition that the old bare unlovely and forsaken-looking schoolhouses of the earlier times are an affront to the progressive spirit of a time which is demanding the best for the boys and girls, but much of the motive power of this great improvement must be attributed, in Walla Walla County, to the last two superintendents of schools, Mrs. Josephine Preston and Paul Johnson. During the eight years of service of these two efficient public officials the idea of the rural school as a community center and a focus of social life has gained a hold on public interest and support truly wonderful. A debt of gratitude is due these and other incumbents of the same office in the other counties covered by this work in inaugurating a new era in school architecture and beautification of grounds. The influence of this on coming generations for character, patriotism, and efficiency, as well as artistic taste and general culture, will be incalculable. It is fitting that special note be made here of the fact that in the smaller towns of Walla Walla County, Prescott, Touchet, Dixie and Attalia, the school buildings represent large outlay and contain the best modern features. If there is one thing more than another in which the people of this section may take satisfaction, it is the school system, both town and rural.There is another institution in Walla Walla of rare interest, which while not educational is allied with that branch of social progress. We refer to the Stubblefield Home. From Mr. C. M. Rader, one of the trustees, we derive the following account of this noble institution.STUBBLEFIELD HOMETo Joseph Loney Stubblefield and his good wife Anna, are indebted the children and widows who in the past have been, or in the future may become members of this home. In early life Mr. and Mrs. Stubblefield experienced the hardships incident to poverty. They emigrated from Missouri in the early '60s and settled about seven miles southeast of Walla Walla, where by most frugal habits and great industry they accumulated, for the early days, a considerable fortune. The wife died in 1874 without issue. She and her husband often talked of the great need of a home for caring for aged widows and orphan children and the wife said she wanted her money to be used for such purpose. She left no will, except as it was impressed in the heart of her husband.On November 16, 1902, six months after making his will, Joseph L. Stubblefield died at the age of seventy-eight years. By the thirty-first clause of this will he left about one hundred and thirty thousand dollars, the bulk of his accumulations, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a home for "fatherless or motherless and indigent children, and worthy elderly indigent widows, residents of Washington and Oregon." This fund was willed to R. M. Dorothy, E. A. Reser and Cary M. Rader, who were named as trustees to manage the fund and the home to be established. These trustees were appointed to serve for life, unless any should resign or be removed. The successors of these trustees underthe terms of the will are to be appointed by the county commissioners of Walla Walla and Umatilla counties, acting jointly but by and with the consent of the two trustees remaining on the board. A second wife, whom Mr. Stubblefield had amply provided for, attempted to break the will by proceedings in court, but the will was fully sustained both in the Superior and Supreme courts of Washington.Numerous citizens interested themselves in an attempt to secure the location of the home near Walla Walla and raised a donation of something more than ten thousand dollars to assist in purchasing a suitable site. The trustees purchased the present grounds consisting of forty acres about one mile southeast of the City of Walla Walla and there on November 16, 1904, exactly two years after the death of Mr. Stubblefield, with appropriate ceremonies, the home was formally opened with Alphonso R. Olds as superintendent and his wife Etta C. Olds as matron.The home remained under the very efficient management of these good people for eight years. On their resignation, occasioned by ill health, Luther J. Campbell and wife Maggie were appointed respectively as superintendent and matron, and have since been in charge of the institution. R. M. Dorothy, in 1912, resigned as trustee and was succeeded on the board by Francis M. Stubblefield, a nephew of Joseph L. Stubblefield. These are the only changes of officials connected with the institution.The home rapidly filled after the opening and there has since rarely been a vacancy for any considerable time. The number of members in the home is usually close to twenty-five and of these most are children. There have never been more than three widows in the home at one time. The children are taught to work and soon become quite expert for children—the boys as gardeners and the girls at household duties. In 1915 a team of three girls from the home won a prize at the Walla Walla County Fair and also at the State Fair as experts in canning fruits and vegetables. The children attend school at the Berney Graded School.The fund left by Mr. Stubblefield, by judicious handling, has about doubled and is at present mostly invested in wheat lands, which furnish sufficient income to defray all expenses.THE CHURCHES OF WALLA WALLA COUNTYAs elsewhere in this work we speak first of the institutions located in Walla Walla City itself. By reason of priority of settlement the institutions of all sorts growing around that point were representative of the entire region and hence belong as truly to the parts which subsequently were set aside for other counties. We shall elsewhere endeavor to give similar brief views of the churches of the other parts of the region covered by our story. As will be obvious to the reader, the limitations of space compel us to consider the churches as a whole, important as they are in the life of the community, without dwelling upon details, significant and inspiring as they often are. Practically all the leading Christian denominations have been represented in Old Walla Walla. The Methodist seems to have been the pioneer among the Protestant denominations, though the Catholic was first to provide a place of worship. It was in 1859 that a structure of piles driven into the ground and covered with shakes was prepared for worship by the Catholics of the little community on Mill Creek. The location was near the present lumber yard on Third Street and Poplar. In 1860 the Methodists built the first regular building on the corner of the present Fifth and Alder. That church had various vicissitudes, for it subsequently moved to Second and Alder and was used for a time as a house for the hosecart of the fire department. Later on it received a second story and became the "Blue Front," still later burned.Congregational ChurchWhite Temple Baptist ChurchCentral Christian ChurchPresbyterian ChurchCHURCHES OF WALLA WALLAWe give here a sketch of the early history of the Methodist Church, not with the desire to overemphasize that denomination at the expense of others, but that by reason of its pioneer nature it was peculiarly typical of the first days. We take this from a historical report prepared by J. M. Hill and E. Smith and presented at the conference at Walla Walla on February 7, 1900. This report contains so much interlocking matter of different kinds as to give it a permanent value:"On page seventy-four of Rev. H. K. Hines' Missionary History of the Pacific Northwest, we find that the first sermon preached west of the Rocky Mountains was delivered by Rev. Jason Lee at Fort Hall, on Sunday, July 27, 1834. And in a book entitled Wild Life in Oregon, on pages 176-7, we will find that the first Methodist sermon preached at or near Walla Walla was by the Rev. Gustavus Hines, on May 21, 1843, at Doctor Whitman's mission, six miles west of this city. Rev. Gustavus Hines also preached at Rev. H. H. Spalding's Lapwai mission, on Sunday, May 14, 1843.We find that the first Methodist Episcopal Church organization that was perfected in Walla Walla, or in that part of the country known as Eastern Oregon or Eastern Washington, was in 1859, and at that time the Walla Walla Valley was just commencing to be settled up with stock raisers and traders. The Town of Walla Walla was the principal or most important point, the United States military post being located here, and this place having become the wintering place for miners, packers and freighters from the mines north and east of this country.The Oregon conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, having jurisdiction over the church work in this section, took up the matter of supplying it with the gospel, and at the annual conference held at Albany in August, 1859, appointed Rev. J. H. Wilber as presiding elder of this field, calling it the Walla Walla circuit, which took in most of that part of the country east of The Dalles, Oregon, comprising the Grande Ronde, Walla Walla, Snake River and Columbia River valleys as far north as the British line and east to the Rocky Mountains, and appointed Rev. G. M. Berry as pastor for Walla Walla circuit.Brother Wilber and Brother Berry at once started for their field of labor. They came to Walla Walla and commenced the work by holding meetings at different places, at the homes of some of the people and at times in the old log courthouse at the corner of Main and Fifth streets. Soon after taking up the work Brother Wilber and Brother Berry decided to organize a class at Walla Walla, and on Monday, October 11, 1859, met and organized the first class in the district; also held their first quarterly conference. The quarterly conference was called to order by the presiding elder, Rev. J. H. Wilber, and opened with singing and prayer. The pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, was appointed secretary of the meeting. The following named brothers were elected as the first board of stewards:S. M. Titus, William B. Kelly, John Moar, A. B. Roberts and T. P. Denney. A. B. Roberts was elected as the recording steward.In January, 1860, the class decided to build a church in the Town of Walla Walla, and appointed a building committee to undertake the work, consisting of the pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, Brother Thomas Martin and Brother John Moar. At a meeting held in April, 1860, the committee reported that they had selected for a church site lots 6 and 7, block 10, at the corner of Alder and Fifth streets, and that Rev. G. M. Berry had made application to the Board of County Commissioners asking them to donate the lots to the church. At a meeting held on May 21, 1860, the first board of trustees of the church of Walla Walla was appointed, being Brothers T. P. Denney, S. M. Titus, John Moar, Thomas Martin and William B. Kelly, and on May 22, 1860, lots 6 and 7 of block 10 of the original Town of Walla Walla were transferred to the above named trustees for the church by the Board of County Commissioners of Walla Walla County.The building committee—the pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, as its chairman—with the few members, at once took up the work of building the church, which was completed in the fall of 1860. It was the first church of any denomination built in Walla Walla, and was built at a cost of $1,046.52, with unpaid bills to the amount of $131.02. These items are taken from the report of the auditor of accounts of the building committee as reported at the third quarterly conference, held at Walla Walla on June 24, 1861, by Andrew Keys, auditor. The pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, had practically been Sunday-school superintendent as well as pastor ever since the organisation of the class until the church was completed. We fail to find any record of the dedication of this church.The Oregon annual conference of 1861 created the Walla Walla district and appointed Rev. John Flinn as presiding elder and pastor of Walla Walla. At the Oregon annual conference, held in 1867, the Walla Walla district was divided into one station and four circuits, viz.: Walla Walla Station, Walla Walla, Waitsburg, Grande Ronde and Umatilla circuits.In 1868, the class having become strong, and desiring a new location for their church building, the board of trustees procured lots on the corner of Poplar and Second streets, bought on May 30, 1868, from W. J. and Abell Arner for $250.00, and deeded to the following named trustees: H. Parker, T. P. Denney, J. L. Reser, Joseph Paul and John W. McGhee. The old church was moved to the new location, repaired and enlarged, and a parsonage was fitted up just east of the church, facing on Popular Street.At the Oregon annual conference, held at Eugene, August 5 to 9, 1869, all of the membership and appointments formally denominated Walla Walla Station, Walla Walla Circuit and Dry Creek were formed as one charge and called Walla Walla Circuit, to which Rev. John T. Wolfe was appointed as pastor and Rev. Charles H. Hoxie as assistant pastor.Rev. James B. Calloway was presiding elder of the district, and on September 18, 1869, called together at Walla Walla all of the official members of the new circuit and organised the first quarterly conference, electing the following board of trustees: Charles Moore, T. P. Denney, D. M. Jessee, M. Emerick, Benjamin Hayward, A. H. Simmons, M. McEverly, William Holbrook and Oliver Gallaher. At the Oregon annual conference, held at Vancouver, on August 25, 1870,Walla Walla City was again made a station, separating it from the Walla Walla Circuit, and Rev. H. C. Jenkins was appointed as pastor.Early in the spring of 1878, under the leadership of the pastor, Rev. D. G. Strong, the class undertook the erection of a new church building. The old church was sold to Mr. J. F. Abbott for $250.00 and moved off the lots, and through the efforts of the pastor and his board of trustees, consisting of B. F. Burch, J. E. Berryman, M. Middaugh, John Berry and O. P. Lacy, together with the faithful members and friends, the new church was completed at a cost of about $10,000, receiving from the church extension society of the church a donation of $1,000 and a loan of $500. The loan in due time was paid back. After the completion of the new church, Rev. W. G. Simpson was the first pastor and Brother E. Smith was the first Sunday-school superintendent. For some reason not on record the church was not dedicated until August, 1879. The collection and services at the dedication were in charge of Bishop Haven, he being the bishop of the annual conference held at Walla Walla August 7 to 12, 1879.It having been discovered in 1883 that the board of trustees had never been incorporated under the laws of the Territory of Washington, the quarterly conference directed that articles of incorporation should be prepared. B. L. and J. L. Sharpstein, attorneys, were employed to prepare incorporation papers, and on February 9, 1883, they were signed and acknowledged by the following board of trustees: Donald Ross, C. P. Headley, S. F. Henderson, J. M. Hill, H. C. Sniff, H. C. Chew, E. Smith and G. H. Randall, and filed with the territorial auditor and the auditor of Walla Walla County. At the first meeting of this board of trustees they elected the following officers: J. M. Hill, president; Donald Ross, secretary; C. P. Headley, treasurer.During the summer of 1887, the class, under the leadership of the pastor, Rev. Henry Brown, with the ladies of the church and the trustees, consisting of J. H. Parker, C. P. Headley, S. F. Henderson, J. M. Hill, H. C. Sniff, H. C. Chew, G. H. Randall and E. Smith, undertook the building of a new parsonage, and with the bequest of $500 from the estate of our departed brother, E. Sherman, designated by him to be used for a new parsonage, and $596.47 raised principally by the efforts of the ladies' parsonage committee, a two-story, seven-room parsonage was erected on the grounds of the old parsonage, facing Poplar Street, and this was turned over to the board of trustees free of debt and fairly well furnished.During 1887, through the efforts of Rev. J. H. Wilber, a small church was built in the eastern part of the city and called Wilber Chapel. Brother W. J. White donated a lot for that purpose, $300 being received from the Church Extension Society, part of the balance being subscriptions from friends, but the greater part being given by Rev. J. H. Wilber himself. The church cost $1,500 and was deeded to the trustees of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Walla Walla, viz.: J. H. Parker, J. M. Hill, C. P. Headley, S. F. Henderson, H. C. Sniff, H. C. Chew, G. H. Randall and E. Smith. The church was sold to the German Lutheran Society for the sum of $1,600 on September 5, 1892, returning to the board of the church extension about $400 due them in principal and interest. The dedication of Wilber Chapel was by Rev. N. E. Parsons, presiding elder, assisted by Rev. J. H. Wilber and Rev. Henry Brown. During 1894 the church, under the leadership of Rev. V. C. Evers, the pastor, with the trustees, enlarged the presentchurch by extending it to the north line of the property, increasing the seating capacity of the church with lecture room to 525 persons.Our church property at this time is free from debt and consists of:One church building and lot, value $11,500.00; one parsonage and fraction of lot, value $2,000.00; total $13,500.00.The following are the names of the pastors of Walla Walla and time of service: 1859 to 1861, Rev. George M. Berry; 1861 to 1863, Rev. John Flinn; 1863 to 1865, Rev. William Franklin; 1865 to 1866, Rev. James Deardoff; 1866 to 1867, Rev. John L. Reser; 1867 to 1869, Rev. John T. Wolfe; 1869 to 1870, Rev. C. H. Hoxie; 1870 to 1872, Rev. H. C. Jenkins; 1872 to 1873, Rev. J. W. Miller; 1873 to 1874, Rev. S. G. Havermale; 1874 to 1875, Rev. G. W. Grannis; 1875 to 1876, Rev. S. B. Burrell; 1876 to 1878, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1878 to 1880, Rev. W. G. Simpson; 1880 to 1882, Rev. G. M. Irwin; 1882 to 1883, Rev. A. J. Joslyn; 1883 to 1884, Rev. W. C. Gray; 1884 to 1885, Rev. J. D. Flenner; 1885 to 1886, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1886 to 1889, Rev. Henry Brown; 1889 to 1892, Rev. W. W. Van Dusen; 1892 to 1896, Rev. V. C. Evers; 1896 to 1899, Rev. W. C. Reuter; 1899 to 1900, Rev. Lee A. Johnson.The following are the names of the presiding elders of Walla Walla district and time of service: 1859 to 1861, Rev. J. H. Wilber; 1861 to 1864, Rev. John Flinn; 1864 to 1866, Rev. Isaac Dillon; 1866 to 1869, Rev. J. B. Calloway; 1860 to 1870, Rev. W. H. Lewis; 1870 to 1874, Rev. H. K. Hines; 1874 to 1878, Rev. S. G. Havermale; 1878 to 1882, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1882 to 1885, Rev. W. S. Turner; 1885 to 1886, Rev. Levi L. Tarr; 1886 to 1888, Rev. N. E. Parsons; 1888 to 1892, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1892 to 1898, Rev. T. A. Towner; 1898 to 1900, Rev. M. H. Marvin."