CUSHING EELLS Riding The Kingdom Trails WHITMAN COLLEGE SOON AFTER ITS FOUNDING IN 1859. Built as a memorial to Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa. Stone buildings followed in 1889. REV. CUSHING EELLS, 1810-1893 with Elkhanah Walker, founded the first mission among the Spokane Indians at Tshimakain in 1839. Organized seventeen Inland Empire churches and founded Whitman College in Walla Walla. Courtesy Eastern Washington Historical Society Sent by the zealous American Board of Missions, returned to Ft. Colville. From there - in less than 10 Cushing Eells and his young bride came West on weeks Cushing Eells rode through the their honeymoon. With Elkhanah Walker and his wife, countryside, covering over 1,400 miles. In June a they followed the Oregon Trail to its end: The Wai­ company of 60 soldiers accompanied the mission ilatpu Mission of Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife families out of the area. Narcissa in the Walla Walla Valley. In 1859 Cushing Eells founded Whitman Seminary From there they journeyed north to Chewelah, a four­ and then Whitman College as a memorial to the day ride. There they preached the gospel to the as