[5][5]In article quoted the name Wilber appears a number of times but it should be noted that the correct spelling is Wilbur.CATHOLIC CHURCHIn 1861 the Catholics built their first permanent house near the present site of St. Vincent's Academy. Bishop Blanchet was present during that period and Father Yunger became pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. J. B. Brouillet, who first came to the Walla Walla country as a missionary to the Indians in 1847.Connected with the Catholic Church are St. Vincent's Academy and De La Salle Institute, described elsewhere, besides St. Mary's Hospital, founded in 1870 and now established in one of the most perfect buildings in the Northwest.While our limits do not permit details in regard to each of the churches of Walla Walla, we wish to incorporate a sketch of the early Episcopal Church, for the reason that it casts such as vivid light upon the early days as to give it a special historic value. This sketch was prepared by Edgar Johnson, one of the Whitman College class of 1917, as a research study in his history course and in the judgment of the author is worthy of a place in this volume.THE EARLY HISTORY OF ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCHAccording to the old adage, "Well begun is half done," this church completed half its work in its earliest period. The history of all churches when finally established in a civilized community is much the same. But what was the history of this church before Walla Walla became civilized?PIONEER METHODIST CHURCH, WALLA WALLACompleted January 1, 1918.This is the atmosphere I have to picture; the condition of the times as it reflected on the growth of the church, and the condition of the church as it reflected on the growth of civilization in this city.From the historical data accompanying this review, it will seem that St. Paul's Church was first begun by services held by a traveling missionary, Bishop Morris. The church did not take on definite unity, however, until 1871, when it was placed under the care of Rev. L. H. Wells, a comparatively young missionary from the East. In September, 1871, the first services were held in the building (now gone) on Third Street, between Poplar and Alder streets. This building served as a combined courthouse, hall, church; and the basement housed Stahl's Brewery.At the time of Bishop Wells' arrival in Walla Walla, this city boasted of one thousand inhabitants, while Eastern Washington had seven thousand settlers. At this date, it would strike us that the little city of one thousand would band itself together to protect themselves from the Indians. But fifteen years or more had passed since the last of the Indian wars, and the wealth of the mines of Idaho and Washington found its way into the city and aided in the carousals of its "short-time" owners. For the uninitiated, the center of the street, or open doorways were the safest stops in the city. The Vigilantes ruled as a secret power behind the throne. Suspicion was fixed upon every law-abiding citizen by those who lived to break the law, as a member of this band.The wives of several saloon-keepers were members of the church; and one wife succeeded in converting her husband. But inability or lack of desire to learn a new trade, always drove the new convert back into his old business. After efficiently illustrating back-sliding methods thrice over, this particular saloon man never appeared upon the church rolls again. He furnished, however, the material for a story which emphasizes the uncouthness of the times. He maintained a flourishing saloon on the corner of Third and Main streets, and one evening a miner from the Florence District showed up with his nuggets and gold dust. After treating the house several times, he began searching for more amusement. Finally, thinking that the mirror behind the bar might prove a worthy object at which to pelt gold nuggets, he began firing. Needless to say, he smashed it into bits and then careening up to the bar, he simply asked: "How much do I owe?" The saloon-keeper recovered several hundred dollars' worth of nuggets from the floor and after removing the board floor from the saloon succeeded in washing out $200 more from the gold dust which had been lost throughout the previous period. This became an annual event and never failed in bringing a hundred dollars or so.In 1872 the bishop started his day school, following this in 1873 with a boarding school for girls. In this year a fire burned them out entirely and a larger building was constructed. The life of the bishop was not an easy one. He lived in his little cabin next to the church and whenever a new girl came to the boarding school, he would be forced to give up some of his furniture for the new girl. He was finally reduced to sleeping on a cot, with his overcoat for a coverlet. It was very difficult to keep the coat from falling away during the night; and when another girl came and the couch was needed for her room, the bishop having received no new furniture, built himself a box and filled it with straw, in which he slept and in which he had no difficulty in retaining his overcoat as a comforter.Gold dust and nuggets were the medium of exchange and the church and school both had gold-weighing scales. Many people carried little scales with them in morocco cases. Gold dust was generally carried in buckskin sacks about a foot in depth and about three inches wide, and many people left them lying about the front porch in disguised covering, as the safest place to keep them from thieves and renegade Indians. Three grades of gold found its way into Walla Walla. These were the Eldorado, Florence and Eagle Creek, so named from the district in which they were mined. Merchants kept on hand small round stones with streaks of all three grades in them, by which to measure the dust, as the three grades were worth different amounts of money.It was in this atmosphere that the church began, truly, in a missionary district. Yet it grew, and mainly through the spirit of co-operation of the other churches in the territory. At this time there were also the Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian and the United Brethren churches. Bishop Wells recently told me of the kindness of the United Brethren minister. One day while walking down the street, he was hailed by this minister who was on horseback. The old minister opened the conversation: "Young man, I've been watching you, and so have my congregation. It strikes us that you've seen city life and I'm only a country preacher. If you will take care of my congregation, you may have the church and I'll go into the country, where I can do some good." Naturally, the offer was accepted.In 1877 the new church was erected, and it still stands. This was built on the corner of Third and Poplar streets. The lumber for it was hauled from Touchet, where there was a mill. One difficulty presented itself, however, and that was that the lumber obtainable from there was very short. But the long haul from Wallula made better lumber almost prohibitive, and the church was built from lumber cut in this vicinity and planed at Touchet.Even at this date, forty years ago, Walla Walla was little more than a frontier town. The Joseph wars broke out as result of the white man's raid on their land. A few years previous to this the Government had sent out men to see what could be done for the Indians. The white men were open in their statements that they intended to get the Indians' lands. The Joseph war was followed by the Bannock war. In the latter, Walla Walla was seriously threatened, the Indians coming up through Pendleton and striking near the foothills of this city. A very pretty tale is told regarding a Pendleton sheep man and his dog Bob. The Indians murdered the herders, killed many of the sheep and went on their way. The owner stayed in Pendleton fearing to go to his flocks, and did not go near them until a week or two had elapsed. When he did find them, he discovered that the dog Bob had not only gathered all his own sheep into the flock, but had collected more stray sheep from other flocks that had become lost, than the Indians themselves had killed. Furthermore, he had only killed two small lambs for his own sustenance.Recitation of early events, and incidents could go on forever. And also it is hard to shape a series of stories, and a few simple historical facts, into an interesting history. But the foregoing gives the reader an idea of the times into which the missionary was forced to introduce the Christian teachings. A glance at Walla Walla today, called often the City of Churches, and then the retrospective glance into the '70s, shows the results of the influence which began work at thatearly date and by its everwidening influence succeeded in civilizing this Northwest.WORTHY AND POWERFUL PREACHERSOf the many worthy and powerful preachers of early Walla Walla it may be said that four seem to stand out beyond all others in the minds of pioneers. These are Cushing Eells, missionary, educator, school builder, and all-round saint; John Flinn, a man of somewhat similar type, patient, tireless in good deeds, saintly and unselfish; J. H. Wilbur, one of the big figures of early days; and P. B. Chamberlain, first pastor of the Congregational Church and first principal of Whitman Seminary. Each of these men had his peculiarities, some amusing, some pathetic, all interesting and inspiring. Old-timers, even those not at all given to walking the straight and narrow way, had profound regard for those militant exponents of the gospel. Father Wilbur had worked at the blacksmith's trade before entering the ministry and had muscles of iron and a heart as tender and gentle as ever beat. He was of giant strength and not at all times a non-resistent. It is related that once in Oregon before he came to Walla Walla, some rowdies persisted in disturbing a camp meeting which he was conducting. After warning them a time or two in vain he suddenly descended from the platform, keeping right on with the hymn in stentorian voice, swooped down on the two rowdies, seized them in his brawny hands, knocked their heads together a few times and almost shook the breath out of them, singing all the time, until it was plain that they would interrupt no more services, then returned to the pulpit, going right on as though nothing had happened.Mr. Chamberlain was a man of very different appearance, small, delicate, refined in tone and speech. At first meeting one had little conception of his tremendous energy and iron will. He was a man of electric oratory and swayed pioneer audiences in his little church or in the groves at public gatherings as few men in Walla Walla ever have. He was, however, a genuine Calvinist in his theology, an intense Sabbatarian, and felt called on to attack secret societies and supposedly unorthodox churches with conscientious severity. Thus, though he was admired and respected by all, he could not maintain a working church. As showing something of the character of the man, we include brief extracts from entries made by him in the records of his church, pertaining to his first church building. The building was completed in 1866 at a cost of $3,500, most of which was Mr. Chamberlain's own money. Of it he says: "So it now stands consecrated to God, as all property should be. I leave it with Him, to be refunded or not as He may, at some future time, move the hearts of the children of men to desire to do." On July 13, 1868, two days after the fire, he writes: "God has put His own final construction upon the last part of the foregoing record. Last Saturday, between twelve and two, our pleasant church was entirely destroyed by fire, the fire originating in a neighbor's barn, situated within a few feet of the church. Thy will, not mine, be done." It is gratifying to record that the Methodists at once offered to share their house with their stricken neighbors and that within a few months the generous contributions of the people of Walla Walla enabled Mr. Chamberlain to gather his congregation again on the same place, corner of Second and Rose, and there the Congregationalists continued to worship under severalpastorates until during that of Rev. Austin Rice in 1900 the present building on Palouse and Alder streets was erected.During the past few years a number of fine church buildings have been erected, of which the Christian, the Presbyterian, the Baptist, the Marvin Methodist, and the First Methodist, may be especially named.A distinguishing feature of present church life may be said to be the degree to which it has taken hold of municipal and political questions, reforms, and problems of practical life. In that respect the present churches of Walla Walla are essentially modern. Besides the churches named above, the United Brethren, Lutheran, German Methodist, German Congregational and Christian Science Churches, maintain influential organizations, and the Salvation Army is active and useful.FRATERNAL ORDERSSomewhat similar to the churches in philanthropic aims and to considerable degree composed of the same type of members are the fraternal orders.If Walla Walla and its kindred communities may be regarded as the homes of schools and churches, they may in equal degree be regarded as the homes of lodges. Almost all the fraternal orders usual in American cities are found here. As in case of the churches we find ourselves compelled by the limitations of space to accord too brief attention to these important and popular organizations.The Masonic order has been for many years represented by an active membership, having two lodges, one chapter, a commandery, and a chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. The first lodge was Walla Walla No. 7, which came into being October 19, 1859. At that date a dispensation was granted to C. R. Allen, Braziel Grounds, A. B. Roberts, H. N. Bruning, T. P. Page, Jonas Whitney, Charles Silverman, J. Freedman, and R. H. Reigert. Not till September 3, 1860, was the lodge organized. A. B. Roberts was the first Worshipful Master; J. M. Kennedy, senior warden; B. Scheideman, junior warden; T. P. Page, treasurer; W. B. Kelly, secretary; C. A. Brooks, senior deacon; J. Caughran, junior deacon; W. H. Babcock, tyler. In the summer of 1864 the lodge built a home at the corner of Third and Alder streets. But this building was destroyed by fire in 1866, and for many years following the lodge held its sessions in the Knights Templar hall in the Dooley Block. For several years past the upper story of the Motett Building on Alder Street has been used as a Masonic lodge room.The Odd Fellows have been represented in Walla Walla since 1863, and it is a matter of historic interest to record that the first dispensation to organize a lodge of Odd Fellows in Walla Walla was granted in that year to A. H. Purdy, James McAuliff, W. B. Kelly, L. A. Burthy, and Meyer Lazarus. With additions from time to time there have come into existence three lodges, one encampment, one canton, and two lodges of the Daughters of Rebekah. One of the notable institutions of the Odd Fellows is the Home on Boyer Avenue. This is an institution covering the state and now is housed in two commodious and attractive buildings with accommodations for a large number of old people and orphan children. The home is located upon five acres of fertile and wholesome land secured from H. P. Isaacs. The first building of wood was constructed in 1897 and opened for use in December of that year. The second building of brick was constructed in 1914. There are many shade and fruit trees upon the grounds of the home, and it is truly an attractive and beneficent place. The order has also a fine hall on Alder Street.REV. CUSHING EELLSThe "St. Paul of the Northwest." Missionary to the Indians, 1838-47. Afterward teacher and preacher, and founder of Whitman College.Perhaps most rapid in growth of all the orders in Walla Walla has been the Elks. The Walla Walla lodge of Elks No. 287 was organized August 10, 1894, with fifteen members. The first member to fill the place of Exalted Ruler was Judge W. H. Upton, known for many years as one of the most scholarly, intellectual and capable of the lawyers and jurists of the Inland Empire. His death in 1906 was a great loss, deeply deplored by many circles, not alone in fraternity organizations, in which he was conspicuous, but in all lines of social and professional life. After a slow growth of a number of years the fraternity took on swift development and at the date of this publication the membership exceeds six hundred. The lodge possesses one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, dedicated with a series of appropriate ceremonies and entertainments on May 23, 24, and 25, 1913. The Elks have led many movements for public betterment, as the municipal Christmas trees, park benefits and other benefits, Red Cross campaigns, and other endeavors of philanthropic and patriotic service. One of the recent enterprises of the lodge was the establishment in 1916 of Kooskooskie Park on Mill Creek, fourteen miles above Walla Walla. There in the beautiful shade along the flashing crystal waters of our creek (Pashki the stream ought to be called), the Elks and their friends are wont to disport themselves at intervals in the hot season, as their four-footed prototypes their "totem" of prehistoric times, were accustomed to do. The present Exalted Ruler is C. S. Walters. There is regular publication calledThe Lariat, issued every new moon by the secretary, Fred S. Hull.Of what may be called the great standard fraternities the next to be noted is the Knights of Pythias. It is an interesting historical fact that Walla Walla was the first location of a lodge of that order on the Pacific Coast north of San Francisco. That pioneer lodge was known as Ivanhoe Lodge No. 1. Its early records are not available, but it continued in existence till 1882, in which year it surrendered its charter and went out of existence, to be succeeded by Columbia Lodge No. 8, instituted on October 23d of that year. Of the new lodge the first Past Chancellor was S. A. Deckard, and Chancellor Commander W. N. Gedders. The lodge has been maintained with vigor and success to the present date.Of what may be considered the more specialized and limited organizations there have been and are a number: The Young Men's Institute and Knights of Columbus, Catholic organizations; Woodmen of the World, Modern Woodmen of America, Royal Arcanum, Women of Woodcraft, and National Union, insurance fraternities; and of more miscellaneous character the United Artisans, the Pioneers of the Pacific, the Degree of Honor, Ancient Order of Hibernians, American Yeomen, the Foresters of America, the Rathbone Sisters, Ladies of the Maccabees, Ancient Order United Workmen, Loyal Order of Moose, Improved Order of Red Men, Degree of Pocahontas, Good Templars, Sons of Hermann, Fraternal Order of Eagles, and Order of Washington.Here as elsewhere throughout our country, and worthy here as everywhere of profound respect, is a post of the Grand Army of the Republic. This was chartered March 12, 1881, and the names appearing upon the charter are these:John H. Smith, J. F. McLean, P. B. Johnson, J. M. Coolidge, R. P. Reynolds, Abram Ellis, James Howe, J. A. Neill, O. F. Wilson, H. O. Simonds, Samuel Nulph, Charles Heim, Isaac Chilberg, A. D. Rockafellow, William Leislie, F. F. Adams, F. B. Morse, R. M. Comstock, and Ambrose Oldaker. The first commander of the post, known as Abraham Lincoln Post, No. 4, G. A. R., was John H. Smith. In April, 1886, the A. Lincoln Relief Corps, No. 5, was established, with twenty-five charter members, Mrs. Jane Erickson being president. Fittingly included with the two previously named posts are the United Spanish War Veterans and the Sons of Veterans.There are found in Walla Walla also, of more recent date, the Park Association, one of the most important and influential of all in the beautification and sanitation of the city, the Gun Club, Isaac Walton Club, Golf Club, Anti-Tuberculosis League, and several Reading and Art clubs which have played important parts in ministering to the recreation, the health, the intellectual life, and the artistic taste of the people of Walla Walla and the region adjoining. It is to be regretted that the limitations of space forbid including here the many interesting details of these various organizations.The Walla Walla Commercial Club occupies so commanding a place in the business life of this entire region and has such connections with similar organizations throughout the entire Northwest and even in the nation at large as to be worthy of a history of its own.COMMERCIAL CLUBThe Commercial Club came into existence in 1885. It was represented in that year by delegates to an Open River meeting in The Dalles. For a number of years it was suggestive and mutually stimulating to its small membership, rather than possessing any regular organization. It met irregularly both in time and place. In 1904 John H. McDonald became secretary, but the organization was not such as to provide for a secretary who could devote his entire time to it, and hence there was not then a real commercial club in the modern sense. But a new era began with the appointment in 1906 of A. C. Moore as the first regular and exclusive secretary. Mr. Moore had come to Walla Walla in 1888 and had been up to 1906 engaged in the O. R. & N. R. R. office. With his entrance into the secretaryship of the club new and broader plans for publicity and expansion by new memberships were begun. In 1908 the first of a series of regular publicity campaigns was begun. That was a time signalized by the seaboard cities of California, Oregon, and Washington—Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Tacoma, Astoria, Everett and Bellingham—with special efforts to attract immigration and new enterprise. It was the publicity erapar excellence.Tom Richardson and C. C. Chapman of Portland accomplished wonderful things in that city and in Oregon. Both became well known in Walla Walla, where they were greatly admired and where their enthusiasm imparted such an impulse to the Commercial Club as to lead to a new organization with the special aim of advertisement and general publicity. It may be said that the real history of the club as a definite organization begins at that time, 1908.The articles of incorporation are as follows:ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

PRESTON HALL, WAITSBURGPUBLIC SCHOOL, WAITSBURGFACULTYWalter Irvine Smith, president, mathematics and astronomy; Elder O. A. Johnson, Bible and ecclesiastical history; Elder F. S. Bunch, Bible and pastoral training; George W. Rine, history and public speaking; Winifred Lucile Holmden, ancient and modern languages; J. Alvin Renninger, English and Biblical literature; Clara Edna Rogers, rhetoric; Bert Bryan Davis, normal director, psychology and education; William Miller Heidenreich, German; Arthur C. Christensen, chemistry and biology; George Kretschmar, physics and mathematics; A. Wilmar Oakes, director of music, violin, orchestra and chorus; Grace Wood-Reith, pianoforte and voice; Estella Winona Kiehnhoff, pianoforte, voice and harmony; ——, stenography and typewriting; William Carey Raley, bookkeeping and accountancy; Win S. Osborne, art.NORMAL CRITIC TEACHERSCharles Oscar Smith, grades seven and eight; Grace Robison-Rine, grades five and six, intermediate methods; Rosella A. Snyder-Davis, grades three and four, manual arts; Anna Aurelia Pierce, grades one and two, primary methods.INDUSTRIAL DEPARTMENTSFrank W. Peterson, superintendent; Glen R. Holden, printing; Wm. B. Ammundsen, carpentry; Philip A. Bothwell, baking; Mrs. R. D. Bolter, dressmaking; Mrs. F. W. Vesey, cooking.The catalog shows an enrollment of 293 pupils.From a historical and educational standpoint there is no more interesting institution under private control than theFORMER WAITSBURG ACADEMYThat community of beautiful homes and intelligent citizens, of which much more will be said in other parts of this work, has always recognized the value of education, and it is not surprising to find a demand in the early days for a more advanced type of education than that afforded by the common schools. During the first part of the decade of the '80s that demand eventuated in the appointment by the United Presbyterian Church of Rev. Joseph Alter in 1884 to go to Eastern Washington as a general organizer of home missionary and educational work. The church founded by Mr. Alter secured Rev. W. G. M. Hays as its pastor in 1886. Being filled with the spirit of the need of higher education and encouraged by ample evidence of probable support of a first-class academy, Doctor Hays became a steadfast advocate of such an undertaking and on September 14, 1886, the church building was opened for the meeting of the first classes, Prof. J. G. Thompson being placed in charge of the work. At that time the academy had no corporate existence and no board of trustees. But in 1887 the infant institution was adopted by the synod of Columbia of the UnitedPresbyterian Church of North America and became regularly incorporated with its first board of trustees consisting of the Revs. Hugh F. Wallace, W. G. Irvine, W. A. Spalding, W. G. M. Hays, and J. H. Niblock, and Messrs. A. W. Philips, David Roberts, E. F. Cox, T. J. Hollowell, and J. E. Vans. In May, 1887, in pursuance of the plans of the board, a joint stock company was organized to conduct the academy. Six thousand dollars was raised, of which $4,000 was devoted to a building and the remainder to supplementing tuition as a means of maintenance. During the ten years following the founding, Doctor Hays, Rev. W. R. Stevenson, and Miss Ina F. Robertson made journeys east for the purpose of securing funds for building and endowment. As a result of the last campaign of Miss Robertson, funds were secured for an excellent building which was erected in 1896. During the entire term of its existence Waitsburg Academy received the respect and support of the community, and its teachers were men and women of the highest type.The principals with their terms of service were these: J. G. Thompson, 1886-9; T. M. McKinney, 1889-90; W. G. M. Hays, 1890-1; Ina F. Robertson, 1891-4; and Rev. J. A. Keener, 1894, to the termination of the life of the institution. For rather sad to relate Waitsburg Academy, in spite of all its excellent work and a growing body of alumni enthusiastic in its support, found itself in the situation which has confronted practically all such educational institutions in the West. When high school instruction was undertaken at Waitsburg it was found that the interest and desire to support that public system was so general that the support of the academy fell off, and though the people of the community had no sentiment other than of commendation, yet their first interest was in the public school system. As an inevitable sequence the academy found it wise to disband. Its building was sold to the district and there the public school work of part of the city is conducted. The academy, though disbanded, had performed a great mission, and the present excellent high school, as well as the general culture and intelligence apparent in the beautiful little City of Waitsburg, may be attributed in large degree to the noble work of the academy.We have elsewhere given a general view of the public school systems of the county, and in that the schools of Waitsburg appear. But there is one feature of the schools of Waitsburg already named so unique and interesting as to call for further special mention. This is Preston Hall, connected with the high school. This beautiful and well-equipped building was the gift of one of the noblest and most philanthropic citizens of the Inland Empire, a man of whom old Walla Walla County, and particularly Waitsburg, may well be proud. This was W. G. Preston. This big-souled and big-brained builder of the large affairs of his community, had a deep sense of the value of practical industrial training for the growing youth of the land. Carrying out his favorite idea he gave about twenty-six thousand dollars for the creation of a building, with suitable equipment for the best type of industrial education, as well as gymnastic training. While this was but one of the many contributions to the advancement of the community in which the Preston family lived so long and so well, it is perhaps the one which will be most wide-reaching in influence and the one which will perpetuate most effectively the influence of its donor.Before leaving the subject of the schools it may be suitable to note thefact that the schools in what was old Walla Walla County, as well as the narrower limits which now retain the name, have during the past ten or fifteen years shown a great tendency to build more beautiful and better equipped houses. This has been due partly to the increase in wealth and culture and to the general recognition that the old bare unlovely and forsaken-looking schoolhouses of the earlier times are an affront to the progressive spirit of a time which is demanding the best for the boys and girls, but much of the motive power of this great improvement must be attributed, in Walla Walla County, to the last two superintendents of schools, Mrs. Josephine Preston and Paul Johnson. During the eight years of service of these two efficient public officials the idea of the rural school as a community center and a focus of social life has gained a hold on public interest and support truly wonderful. A debt of gratitude is due these and other incumbents of the same office in the other counties covered by this work in inaugurating a new era in school architecture and beautification of grounds. The influence of this on coming generations for character, patriotism, and efficiency, as well as artistic taste and general culture, will be incalculable. It is fitting that special note be made here of the fact that in the smaller towns of Walla Walla County, Prescott, Touchet, Dixie and Attalia, the school buildings represent large outlay and contain the best modern features. If there is one thing more than another in which the people of this section may take satisfaction, it is the school system, both town and rural.There is another institution in Walla Walla of rare interest, which while not educational is allied with that branch of social progress. We refer to the Stubblefield Home. From Mr. C. M. Rader, one of the trustees, we derive the following account of this noble institution.STUBBLEFIELD HOMETo Joseph Loney Stubblefield and his good wife Anna, are indebted the children and widows who in the past have been, or in the future may become members of this home. In early life Mr. and Mrs. Stubblefield experienced the hardships incident to poverty. They emigrated from Missouri in the early '60s and settled about seven miles southeast of Walla Walla, where by most frugal habits and great industry they accumulated, for the early days, a considerable fortune. The wife died in 1874 without issue. She and her husband often talked of the great need of a home for caring for aged widows and orphan children and the wife said she wanted her money to be used for such purpose. She left no will, except as it was impressed in the heart of her husband.On November 16, 1902, six months after making his will, Joseph L. Stubblefield died at the age of seventy-eight years. By the thirty-first clause of this will he left about one hundred and thirty thousand dollars, the bulk of his accumulations, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a home for "fatherless or motherless and indigent children, and worthy elderly indigent widows, residents of Washington and Oregon." This fund was willed to R. M. Dorothy, E. A. Reser and Cary M. Rader, who were named as trustees to manage the fund and the home to be established. These trustees were appointed to serve for life, unless any should resign or be removed. The successors of these trustees underthe terms of the will are to be appointed by the county commissioners of Walla Walla and Umatilla counties, acting jointly but by and with the consent of the two trustees remaining on the board. A second wife, whom Mr. Stubblefield had amply provided for, attempted to break the will by proceedings in court, but the will was fully sustained both in the Superior and Supreme courts of Washington.Numerous citizens interested themselves in an attempt to secure the location of the home near Walla Walla and raised a donation of something more than ten thousand dollars to assist in purchasing a suitable site. The trustees purchased the present grounds consisting of forty acres about one mile southeast of the City of Walla Walla and there on November 16, 1904, exactly two years after the death of Mr. Stubblefield, with appropriate ceremonies, the home was formally opened with Alphonso R. Olds as superintendent and his wife Etta C. Olds as matron.The home remained under the very efficient management of these good people for eight years. On their resignation, occasioned by ill health, Luther J. Campbell and wife Maggie were appointed respectively as superintendent and matron, and have since been in charge of the institution. R. M. Dorothy, in 1912, resigned as trustee and was succeeded on the board by Francis M. Stubblefield, a nephew of Joseph L. Stubblefield. These are the only changes of officials connected with the institution.The home rapidly filled after the opening and there has since rarely been a vacancy for any considerable time. The number of members in the home is usually close to twenty-five and of these most are children. There have never been more than three widows in the home at one time. The children are taught to work and soon become quite expert for children—the boys as gardeners and the girls at household duties. In 1915 a team of three girls from the home won a prize at the Walla Walla County Fair and also at the State Fair as experts in canning fruits and vegetables. The children attend school at the Berney Graded School.The fund left by Mr. Stubblefield, by judicious handling, has about doubled and is at present mostly invested in wheat lands, which furnish sufficient income to defray all expenses.THE CHURCHES OF WALLA WALLA COUNTYAs elsewhere in this work we speak first of the institutions located in Walla Walla City itself. By reason of priority of settlement the institutions of all sorts growing around that point were representative of the entire region and hence belong as truly to the parts which subsequently were set aside for other counties. We shall elsewhere endeavor to give similar brief views of the churches of the other parts of the region covered by our story. As will be obvious to the reader, the limitations of space compel us to consider the churches as a whole, important as they are in the life of the community, without dwelling upon details, significant and inspiring as they often are. Practically all the leading Christian denominations have been represented in Old Walla Walla. The Methodist seems to have been the pioneer among the Protestant denominations, though the Catholic was first to provide a place of worship. It was in 1859 that a structure of piles driven into the ground and covered with shakes was prepared for worship by the Catholics of the little community on Mill Creek. The location was near the present lumber yard on Third Street and Poplar. In 1860 the Methodists built the first regular building on the corner of the present Fifth and Alder. That church had various vicissitudes, for it subsequently moved to Second and Alder and was used for a time as a house for the hosecart of the fire department. Later on it received a second story and became the "Blue Front," still later burned.Congregational ChurchWhite Temple Baptist ChurchCentral Christian ChurchPresbyterian ChurchCHURCHES OF WALLA WALLAWe give here a sketch of the early history of the Methodist Church, not with the desire to overemphasize that denomination at the expense of others, but that by reason of its pioneer nature it was peculiarly typical of the first days. We take this from a historical report prepared by J. M. Hill and E. Smith and presented at the conference at Walla Walla on February 7, 1900. This report contains so much interlocking matter of different kinds as to give it a permanent value:"On page seventy-four of Rev. H. K. Hines' Missionary History of the Pacific Northwest, we find that the first sermon preached west of the Rocky Mountains was delivered by Rev. Jason Lee at Fort Hall, on Sunday, July 27, 1834. And in a book entitled Wild Life in Oregon, on pages 176-7, we will find that the first Methodist sermon preached at or near Walla Walla was by the Rev. Gustavus Hines, on May 21, 1843, at Doctor Whitman's mission, six miles west of this city. Rev. Gustavus Hines also preached at Rev. H. H. Spalding's Lapwai mission, on Sunday, May 14, 1843.We find that the first Methodist Episcopal Church organization that was perfected in Walla Walla, or in that part of the country known as Eastern Oregon or Eastern Washington, was in 1859, and at that time the Walla Walla Valley was just commencing to be settled up with stock raisers and traders. The Town of Walla Walla was the principal or most important point, the United States military post being located here, and this place having become the wintering place for miners, packers and freighters from the mines north and east of this country.The Oregon conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, having jurisdiction over the church work in this section, took up the matter of supplying it with the gospel, and at the annual conference held at Albany in August, 1859, appointed Rev. J. H. Wilber as presiding elder of this field, calling it the Walla Walla circuit, which took in most of that part of the country east of The Dalles, Oregon, comprising the Grande Ronde, Walla Walla, Snake River and Columbia River valleys as far north as the British line and east to the Rocky Mountains, and appointed Rev. G. M. Berry as pastor for Walla Walla circuit.Brother Wilber and Brother Berry at once started for their field of labor. They came to Walla Walla and commenced the work by holding meetings at different places, at the homes of some of the people and at times in the old log courthouse at the corner of Main and Fifth streets. Soon after taking up the work Brother Wilber and Brother Berry decided to organize a class at Walla Walla, and on Monday, October 11, 1859, met and organized the first class in the district; also held their first quarterly conference. The quarterly conference was called to order by the presiding elder, Rev. J. H. Wilber, and opened with singing and prayer. The pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, was appointed secretary of the meeting. The following named brothers were elected as the first board of stewards:S. M. Titus, William B. Kelly, John Moar, A. B. Roberts and T. P. Denney. A. B. Roberts was elected as the recording steward.In January, 1860, the class decided to build a church in the Town of Walla Walla, and appointed a building committee to undertake the work, consisting of the pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, Brother Thomas Martin and Brother John Moar. At a meeting held in April, 1860, the committee reported that they had selected for a church site lots 6 and 7, block 10, at the corner of Alder and Fifth streets, and that Rev. G. M. Berry had made application to the Board of County Commissioners asking them to donate the lots to the church. At a meeting held on May 21, 1860, the first board of trustees of the church of Walla Walla was appointed, being Brothers T. P. Denney, S. M. Titus, John Moar, Thomas Martin and William B. Kelly, and on May 22, 1860, lots 6 and 7 of block 10 of the original Town of Walla Walla were transferred to the above named trustees for the church by the Board of County Commissioners of Walla Walla County.The building committee—the pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, as its chairman—with the few members, at once took up the work of building the church, which was completed in the fall of 1860. It was the first church of any denomination built in Walla Walla, and was built at a cost of $1,046.52, with unpaid bills to the amount of $131.02. These items are taken from the report of the auditor of accounts of the building committee as reported at the third quarterly conference, held at Walla Walla on June 24, 1861, by Andrew Keys, auditor. The pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, had practically been Sunday-school superintendent as well as pastor ever since the organisation of the class until the church was completed. We fail to find any record of the dedication of this church.The Oregon annual conference of 1861 created the Walla Walla district and appointed Rev. John Flinn as presiding elder and pastor of Walla Walla. At the Oregon annual conference, held in 1867, the Walla Walla district was divided into one station and four circuits, viz.: Walla Walla Station, Walla Walla, Waitsburg, Grande Ronde and Umatilla circuits.In 1868, the class having become strong, and desiring a new location for their church building, the board of trustees procured lots on the corner of Poplar and Second streets, bought on May 30, 1868, from W. J. and Abell Arner for $250.00, and deeded to the following named trustees: H. Parker, T. P. Denney, J. L. Reser, Joseph Paul and John W. McGhee. The old church was moved to the new location, repaired and enlarged, and a parsonage was fitted up just east of the church, facing on Popular Street.At the Oregon annual conference, held at Eugene, August 5 to 9, 1869, all of the membership and appointments formally denominated Walla Walla Station, Walla Walla Circuit and Dry Creek were formed as one charge and called Walla Walla Circuit, to which Rev. John T. Wolfe was appointed as pastor and Rev. Charles H. Hoxie as assistant pastor.Rev. James B. Calloway was presiding elder of the district, and on September 18, 1869, called together at Walla Walla all of the official members of the new circuit and organised the first quarterly conference, electing the following board of trustees: Charles Moore, T. P. Denney, D. M. Jessee, M. Emerick, Benjamin Hayward, A. H. Simmons, M. McEverly, William Holbrook and Oliver Gallaher. At the Oregon annual conference, held at Vancouver, on August 25, 1870,Walla Walla City was again made a station, separating it from the Walla Walla Circuit, and Rev. H. C. Jenkins was appointed as pastor.Early in the spring of 1878, under the leadership of the pastor, Rev. D. G. Strong, the class undertook the erection of a new church building. The old church was sold to Mr. J. F. Abbott for $250.00 and moved off the lots, and through the efforts of the pastor and his board of trustees, consisting of B. F. Burch, J. E. Berryman, M. Middaugh, John Berry and O. P. Lacy, together with the faithful members and friends, the new church was completed at a cost of about $10,000, receiving from the church extension society of the church a donation of $1,000 and a loan of $500. The loan in due time was paid back. After the completion of the new church, Rev. W. G. Simpson was the first pastor and Brother E. Smith was the first Sunday-school superintendent. For some reason not on record the church was not dedicated until August, 1879. The collection and services at the dedication were in charge of Bishop Haven, he being the bishop of the annual conference held at Walla Walla August 7 to 12, 1879.It having been discovered in 1883 that the board of trustees had never been incorporated under the laws of the Territory of Washington, the quarterly conference directed that articles of incorporation should be prepared. B. L. and J. L. Sharpstein, attorneys, were employed to prepare incorporation papers, and on February 9, 1883, they were signed and acknowledged by the following board of trustees: Donald Ross, C. P. Headley, S. F. Henderson, J. M. Hill, H. C. Sniff, H. C. Chew, E. Smith and G. H. Randall, and filed with the territorial auditor and the auditor of Walla Walla County. At the first meeting of this board of trustees they elected the following officers: J. M. Hill, president; Donald Ross, secretary; C. P. Headley, treasurer.During the summer of 1887, the class, under the leadership of the pastor, Rev. Henry Brown, with the ladies of the church and the trustees, consisting of J. H. Parker, C. P. Headley, S. F. Henderson, J. M. Hill, H. C. Sniff, H. C. Chew, G. H. Randall and E. Smith, undertook the building of a new parsonage, and with the bequest of $500 from the estate of our departed brother, E. Sherman, designated by him to be used for a new parsonage, and $596.47 raised principally by the efforts of the ladies' parsonage committee, a two-story, seven-room parsonage was erected on the grounds of the old parsonage, facing Poplar Street, and this was turned over to the board of trustees free of debt and fairly well furnished.During 1887, through the efforts of Rev. J. H. Wilber, a small church was built in the eastern part of the city and called Wilber Chapel. Brother W. J. White donated a lot for that purpose, $300 being received from the Church Extension Society, part of the balance being subscriptions from friends, but the greater part being given by Rev. J. H. Wilber himself. The church cost $1,500 and was deeded to the trustees of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Walla Walla, viz.: J. H. Parker, J. M. Hill, C. P. Headley, S. F. Henderson, H. C. Sniff, H. C. Chew, G. H. Randall and E. Smith. The church was sold to the German Lutheran Society for the sum of $1,600 on September 5, 1892, returning to the board of the church extension about $400 due them in principal and interest. The dedication of Wilber Chapel was by Rev. N. E. Parsons, presiding elder, assisted by Rev. J. H. Wilber and Rev. Henry Brown. During 1894 the church, under the leadership of Rev. V. C. Evers, the pastor, with the trustees, enlarged the presentchurch by extending it to the north line of the property, increasing the seating capacity of the church with lecture room to 525 persons.Our church property at this time is free from debt and consists of:One church building and lot, value $11,500.00; one parsonage and fraction of lot, value $2,000.00; total $13,500.00.The following are the names of the pastors of Walla Walla and time of service: 1859 to 1861, Rev. George M. Berry; 1861 to 1863, Rev. John Flinn; 1863 to 1865, Rev. William Franklin; 1865 to 1866, Rev. James Deardoff; 1866 to 1867, Rev. John L. Reser; 1867 to 1869, Rev. John T. Wolfe; 1869 to 1870, Rev. C. H. Hoxie; 1870 to 1872, Rev. H. C. Jenkins; 1872 to 1873, Rev. J. W. Miller; 1873 to 1874, Rev. S. G. Havermale; 1874 to 1875, Rev. G. W. Grannis; 1875 to 1876, Rev. S. B. Burrell; 1876 to 1878, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1878 to 1880, Rev. W. G. Simpson; 1880 to 1882, Rev. G. M. Irwin; 1882 to 1883, Rev. A. J. Joslyn; 1883 to 1884, Rev. W. C. Gray; 1884 to 1885, Rev. J. D. Flenner; 1885 to 1886, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1886 to 1889, Rev. Henry Brown; 1889 to 1892, Rev. W. W. Van Dusen; 1892 to 1896, Rev. V. C. Evers; 1896 to 1899, Rev. W. C. Reuter; 1899 to 1900, Rev. Lee A. Johnson.The following are the names of the presiding elders of Walla Walla district and time of service: 1859 to 1861, Rev. J. H. Wilber; 1861 to 1864, Rev. John Flinn; 1864 to 1866, Rev. Isaac Dillon; 1866 to 1869, Rev. J. B. Calloway; 1860 to 1870, Rev. W. H. Lewis; 1870 to 1874, Rev. H. K. Hines; 1874 to 1878, Rev. S. G. Havermale; 1878 to 1882, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1882 to 1885, Rev. W. S. Turner; 1885 to 1886, Rev. Levi L. Tarr; 1886 to 1888, Rev. N. E. Parsons; 1888 to 1892, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1892 to 1898, Rev. T. A. Towner; 1898 to 1900, Rev. M. H. Marvin."[5][5]In article quoted the name Wilber appears a number of times but it should be noted that the correct spelling is Wilbur.CATHOLIC CHURCHIn 1861 the Catholics built their first permanent house near the present site of St. Vincent's Academy. Bishop Blanchet was present during that period and Father Yunger became pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. J. B. Brouillet, who first came to the Walla Walla country as a missionary to the Indians in 1847.Connected with the Catholic Church are St. Vincent's Academy and De La Salle Institute, described elsewhere, besides St. Mary's Hospital, founded in 1870 and now established in one of the most perfect buildings in the Northwest.While our limits do not permit details in regard to each of the churches of Walla Walla, we wish to incorporate a sketch of the early Episcopal Church, for the reason that it casts such as vivid light upon the early days as to give it a special historic value. This sketch was prepared by Edgar Johnson, one of the Whitman College class of 1917, as a research study in his history course and in the judgment of the author is worthy of a place in this volume.THE EARLY HISTORY OF ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCHAccording to the old adage, "Well begun is half done," this church completed half its work in its earliest period. The history of all churches when finally established in a civilized community is much the same. But what was the history of this church before Walla Walla became civilized?PIONEER METHODIST CHURCH, WALLA WALLACompleted January 1, 1918.This is the atmosphere I have to picture; the condition of the times as it reflected on the growth of the church, and the condition of the church as it reflected on the growth of civilization in this city.From the historical data accompanying this review, it will seem that St. Paul's Church was first begun by services held by a traveling missionary, Bishop Morris. The church did not take on definite unity, however, until 1871, when it was placed under the care of Rev. L. H. Wells, a comparatively young missionary from the East. In September, 1871, the first services were held in the building (now gone) on Third Street, between Poplar and Alder streets. This building served as a combined courthouse, hall, church; and the basement housed Stahl's Brewery.At the time of Bishop Wells' arrival in Walla Walla, this city boasted of one thousand inhabitants, while Eastern Washington had seven thousand settlers. At this date, it would strike us that the little city of one thousand would band itself together to protect themselves from the Indians. But fifteen years or more had passed since the last of the Indian wars, and the wealth of the mines of Idaho and Washington found its way into the city and aided in the carousals of its "short-time" owners. For the uninitiated, the center of the street, or open doorways were the safest stops in the city. The Vigilantes ruled as a secret power behind the throne. Suspicion was fixed upon every law-abiding citizen by those who lived to break the law, as a member of this band.The wives of several saloon-keepers were members of the church; and one wife succeeded in converting her husband. But inability or lack of desire to learn a new trade, always drove the new convert back into his old business. After efficiently illustrating back-sliding methods thrice over, this particular saloon man never appeared upon the church rolls again. He furnished, however, the material for a story which emphasizes the uncouthness of the times. He maintained a flourishing saloon on the corner of Third and Main streets, and one evening a miner from the Florence District showed up with his nuggets and gold dust. After treating the house several times, he began searching for more amusement. Finally, thinking that the mirror behind the bar might prove a worthy object at which to pelt gold nuggets, he began firing. Needless to say, he smashed it into bits and then careening up to the bar, he simply asked: "How much do I owe?" The saloon-keeper recovered several hundred dollars' worth of nuggets from the floor and after removing the board floor from the saloon succeeded in washing out $200 more from the gold dust which had been lost throughout the previous period. This became an annual event and never failed in bringing a hundred dollars or so.In 1872 the bishop started his day school, following this in 1873 with a boarding school for girls. In this year a fire burned them out entirely and a larger building was constructed. The life of the bishop was not an easy one. He lived in his little cabin next to the church and whenever a new girl came to the boarding school, he would be forced to give up some of his furniture for the new girl. He was finally reduced to sleeping on a cot, with his overcoat for a coverlet. It was very difficult to keep the coat from falling away during the night; and when another girl came and the couch was needed for her room, the bishop having received no new furniture, built himself a box and filled it with straw, in which he slept and in which he had no difficulty in retaining his overcoat as a comforter.Gold dust and nuggets were the medium of exchange and the church and school both had gold-weighing scales. Many people carried little scales with them in morocco cases. Gold dust was generally carried in buckskin sacks about a foot in depth and about three inches wide, and many people left them lying about the front porch in disguised covering, as the safest place to keep them from thieves and renegade Indians. Three grades of gold found its way into Walla Walla. These were the Eldorado, Florence and Eagle Creek, so named from the district in which they were mined. Merchants kept on hand small round stones with streaks of all three grades in them, by which to measure the dust, as the three grades were worth different amounts of money.It was in this atmosphere that the church began, truly, in a missionary district. Yet it grew, and mainly through the spirit of co-operation of the other churches in the territory. At this time there were also the Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian and the United Brethren churches. Bishop Wells recently told me of the kindness of the United Brethren minister. One day while walking down the street, he was hailed by this minister who was on horseback. The old minister opened the conversation: "Young man, I've been watching you, and so have my congregation. It strikes us that you've seen city life and I'm only a country preacher. If you will take care of my congregation, you may have the church and I'll go into the country, where I can do some good." Naturally, the offer was accepted.In 1877 the new church was erected, and it still stands. This was built on the corner of Third and Poplar streets. The lumber for it was hauled from Touchet, where there was a mill. One difficulty presented itself, however, and that was that the lumber obtainable from there was very short. But the long haul from Wallula made better lumber almost prohibitive, and the church was built from lumber cut in this vicinity and planed at Touchet.Even at this date, forty years ago, Walla Walla was little more than a frontier town. The Joseph wars broke out as result of the white man's raid on their land. A few years previous to this the Government had sent out men to see what could be done for the Indians. The white men were open in their statements that they intended to get the Indians' lands. The Joseph war was followed by the Bannock war. In the latter, Walla Walla was seriously threatened, the Indians coming up through Pendleton and striking near the foothills of this city. A very pretty tale is told regarding a Pendleton sheep man and his dog Bob. The Indians murdered the herders, killed many of the sheep and went on their way. The owner stayed in Pendleton fearing to go to his flocks, and did not go near them until a week or two had elapsed. When he did find them, he discovered that the dog Bob had not only gathered all his own sheep into the flock, but had collected more stray sheep from other flocks that had become lost, than the Indians themselves had killed. Furthermore, he had only killed two small lambs for his own sustenance.Recitation of early events, and incidents could go on forever. And also it is hard to shape a series of stories, and a few simple historical facts, into an interesting history. But the foregoing gives the reader an idea of the times into which the missionary was forced to introduce the Christian teachings. A glance at Walla Walla today, called often the City of Churches, and then the retrospective glance into the '70s, shows the results of the influence which began work at thatearly date and by its everwidening influence succeeded in civilizing this Northwest.WORTHY AND POWERFUL PREACHERSOf the many worthy and powerful preachers of early Walla Walla it may be said that four seem to stand out beyond all others in the minds of pioneers. These are Cushing Eells, missionary, educator, school builder, and all-round saint; John Flinn, a man of somewhat similar type, patient, tireless in good deeds, saintly and unselfish; J. H. Wilbur, one of the big figures of early days; and P. B. Chamberlain, first pastor of the Congregational Church and first principal of Whitman Seminary. Each of these men had his peculiarities, some amusing, some pathetic, all interesting and inspiring. Old-timers, even those not at all given to walking the straight and narrow way, had profound regard for those militant exponents of the gospel. Father Wilbur had worked at the blacksmith's trade before entering the ministry and had muscles of iron and a heart as tender and gentle as ever beat. He was of giant strength and not at all times a non-resistent. It is related that once in Oregon before he came to Walla Walla, some rowdies persisted in disturbing a camp meeting which he was conducting. After warning them a time or two in vain he suddenly descended from the platform, keeping right on with the hymn in stentorian voice, swooped down on the two rowdies, seized them in his brawny hands, knocked their heads together a few times and almost shook the breath out of them, singing all the time, until it was plain that they would interrupt no more services, then returned to the pulpit, going right on as though nothing had happened.Mr. Chamberlain was a man of very different appearance, small, delicate, refined in tone and speech. At first meeting one had little conception of his tremendous energy and iron will. He was a man of electric oratory and swayed pioneer audiences in his little church or in the groves at public gatherings as few men in Walla Walla ever have. He was, however, a genuine Calvinist in his theology, an intense Sabbatarian, and felt called on to attack secret societies and supposedly unorthodox churches with conscientious severity. Thus, though he was admired and respected by all, he could not maintain a working church. As showing something of the character of the man, we include brief extracts from entries made by him in the records of his church, pertaining to his first church building. The building was completed in 1866 at a cost of $3,500, most of which was Mr. Chamberlain's own money. Of it he says: "So it now stands consecrated to God, as all property should be. I leave it with Him, to be refunded or not as He may, at some future time, move the hearts of the children of men to desire to do." On July 13, 1868, two days after the fire, he writes: "God has put His own final construction upon the last part of the foregoing record. Last Saturday, between twelve and two, our pleasant church was entirely destroyed by fire, the fire originating in a neighbor's barn, situated within a few feet of the church. Thy will, not mine, be done." It is gratifying to record that the Methodists at once offered to share their house with their stricken neighbors and that within a few months the generous contributions of the people of Walla Walla enabled Mr. Chamberlain to gather his congregation again on the same place, corner of Second and Rose, and there the Congregationalists continued to worship under severalpastorates until during that of Rev. Austin Rice in 1900 the present building on Palouse and Alder streets was erected.During the past few years a number of fine church buildings have been erected, of which the Christian, the Presbyterian, the Baptist, the Marvin Methodist, and the First Methodist, may be especially named.A distinguishing feature of present church life may be said to be the degree to which it has taken hold of municipal and political questions, reforms, and problems of practical life. In that respect the present churches of Walla Walla are essentially modern. Besides the churches named above, the United Brethren, Lutheran, German Methodist, German Congregational and Christian Science Churches, maintain influential organizations, and the Salvation Army is active and useful.FRATERNAL ORDERSSomewhat similar to the churches in philanthropic aims and to considerable degree composed of the same type of members are the fraternal orders.If Walla Walla and its kindred communities may be regarded as the homes of schools and churches, they may in equal degree be regarded as the homes of lodges. Almost all the fraternal orders usual in American cities are found here. As in case of the churches we find ourselves compelled by the limitations of space to accord too brief attention to these important and popular organizations.The Masonic order has been for many years represented by an active membership, having two lodges, one chapter, a commandery, and a chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. The first lodge was Walla Walla No. 7, which came into being October 19, 1859. At that date a dispensation was granted to C. R. Allen, Braziel Grounds, A. B. Roberts, H. N. Bruning, T. P. Page, Jonas Whitney, Charles Silverman, J. Freedman, and R. H. Reigert. Not till September 3, 1860, was the lodge organized. A. B. Roberts was the first Worshipful Master; J. M. Kennedy, senior warden; B. Scheideman, junior warden; T. P. Page, treasurer; W. B. Kelly, secretary; C. A. Brooks, senior deacon; J. Caughran, junior deacon; W. H. Babcock, tyler. In the summer of 1864 the lodge built a home at the corner of Third and Alder streets. But this building was destroyed by fire in 1866, and for many years following the lodge held its sessions in the Knights Templar hall in the Dooley Block. For several years past the upper story of the Motett Building on Alder Street has been used as a Masonic lodge room.The Odd Fellows have been represented in Walla Walla since 1863, and it is a matter of historic interest to record that the first dispensation to organize a lodge of Odd Fellows in Walla Walla was granted in that year to A. H. Purdy, James McAuliff, W. B. Kelly, L. A. Burthy, and Meyer Lazarus. With additions from time to time there have come into existence three lodges, one encampment, one canton, and two lodges of the Daughters of Rebekah. One of the notable institutions of the Odd Fellows is the Home on Boyer Avenue. This is an institution covering the state and now is housed in two commodious and attractive buildings with accommodations for a large number of old people and orphan children. The home is located upon five acres of fertile and wholesome land secured from H. P. Isaacs. The first building of wood was constructed in 1897 and opened for use in December of that year. The second building of brick was constructed in 1914. There are many shade and fruit trees upon the grounds of the home, and it is truly an attractive and beneficent place. The order has also a fine hall on Alder Street.REV. CUSHING EELLSThe "St. Paul of the Northwest." Missionary to the Indians, 1838-47. Afterward teacher and preacher, and founder of Whitman College.Perhaps most rapid in growth of all the orders in Walla Walla has been the Elks. The Walla Walla lodge of Elks No. 287 was organized August 10, 1894, with fifteen members. The first member to fill the place of Exalted Ruler was Judge W. H. Upton, known for many years as one of the most scholarly, intellectual and capable of the lawyers and jurists of the Inland Empire. His death in 1906 was a great loss, deeply deplored by many circles, not alone in fraternity organizations, in which he was conspicuous, but in all lines of social and professional life. After a slow growth of a number of years the fraternity took on swift development and at the date of this publication the membership exceeds six hundred. The lodge possesses one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, dedicated with a series of appropriate ceremonies and entertainments on May 23, 24, and 25, 1913. The Elks have led many movements for public betterment, as the municipal Christmas trees, park benefits and other benefits, Red Cross campaigns, and other endeavors of philanthropic and patriotic service. One of the recent enterprises of the lodge was the establishment in 1916 of Kooskooskie Park on Mill Creek, fourteen miles above Walla Walla. There in the beautiful shade along the flashing crystal waters of our creek (Pashki the stream ought to be called), the Elks and their friends are wont to disport themselves at intervals in the hot season, as their four-footed prototypes their "totem" of prehistoric times, were accustomed to do. The present Exalted Ruler is C. S. Walters. There is regular publication calledThe Lariat, issued every new moon by the secretary, Fred S. Hull.Of what may be called the great standard fraternities the next to be noted is the Knights of Pythias. It is an interesting historical fact that Walla Walla was the first location of a lodge of that order on the Pacific Coast north of San Francisco. That pioneer lodge was known as Ivanhoe Lodge No. 1. Its early records are not available, but it continued in existence till 1882, in which year it surrendered its charter and went out of existence, to be succeeded by Columbia Lodge No. 8, instituted on October 23d of that year. Of the new lodge the first Past Chancellor was S. A. Deckard, and Chancellor Commander W. N. Gedders. The lodge has been maintained with vigor and success to the present date.Of what may be considered the more specialized and limited organizations there have been and are a number: The Young Men's Institute and Knights of Columbus, Catholic organizations; Woodmen of the World, Modern Woodmen of America, Royal Arcanum, Women of Woodcraft, and National Union, insurance fraternities; and of more miscellaneous character the United Artisans, the Pioneers of the Pacific, the Degree of Honor, Ancient Order of Hibernians, American Yeomen, the Foresters of America, the Rathbone Sisters, Ladies of the Maccabees, Ancient Order United Workmen, Loyal Order of Moose, Improved Order of Red Men, Degree of Pocahontas, Good Templars, Sons of Hermann, Fraternal Order of Eagles, and Order of Washington.Here as elsewhere throughout our country, and worthy here as everywhere of profound respect, is a post of the Grand Army of the Republic. This was chartered March 12, 1881, and the names appearing upon the charter are these:John H. Smith, J. F. McLean, P. B. Johnson, J. M. Coolidge, R. P. Reynolds, Abram Ellis, James Howe, J. A. Neill, O. F. Wilson, H. O. Simonds, Samuel Nulph, Charles Heim, Isaac Chilberg, A. D. Rockafellow, William Leislie, F. F. Adams, F. B. Morse, R. M. Comstock, and Ambrose Oldaker. The first commander of the post, known as Abraham Lincoln Post, No. 4, G. A. R., was John H. Smith. In April, 1886, the A. Lincoln Relief Corps, No. 5, was established, with twenty-five charter members, Mrs. Jane Erickson being president. Fittingly included with the two previously named posts are the United Spanish War Veterans and the Sons of Veterans.There are found in Walla Walla also, of more recent date, the Park Association, one of the most important and influential of all in the beautification and sanitation of the city, the Gun Club, Isaac Walton Club, Golf Club, Anti-Tuberculosis League, and several Reading and Art clubs which have played important parts in ministering to the recreation, the health, the intellectual life, and the artistic taste of the people of Walla Walla and the region adjoining. It is to be regretted that the limitations of space forbid including here the many interesting details of these various organizations.The Walla Walla Commercial Club occupies so commanding a place in the business life of this entire region and has such connections with similar organizations throughout the entire Northwest and even in the nation at large as to be worthy of a history of its own.COMMERCIAL CLUBThe Commercial Club came into existence in 1885. It was represented in that year by delegates to an Open River meeting in The Dalles. For a number of years it was suggestive and mutually stimulating to its small membership, rather than possessing any regular organization. It met irregularly both in time and place. In 1904 John H. McDonald became secretary, but the organization was not such as to provide for a secretary who could devote his entire time to it, and hence there was not then a real commercial club in the modern sense. But a new era began with the appointment in 1906 of A. C. Moore as the first regular and exclusive secretary. Mr. Moore had come to Walla Walla in 1888 and had been up to 1906 engaged in the O. R. & N. R. R. office. With his entrance into the secretaryship of the club new and broader plans for publicity and expansion by new memberships were begun. In 1908 the first of a series of regular publicity campaigns was begun. That was a time signalized by the seaboard cities of California, Oregon, and Washington—Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Tacoma, Astoria, Everett and Bellingham—with special efforts to attract immigration and new enterprise. It was the publicity erapar excellence.Tom Richardson and C. C. Chapman of Portland accomplished wonderful things in that city and in Oregon. Both became well known in Walla Walla, where they were greatly admired and where their enthusiasm imparted such an impulse to the Commercial Club as to lead to a new organization with the special aim of advertisement and general publicity. It may be said that the real history of the club as a definite organization begins at that time, 1908.The articles of incorporation are as follows:ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

PRESTON HALL, WAITSBURG

PRESTON HALL, WAITSBURG

PRESTON HALL, WAITSBURG

PUBLIC SCHOOL, WAITSBURG

PUBLIC SCHOOL, WAITSBURG

PUBLIC SCHOOL, WAITSBURG

FACULTY

Walter Irvine Smith, president, mathematics and astronomy; Elder O. A. Johnson, Bible and ecclesiastical history; Elder F. S. Bunch, Bible and pastoral training; George W. Rine, history and public speaking; Winifred Lucile Holmden, ancient and modern languages; J. Alvin Renninger, English and Biblical literature; Clara Edna Rogers, rhetoric; Bert Bryan Davis, normal director, psychology and education; William Miller Heidenreich, German; Arthur C. Christensen, chemistry and biology; George Kretschmar, physics and mathematics; A. Wilmar Oakes, director of music, violin, orchestra and chorus; Grace Wood-Reith, pianoforte and voice; Estella Winona Kiehnhoff, pianoforte, voice and harmony; ——, stenography and typewriting; William Carey Raley, bookkeeping and accountancy; Win S. Osborne, art.

NORMAL CRITIC TEACHERS

Charles Oscar Smith, grades seven and eight; Grace Robison-Rine, grades five and six, intermediate methods; Rosella A. Snyder-Davis, grades three and four, manual arts; Anna Aurelia Pierce, grades one and two, primary methods.

INDUSTRIAL DEPARTMENTS

Frank W. Peterson, superintendent; Glen R. Holden, printing; Wm. B. Ammundsen, carpentry; Philip A. Bothwell, baking; Mrs. R. D. Bolter, dressmaking; Mrs. F. W. Vesey, cooking.

The catalog shows an enrollment of 293 pupils.

From a historical and educational standpoint there is no more interesting institution under private control than the

FORMER WAITSBURG ACADEMY

That community of beautiful homes and intelligent citizens, of which much more will be said in other parts of this work, has always recognized the value of education, and it is not surprising to find a demand in the early days for a more advanced type of education than that afforded by the common schools. During the first part of the decade of the '80s that demand eventuated in the appointment by the United Presbyterian Church of Rev. Joseph Alter in 1884 to go to Eastern Washington as a general organizer of home missionary and educational work. The church founded by Mr. Alter secured Rev. W. G. M. Hays as its pastor in 1886. Being filled with the spirit of the need of higher education and encouraged by ample evidence of probable support of a first-class academy, Doctor Hays became a steadfast advocate of such an undertaking and on September 14, 1886, the church building was opened for the meeting of the first classes, Prof. J. G. Thompson being placed in charge of the work. At that time the academy had no corporate existence and no board of trustees. But in 1887 the infant institution was adopted by the synod of Columbia of the UnitedPresbyterian Church of North America and became regularly incorporated with its first board of trustees consisting of the Revs. Hugh F. Wallace, W. G. Irvine, W. A. Spalding, W. G. M. Hays, and J. H. Niblock, and Messrs. A. W. Philips, David Roberts, E. F. Cox, T. J. Hollowell, and J. E. Vans. In May, 1887, in pursuance of the plans of the board, a joint stock company was organized to conduct the academy. Six thousand dollars was raised, of which $4,000 was devoted to a building and the remainder to supplementing tuition as a means of maintenance. During the ten years following the founding, Doctor Hays, Rev. W. R. Stevenson, and Miss Ina F. Robertson made journeys east for the purpose of securing funds for building and endowment. As a result of the last campaign of Miss Robertson, funds were secured for an excellent building which was erected in 1896. During the entire term of its existence Waitsburg Academy received the respect and support of the community, and its teachers were men and women of the highest type.

The principals with their terms of service were these: J. G. Thompson, 1886-9; T. M. McKinney, 1889-90; W. G. M. Hays, 1890-1; Ina F. Robertson, 1891-4; and Rev. J. A. Keener, 1894, to the termination of the life of the institution. For rather sad to relate Waitsburg Academy, in spite of all its excellent work and a growing body of alumni enthusiastic in its support, found itself in the situation which has confronted practically all such educational institutions in the West. When high school instruction was undertaken at Waitsburg it was found that the interest and desire to support that public system was so general that the support of the academy fell off, and though the people of the community had no sentiment other than of commendation, yet their first interest was in the public school system. As an inevitable sequence the academy found it wise to disband. Its building was sold to the district and there the public school work of part of the city is conducted. The academy, though disbanded, had performed a great mission, and the present excellent high school, as well as the general culture and intelligence apparent in the beautiful little City of Waitsburg, may be attributed in large degree to the noble work of the academy.

We have elsewhere given a general view of the public school systems of the county, and in that the schools of Waitsburg appear. But there is one feature of the schools of Waitsburg already named so unique and interesting as to call for further special mention. This is Preston Hall, connected with the high school. This beautiful and well-equipped building was the gift of one of the noblest and most philanthropic citizens of the Inland Empire, a man of whom old Walla Walla County, and particularly Waitsburg, may well be proud. This was W. G. Preston. This big-souled and big-brained builder of the large affairs of his community, had a deep sense of the value of practical industrial training for the growing youth of the land. Carrying out his favorite idea he gave about twenty-six thousand dollars for the creation of a building, with suitable equipment for the best type of industrial education, as well as gymnastic training. While this was but one of the many contributions to the advancement of the community in which the Preston family lived so long and so well, it is perhaps the one which will be most wide-reaching in influence and the one which will perpetuate most effectively the influence of its donor.

Before leaving the subject of the schools it may be suitable to note thefact that the schools in what was old Walla Walla County, as well as the narrower limits which now retain the name, have during the past ten or fifteen years shown a great tendency to build more beautiful and better equipped houses. This has been due partly to the increase in wealth and culture and to the general recognition that the old bare unlovely and forsaken-looking schoolhouses of the earlier times are an affront to the progressive spirit of a time which is demanding the best for the boys and girls, but much of the motive power of this great improvement must be attributed, in Walla Walla County, to the last two superintendents of schools, Mrs. Josephine Preston and Paul Johnson. During the eight years of service of these two efficient public officials the idea of the rural school as a community center and a focus of social life has gained a hold on public interest and support truly wonderful. A debt of gratitude is due these and other incumbents of the same office in the other counties covered by this work in inaugurating a new era in school architecture and beautification of grounds. The influence of this on coming generations for character, patriotism, and efficiency, as well as artistic taste and general culture, will be incalculable. It is fitting that special note be made here of the fact that in the smaller towns of Walla Walla County, Prescott, Touchet, Dixie and Attalia, the school buildings represent large outlay and contain the best modern features. If there is one thing more than another in which the people of this section may take satisfaction, it is the school system, both town and rural.

There is another institution in Walla Walla of rare interest, which while not educational is allied with that branch of social progress. We refer to the Stubblefield Home. From Mr. C. M. Rader, one of the trustees, we derive the following account of this noble institution.

STUBBLEFIELD HOME

To Joseph Loney Stubblefield and his good wife Anna, are indebted the children and widows who in the past have been, or in the future may become members of this home. In early life Mr. and Mrs. Stubblefield experienced the hardships incident to poverty. They emigrated from Missouri in the early '60s and settled about seven miles southeast of Walla Walla, where by most frugal habits and great industry they accumulated, for the early days, a considerable fortune. The wife died in 1874 without issue. She and her husband often talked of the great need of a home for caring for aged widows and orphan children and the wife said she wanted her money to be used for such purpose. She left no will, except as it was impressed in the heart of her husband.

On November 16, 1902, six months after making his will, Joseph L. Stubblefield died at the age of seventy-eight years. By the thirty-first clause of this will he left about one hundred and thirty thousand dollars, the bulk of his accumulations, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a home for "fatherless or motherless and indigent children, and worthy elderly indigent widows, residents of Washington and Oregon." This fund was willed to R. M. Dorothy, E. A. Reser and Cary M. Rader, who were named as trustees to manage the fund and the home to be established. These trustees were appointed to serve for life, unless any should resign or be removed. The successors of these trustees underthe terms of the will are to be appointed by the county commissioners of Walla Walla and Umatilla counties, acting jointly but by and with the consent of the two trustees remaining on the board. A second wife, whom Mr. Stubblefield had amply provided for, attempted to break the will by proceedings in court, but the will was fully sustained both in the Superior and Supreme courts of Washington.

Numerous citizens interested themselves in an attempt to secure the location of the home near Walla Walla and raised a donation of something more than ten thousand dollars to assist in purchasing a suitable site. The trustees purchased the present grounds consisting of forty acres about one mile southeast of the City of Walla Walla and there on November 16, 1904, exactly two years after the death of Mr. Stubblefield, with appropriate ceremonies, the home was formally opened with Alphonso R. Olds as superintendent and his wife Etta C. Olds as matron.

The home remained under the very efficient management of these good people for eight years. On their resignation, occasioned by ill health, Luther J. Campbell and wife Maggie were appointed respectively as superintendent and matron, and have since been in charge of the institution. R. M. Dorothy, in 1912, resigned as trustee and was succeeded on the board by Francis M. Stubblefield, a nephew of Joseph L. Stubblefield. These are the only changes of officials connected with the institution.

The home rapidly filled after the opening and there has since rarely been a vacancy for any considerable time. The number of members in the home is usually close to twenty-five and of these most are children. There have never been more than three widows in the home at one time. The children are taught to work and soon become quite expert for children—the boys as gardeners and the girls at household duties. In 1915 a team of three girls from the home won a prize at the Walla Walla County Fair and also at the State Fair as experts in canning fruits and vegetables. The children attend school at the Berney Graded School.

The fund left by Mr. Stubblefield, by judicious handling, has about doubled and is at present mostly invested in wheat lands, which furnish sufficient income to defray all expenses.

THE CHURCHES OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY

As elsewhere in this work we speak first of the institutions located in Walla Walla City itself. By reason of priority of settlement the institutions of all sorts growing around that point were representative of the entire region and hence belong as truly to the parts which subsequently were set aside for other counties. We shall elsewhere endeavor to give similar brief views of the churches of the other parts of the region covered by our story. As will be obvious to the reader, the limitations of space compel us to consider the churches as a whole, important as they are in the life of the community, without dwelling upon details, significant and inspiring as they often are. Practically all the leading Christian denominations have been represented in Old Walla Walla. The Methodist seems to have been the pioneer among the Protestant denominations, though the Catholic was first to provide a place of worship. It was in 1859 that a structure of piles driven into the ground and covered with shakes was prepared for worship by the Catholics of the little community on Mill Creek. The location was near the present lumber yard on Third Street and Poplar. In 1860 the Methodists built the first regular building on the corner of the present Fifth and Alder. That church had various vicissitudes, for it subsequently moved to Second and Alder and was used for a time as a house for the hosecart of the fire department. Later on it received a second story and became the "Blue Front," still later burned.

Congregational ChurchWhite Temple Baptist ChurchCentral Christian ChurchPresbyterian ChurchCHURCHES OF WALLA WALLA

Congregational ChurchWhite Temple Baptist ChurchCentral Christian ChurchPresbyterian ChurchCHURCHES OF WALLA WALLA

We give here a sketch of the early history of the Methodist Church, not with the desire to overemphasize that denomination at the expense of others, but that by reason of its pioneer nature it was peculiarly typical of the first days. We take this from a historical report prepared by J. M. Hill and E. Smith and presented at the conference at Walla Walla on February 7, 1900. This report contains so much interlocking matter of different kinds as to give it a permanent value:

"On page seventy-four of Rev. H. K. Hines' Missionary History of the Pacific Northwest, we find that the first sermon preached west of the Rocky Mountains was delivered by Rev. Jason Lee at Fort Hall, on Sunday, July 27, 1834. And in a book entitled Wild Life in Oregon, on pages 176-7, we will find that the first Methodist sermon preached at or near Walla Walla was by the Rev. Gustavus Hines, on May 21, 1843, at Doctor Whitman's mission, six miles west of this city. Rev. Gustavus Hines also preached at Rev. H. H. Spalding's Lapwai mission, on Sunday, May 14, 1843.

We find that the first Methodist Episcopal Church organization that was perfected in Walla Walla, or in that part of the country known as Eastern Oregon or Eastern Washington, was in 1859, and at that time the Walla Walla Valley was just commencing to be settled up with stock raisers and traders. The Town of Walla Walla was the principal or most important point, the United States military post being located here, and this place having become the wintering place for miners, packers and freighters from the mines north and east of this country.

The Oregon conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, having jurisdiction over the church work in this section, took up the matter of supplying it with the gospel, and at the annual conference held at Albany in August, 1859, appointed Rev. J. H. Wilber as presiding elder of this field, calling it the Walla Walla circuit, which took in most of that part of the country east of The Dalles, Oregon, comprising the Grande Ronde, Walla Walla, Snake River and Columbia River valleys as far north as the British line and east to the Rocky Mountains, and appointed Rev. G. M. Berry as pastor for Walla Walla circuit.

Brother Wilber and Brother Berry at once started for their field of labor. They came to Walla Walla and commenced the work by holding meetings at different places, at the homes of some of the people and at times in the old log courthouse at the corner of Main and Fifth streets. Soon after taking up the work Brother Wilber and Brother Berry decided to organize a class at Walla Walla, and on Monday, October 11, 1859, met and organized the first class in the district; also held their first quarterly conference. The quarterly conference was called to order by the presiding elder, Rev. J. H. Wilber, and opened with singing and prayer. The pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, was appointed secretary of the meeting. The following named brothers were elected as the first board of stewards:S. M. Titus, William B. Kelly, John Moar, A. B. Roberts and T. P. Denney. A. B. Roberts was elected as the recording steward.

In January, 1860, the class decided to build a church in the Town of Walla Walla, and appointed a building committee to undertake the work, consisting of the pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, Brother Thomas Martin and Brother John Moar. At a meeting held in April, 1860, the committee reported that they had selected for a church site lots 6 and 7, block 10, at the corner of Alder and Fifth streets, and that Rev. G. M. Berry had made application to the Board of County Commissioners asking them to donate the lots to the church. At a meeting held on May 21, 1860, the first board of trustees of the church of Walla Walla was appointed, being Brothers T. P. Denney, S. M. Titus, John Moar, Thomas Martin and William B. Kelly, and on May 22, 1860, lots 6 and 7 of block 10 of the original Town of Walla Walla were transferred to the above named trustees for the church by the Board of County Commissioners of Walla Walla County.

The building committee—the pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, as its chairman—with the few members, at once took up the work of building the church, which was completed in the fall of 1860. It was the first church of any denomination built in Walla Walla, and was built at a cost of $1,046.52, with unpaid bills to the amount of $131.02. These items are taken from the report of the auditor of accounts of the building committee as reported at the third quarterly conference, held at Walla Walla on June 24, 1861, by Andrew Keys, auditor. The pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, had practically been Sunday-school superintendent as well as pastor ever since the organisation of the class until the church was completed. We fail to find any record of the dedication of this church.

The Oregon annual conference of 1861 created the Walla Walla district and appointed Rev. John Flinn as presiding elder and pastor of Walla Walla. At the Oregon annual conference, held in 1867, the Walla Walla district was divided into one station and four circuits, viz.: Walla Walla Station, Walla Walla, Waitsburg, Grande Ronde and Umatilla circuits.

In 1868, the class having become strong, and desiring a new location for their church building, the board of trustees procured lots on the corner of Poplar and Second streets, bought on May 30, 1868, from W. J. and Abell Arner for $250.00, and deeded to the following named trustees: H. Parker, T. P. Denney, J. L. Reser, Joseph Paul and John W. McGhee. The old church was moved to the new location, repaired and enlarged, and a parsonage was fitted up just east of the church, facing on Popular Street.

At the Oregon annual conference, held at Eugene, August 5 to 9, 1869, all of the membership and appointments formally denominated Walla Walla Station, Walla Walla Circuit and Dry Creek were formed as one charge and called Walla Walla Circuit, to which Rev. John T. Wolfe was appointed as pastor and Rev. Charles H. Hoxie as assistant pastor.

Rev. James B. Calloway was presiding elder of the district, and on September 18, 1869, called together at Walla Walla all of the official members of the new circuit and organised the first quarterly conference, electing the following board of trustees: Charles Moore, T. P. Denney, D. M. Jessee, M. Emerick, Benjamin Hayward, A. H. Simmons, M. McEverly, William Holbrook and Oliver Gallaher. At the Oregon annual conference, held at Vancouver, on August 25, 1870,Walla Walla City was again made a station, separating it from the Walla Walla Circuit, and Rev. H. C. Jenkins was appointed as pastor.

Early in the spring of 1878, under the leadership of the pastor, Rev. D. G. Strong, the class undertook the erection of a new church building. The old church was sold to Mr. J. F. Abbott for $250.00 and moved off the lots, and through the efforts of the pastor and his board of trustees, consisting of B. F. Burch, J. E. Berryman, M. Middaugh, John Berry and O. P. Lacy, together with the faithful members and friends, the new church was completed at a cost of about $10,000, receiving from the church extension society of the church a donation of $1,000 and a loan of $500. The loan in due time was paid back. After the completion of the new church, Rev. W. G. Simpson was the first pastor and Brother E. Smith was the first Sunday-school superintendent. For some reason not on record the church was not dedicated until August, 1879. The collection and services at the dedication were in charge of Bishop Haven, he being the bishop of the annual conference held at Walla Walla August 7 to 12, 1879.

It having been discovered in 1883 that the board of trustees had never been incorporated under the laws of the Territory of Washington, the quarterly conference directed that articles of incorporation should be prepared. B. L. and J. L. Sharpstein, attorneys, were employed to prepare incorporation papers, and on February 9, 1883, they were signed and acknowledged by the following board of trustees: Donald Ross, C. P. Headley, S. F. Henderson, J. M. Hill, H. C. Sniff, H. C. Chew, E. Smith and G. H. Randall, and filed with the territorial auditor and the auditor of Walla Walla County. At the first meeting of this board of trustees they elected the following officers: J. M. Hill, president; Donald Ross, secretary; C. P. Headley, treasurer.

During the summer of 1887, the class, under the leadership of the pastor, Rev. Henry Brown, with the ladies of the church and the trustees, consisting of J. H. Parker, C. P. Headley, S. F. Henderson, J. M. Hill, H. C. Sniff, H. C. Chew, G. H. Randall and E. Smith, undertook the building of a new parsonage, and with the bequest of $500 from the estate of our departed brother, E. Sherman, designated by him to be used for a new parsonage, and $596.47 raised principally by the efforts of the ladies' parsonage committee, a two-story, seven-room parsonage was erected on the grounds of the old parsonage, facing Poplar Street, and this was turned over to the board of trustees free of debt and fairly well furnished.

During 1887, through the efforts of Rev. J. H. Wilber, a small church was built in the eastern part of the city and called Wilber Chapel. Brother W. J. White donated a lot for that purpose, $300 being received from the Church Extension Society, part of the balance being subscriptions from friends, but the greater part being given by Rev. J. H. Wilber himself. The church cost $1,500 and was deeded to the trustees of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Walla Walla, viz.: J. H. Parker, J. M. Hill, C. P. Headley, S. F. Henderson, H. C. Sniff, H. C. Chew, G. H. Randall and E. Smith. The church was sold to the German Lutheran Society for the sum of $1,600 on September 5, 1892, returning to the board of the church extension about $400 due them in principal and interest. The dedication of Wilber Chapel was by Rev. N. E. Parsons, presiding elder, assisted by Rev. J. H. Wilber and Rev. Henry Brown. During 1894 the church, under the leadership of Rev. V. C. Evers, the pastor, with the trustees, enlarged the presentchurch by extending it to the north line of the property, increasing the seating capacity of the church with lecture room to 525 persons.

Our church property at this time is free from debt and consists of:

One church building and lot, value $11,500.00; one parsonage and fraction of lot, value $2,000.00; total $13,500.00.

The following are the names of the pastors of Walla Walla and time of service: 1859 to 1861, Rev. George M. Berry; 1861 to 1863, Rev. John Flinn; 1863 to 1865, Rev. William Franklin; 1865 to 1866, Rev. James Deardoff; 1866 to 1867, Rev. John L. Reser; 1867 to 1869, Rev. John T. Wolfe; 1869 to 1870, Rev. C. H. Hoxie; 1870 to 1872, Rev. H. C. Jenkins; 1872 to 1873, Rev. J. W. Miller; 1873 to 1874, Rev. S. G. Havermale; 1874 to 1875, Rev. G. W. Grannis; 1875 to 1876, Rev. S. B. Burrell; 1876 to 1878, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1878 to 1880, Rev. W. G. Simpson; 1880 to 1882, Rev. G. M. Irwin; 1882 to 1883, Rev. A. J. Joslyn; 1883 to 1884, Rev. W. C. Gray; 1884 to 1885, Rev. J. D. Flenner; 1885 to 1886, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1886 to 1889, Rev. Henry Brown; 1889 to 1892, Rev. W. W. Van Dusen; 1892 to 1896, Rev. V. C. Evers; 1896 to 1899, Rev. W. C. Reuter; 1899 to 1900, Rev. Lee A. Johnson.

The following are the names of the presiding elders of Walla Walla district and time of service: 1859 to 1861, Rev. J. H. Wilber; 1861 to 1864, Rev. John Flinn; 1864 to 1866, Rev. Isaac Dillon; 1866 to 1869, Rev. J. B. Calloway; 1860 to 1870, Rev. W. H. Lewis; 1870 to 1874, Rev. H. K. Hines; 1874 to 1878, Rev. S. G. Havermale; 1878 to 1882, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1882 to 1885, Rev. W. S. Turner; 1885 to 1886, Rev. Levi L. Tarr; 1886 to 1888, Rev. N. E. Parsons; 1888 to 1892, Rev. D. G. Strong; 1892 to 1898, Rev. T. A. Towner; 1898 to 1900, Rev. M. H. Marvin."[5]

CATHOLIC CHURCH

In 1861 the Catholics built their first permanent house near the present site of St. Vincent's Academy. Bishop Blanchet was present during that period and Father Yunger became pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. J. B. Brouillet, who first came to the Walla Walla country as a missionary to the Indians in 1847.

Connected with the Catholic Church are St. Vincent's Academy and De La Salle Institute, described elsewhere, besides St. Mary's Hospital, founded in 1870 and now established in one of the most perfect buildings in the Northwest.

While our limits do not permit details in regard to each of the churches of Walla Walla, we wish to incorporate a sketch of the early Episcopal Church, for the reason that it casts such as vivid light upon the early days as to give it a special historic value. This sketch was prepared by Edgar Johnson, one of the Whitman College class of 1917, as a research study in his history course and in the judgment of the author is worthy of a place in this volume.

THE EARLY HISTORY OF ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

According to the old adage, "Well begun is half done," this church completed half its work in its earliest period. The history of all churches when finally established in a civilized community is much the same. But what was the history of this church before Walla Walla became civilized?

PIONEER METHODIST CHURCH, WALLA WALLACompleted January 1, 1918.

PIONEER METHODIST CHURCH, WALLA WALLACompleted January 1, 1918.

PIONEER METHODIST CHURCH, WALLA WALLACompleted January 1, 1918.

This is the atmosphere I have to picture; the condition of the times as it reflected on the growth of the church, and the condition of the church as it reflected on the growth of civilization in this city.

From the historical data accompanying this review, it will seem that St. Paul's Church was first begun by services held by a traveling missionary, Bishop Morris. The church did not take on definite unity, however, until 1871, when it was placed under the care of Rev. L. H. Wells, a comparatively young missionary from the East. In September, 1871, the first services were held in the building (now gone) on Third Street, between Poplar and Alder streets. This building served as a combined courthouse, hall, church; and the basement housed Stahl's Brewery.

At the time of Bishop Wells' arrival in Walla Walla, this city boasted of one thousand inhabitants, while Eastern Washington had seven thousand settlers. At this date, it would strike us that the little city of one thousand would band itself together to protect themselves from the Indians. But fifteen years or more had passed since the last of the Indian wars, and the wealth of the mines of Idaho and Washington found its way into the city and aided in the carousals of its "short-time" owners. For the uninitiated, the center of the street, or open doorways were the safest stops in the city. The Vigilantes ruled as a secret power behind the throne. Suspicion was fixed upon every law-abiding citizen by those who lived to break the law, as a member of this band.

The wives of several saloon-keepers were members of the church; and one wife succeeded in converting her husband. But inability or lack of desire to learn a new trade, always drove the new convert back into his old business. After efficiently illustrating back-sliding methods thrice over, this particular saloon man never appeared upon the church rolls again. He furnished, however, the material for a story which emphasizes the uncouthness of the times. He maintained a flourishing saloon on the corner of Third and Main streets, and one evening a miner from the Florence District showed up with his nuggets and gold dust. After treating the house several times, he began searching for more amusement. Finally, thinking that the mirror behind the bar might prove a worthy object at which to pelt gold nuggets, he began firing. Needless to say, he smashed it into bits and then careening up to the bar, he simply asked: "How much do I owe?" The saloon-keeper recovered several hundred dollars' worth of nuggets from the floor and after removing the board floor from the saloon succeeded in washing out $200 more from the gold dust which had been lost throughout the previous period. This became an annual event and never failed in bringing a hundred dollars or so.

In 1872 the bishop started his day school, following this in 1873 with a boarding school for girls. In this year a fire burned them out entirely and a larger building was constructed. The life of the bishop was not an easy one. He lived in his little cabin next to the church and whenever a new girl came to the boarding school, he would be forced to give up some of his furniture for the new girl. He was finally reduced to sleeping on a cot, with his overcoat for a coverlet. It was very difficult to keep the coat from falling away during the night; and when another girl came and the couch was needed for her room, the bishop having received no new furniture, built himself a box and filled it with straw, in which he slept and in which he had no difficulty in retaining his overcoat as a comforter.

Gold dust and nuggets were the medium of exchange and the church and school both had gold-weighing scales. Many people carried little scales with them in morocco cases. Gold dust was generally carried in buckskin sacks about a foot in depth and about three inches wide, and many people left them lying about the front porch in disguised covering, as the safest place to keep them from thieves and renegade Indians. Three grades of gold found its way into Walla Walla. These were the Eldorado, Florence and Eagle Creek, so named from the district in which they were mined. Merchants kept on hand small round stones with streaks of all three grades in them, by which to measure the dust, as the three grades were worth different amounts of money.

It was in this atmosphere that the church began, truly, in a missionary district. Yet it grew, and mainly through the spirit of co-operation of the other churches in the territory. At this time there were also the Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian and the United Brethren churches. Bishop Wells recently told me of the kindness of the United Brethren minister. One day while walking down the street, he was hailed by this minister who was on horseback. The old minister opened the conversation: "Young man, I've been watching you, and so have my congregation. It strikes us that you've seen city life and I'm only a country preacher. If you will take care of my congregation, you may have the church and I'll go into the country, where I can do some good." Naturally, the offer was accepted.

In 1877 the new church was erected, and it still stands. This was built on the corner of Third and Poplar streets. The lumber for it was hauled from Touchet, where there was a mill. One difficulty presented itself, however, and that was that the lumber obtainable from there was very short. But the long haul from Wallula made better lumber almost prohibitive, and the church was built from lumber cut in this vicinity and planed at Touchet.

Even at this date, forty years ago, Walla Walla was little more than a frontier town. The Joseph wars broke out as result of the white man's raid on their land. A few years previous to this the Government had sent out men to see what could be done for the Indians. The white men were open in their statements that they intended to get the Indians' lands. The Joseph war was followed by the Bannock war. In the latter, Walla Walla was seriously threatened, the Indians coming up through Pendleton and striking near the foothills of this city. A very pretty tale is told regarding a Pendleton sheep man and his dog Bob. The Indians murdered the herders, killed many of the sheep and went on their way. The owner stayed in Pendleton fearing to go to his flocks, and did not go near them until a week or two had elapsed. When he did find them, he discovered that the dog Bob had not only gathered all his own sheep into the flock, but had collected more stray sheep from other flocks that had become lost, than the Indians themselves had killed. Furthermore, he had only killed two small lambs for his own sustenance.

Recitation of early events, and incidents could go on forever. And also it is hard to shape a series of stories, and a few simple historical facts, into an interesting history. But the foregoing gives the reader an idea of the times into which the missionary was forced to introduce the Christian teachings. A glance at Walla Walla today, called often the City of Churches, and then the retrospective glance into the '70s, shows the results of the influence which began work at thatearly date and by its everwidening influence succeeded in civilizing this Northwest.

WORTHY AND POWERFUL PREACHERS

Of the many worthy and powerful preachers of early Walla Walla it may be said that four seem to stand out beyond all others in the minds of pioneers. These are Cushing Eells, missionary, educator, school builder, and all-round saint; John Flinn, a man of somewhat similar type, patient, tireless in good deeds, saintly and unselfish; J. H. Wilbur, one of the big figures of early days; and P. B. Chamberlain, first pastor of the Congregational Church and first principal of Whitman Seminary. Each of these men had his peculiarities, some amusing, some pathetic, all interesting and inspiring. Old-timers, even those not at all given to walking the straight and narrow way, had profound regard for those militant exponents of the gospel. Father Wilbur had worked at the blacksmith's trade before entering the ministry and had muscles of iron and a heart as tender and gentle as ever beat. He was of giant strength and not at all times a non-resistent. It is related that once in Oregon before he came to Walla Walla, some rowdies persisted in disturbing a camp meeting which he was conducting. After warning them a time or two in vain he suddenly descended from the platform, keeping right on with the hymn in stentorian voice, swooped down on the two rowdies, seized them in his brawny hands, knocked their heads together a few times and almost shook the breath out of them, singing all the time, until it was plain that they would interrupt no more services, then returned to the pulpit, going right on as though nothing had happened.

Mr. Chamberlain was a man of very different appearance, small, delicate, refined in tone and speech. At first meeting one had little conception of his tremendous energy and iron will. He was a man of electric oratory and swayed pioneer audiences in his little church or in the groves at public gatherings as few men in Walla Walla ever have. He was, however, a genuine Calvinist in his theology, an intense Sabbatarian, and felt called on to attack secret societies and supposedly unorthodox churches with conscientious severity. Thus, though he was admired and respected by all, he could not maintain a working church. As showing something of the character of the man, we include brief extracts from entries made by him in the records of his church, pertaining to his first church building. The building was completed in 1866 at a cost of $3,500, most of which was Mr. Chamberlain's own money. Of it he says: "So it now stands consecrated to God, as all property should be. I leave it with Him, to be refunded or not as He may, at some future time, move the hearts of the children of men to desire to do." On July 13, 1868, two days after the fire, he writes: "God has put His own final construction upon the last part of the foregoing record. Last Saturday, between twelve and two, our pleasant church was entirely destroyed by fire, the fire originating in a neighbor's barn, situated within a few feet of the church. Thy will, not mine, be done." It is gratifying to record that the Methodists at once offered to share their house with their stricken neighbors and that within a few months the generous contributions of the people of Walla Walla enabled Mr. Chamberlain to gather his congregation again on the same place, corner of Second and Rose, and there the Congregationalists continued to worship under severalpastorates until during that of Rev. Austin Rice in 1900 the present building on Palouse and Alder streets was erected.

During the past few years a number of fine church buildings have been erected, of which the Christian, the Presbyterian, the Baptist, the Marvin Methodist, and the First Methodist, may be especially named.

A distinguishing feature of present church life may be said to be the degree to which it has taken hold of municipal and political questions, reforms, and problems of practical life. In that respect the present churches of Walla Walla are essentially modern. Besides the churches named above, the United Brethren, Lutheran, German Methodist, German Congregational and Christian Science Churches, maintain influential organizations, and the Salvation Army is active and useful.

FRATERNAL ORDERS

Somewhat similar to the churches in philanthropic aims and to considerable degree composed of the same type of members are the fraternal orders.

If Walla Walla and its kindred communities may be regarded as the homes of schools and churches, they may in equal degree be regarded as the homes of lodges. Almost all the fraternal orders usual in American cities are found here. As in case of the churches we find ourselves compelled by the limitations of space to accord too brief attention to these important and popular organizations.

The Masonic order has been for many years represented by an active membership, having two lodges, one chapter, a commandery, and a chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. The first lodge was Walla Walla No. 7, which came into being October 19, 1859. At that date a dispensation was granted to C. R. Allen, Braziel Grounds, A. B. Roberts, H. N. Bruning, T. P. Page, Jonas Whitney, Charles Silverman, J. Freedman, and R. H. Reigert. Not till September 3, 1860, was the lodge organized. A. B. Roberts was the first Worshipful Master; J. M. Kennedy, senior warden; B. Scheideman, junior warden; T. P. Page, treasurer; W. B. Kelly, secretary; C. A. Brooks, senior deacon; J. Caughran, junior deacon; W. H. Babcock, tyler. In the summer of 1864 the lodge built a home at the corner of Third and Alder streets. But this building was destroyed by fire in 1866, and for many years following the lodge held its sessions in the Knights Templar hall in the Dooley Block. For several years past the upper story of the Motett Building on Alder Street has been used as a Masonic lodge room.

The Odd Fellows have been represented in Walla Walla since 1863, and it is a matter of historic interest to record that the first dispensation to organize a lodge of Odd Fellows in Walla Walla was granted in that year to A. H. Purdy, James McAuliff, W. B. Kelly, L. A. Burthy, and Meyer Lazarus. With additions from time to time there have come into existence three lodges, one encampment, one canton, and two lodges of the Daughters of Rebekah. One of the notable institutions of the Odd Fellows is the Home on Boyer Avenue. This is an institution covering the state and now is housed in two commodious and attractive buildings with accommodations for a large number of old people and orphan children. The home is located upon five acres of fertile and wholesome land secured from H. P. Isaacs. The first building of wood was constructed in 1897 and opened for use in December of that year. The second building of brick was constructed in 1914. There are many shade and fruit trees upon the grounds of the home, and it is truly an attractive and beneficent place. The order has also a fine hall on Alder Street.

REV. CUSHING EELLSThe "St. Paul of the Northwest." Missionary to the Indians, 1838-47. Afterward teacher and preacher, and founder of Whitman College.

REV. CUSHING EELLSThe "St. Paul of the Northwest." Missionary to the Indians, 1838-47. Afterward teacher and preacher, and founder of Whitman College.

REV. CUSHING EELLS

The "St. Paul of the Northwest." Missionary to the Indians, 1838-47. Afterward teacher and preacher, and founder of Whitman College.

Perhaps most rapid in growth of all the orders in Walla Walla has been the Elks. The Walla Walla lodge of Elks No. 287 was organized August 10, 1894, with fifteen members. The first member to fill the place of Exalted Ruler was Judge W. H. Upton, known for many years as one of the most scholarly, intellectual and capable of the lawyers and jurists of the Inland Empire. His death in 1906 was a great loss, deeply deplored by many circles, not alone in fraternity organizations, in which he was conspicuous, but in all lines of social and professional life. After a slow growth of a number of years the fraternity took on swift development and at the date of this publication the membership exceeds six hundred. The lodge possesses one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, dedicated with a series of appropriate ceremonies and entertainments on May 23, 24, and 25, 1913. The Elks have led many movements for public betterment, as the municipal Christmas trees, park benefits and other benefits, Red Cross campaigns, and other endeavors of philanthropic and patriotic service. One of the recent enterprises of the lodge was the establishment in 1916 of Kooskooskie Park on Mill Creek, fourteen miles above Walla Walla. There in the beautiful shade along the flashing crystal waters of our creek (Pashki the stream ought to be called), the Elks and their friends are wont to disport themselves at intervals in the hot season, as their four-footed prototypes their "totem" of prehistoric times, were accustomed to do. The present Exalted Ruler is C. S. Walters. There is regular publication calledThe Lariat, issued every new moon by the secretary, Fred S. Hull.

Of what may be called the great standard fraternities the next to be noted is the Knights of Pythias. It is an interesting historical fact that Walla Walla was the first location of a lodge of that order on the Pacific Coast north of San Francisco. That pioneer lodge was known as Ivanhoe Lodge No. 1. Its early records are not available, but it continued in existence till 1882, in which year it surrendered its charter and went out of existence, to be succeeded by Columbia Lodge No. 8, instituted on October 23d of that year. Of the new lodge the first Past Chancellor was S. A. Deckard, and Chancellor Commander W. N. Gedders. The lodge has been maintained with vigor and success to the present date.

Of what may be considered the more specialized and limited organizations there have been and are a number: The Young Men's Institute and Knights of Columbus, Catholic organizations; Woodmen of the World, Modern Woodmen of America, Royal Arcanum, Women of Woodcraft, and National Union, insurance fraternities; and of more miscellaneous character the United Artisans, the Pioneers of the Pacific, the Degree of Honor, Ancient Order of Hibernians, American Yeomen, the Foresters of America, the Rathbone Sisters, Ladies of the Maccabees, Ancient Order United Workmen, Loyal Order of Moose, Improved Order of Red Men, Degree of Pocahontas, Good Templars, Sons of Hermann, Fraternal Order of Eagles, and Order of Washington.

Here as elsewhere throughout our country, and worthy here as everywhere of profound respect, is a post of the Grand Army of the Republic. This was chartered March 12, 1881, and the names appearing upon the charter are these:John H. Smith, J. F. McLean, P. B. Johnson, J. M. Coolidge, R. P. Reynolds, Abram Ellis, James Howe, J. A. Neill, O. F. Wilson, H. O. Simonds, Samuel Nulph, Charles Heim, Isaac Chilberg, A. D. Rockafellow, William Leislie, F. F. Adams, F. B. Morse, R. M. Comstock, and Ambrose Oldaker. The first commander of the post, known as Abraham Lincoln Post, No. 4, G. A. R., was John H. Smith. In April, 1886, the A. Lincoln Relief Corps, No. 5, was established, with twenty-five charter members, Mrs. Jane Erickson being president. Fittingly included with the two previously named posts are the United Spanish War Veterans and the Sons of Veterans.

There are found in Walla Walla also, of more recent date, the Park Association, one of the most important and influential of all in the beautification and sanitation of the city, the Gun Club, Isaac Walton Club, Golf Club, Anti-Tuberculosis League, and several Reading and Art clubs which have played important parts in ministering to the recreation, the health, the intellectual life, and the artistic taste of the people of Walla Walla and the region adjoining. It is to be regretted that the limitations of space forbid including here the many interesting details of these various organizations.

The Walla Walla Commercial Club occupies so commanding a place in the business life of this entire region and has such connections with similar organizations throughout the entire Northwest and even in the nation at large as to be worthy of a history of its own.

COMMERCIAL CLUB

The Commercial Club came into existence in 1885. It was represented in that year by delegates to an Open River meeting in The Dalles. For a number of years it was suggestive and mutually stimulating to its small membership, rather than possessing any regular organization. It met irregularly both in time and place. In 1904 John H. McDonald became secretary, but the organization was not such as to provide for a secretary who could devote his entire time to it, and hence there was not then a real commercial club in the modern sense. But a new era began with the appointment in 1906 of A. C. Moore as the first regular and exclusive secretary. Mr. Moore had come to Walla Walla in 1888 and had been up to 1906 engaged in the O. R. & N. R. R. office. With his entrance into the secretaryship of the club new and broader plans for publicity and expansion by new memberships were begun. In 1908 the first of a series of regular publicity campaigns was begun. That was a time signalized by the seaboard cities of California, Oregon, and Washington—Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Tacoma, Astoria, Everett and Bellingham—with special efforts to attract immigration and new enterprise. It was the publicity erapar excellence.

Tom Richardson and C. C. Chapman of Portland accomplished wonderful things in that city and in Oregon. Both became well known in Walla Walla, where they were greatly admired and where their enthusiasm imparted such an impulse to the Commercial Club as to lead to a new organization with the special aim of advertisement and general publicity. It may be said that the real history of the club as a definite organization begins at that time, 1908.

The articles of incorporation are as follows:

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

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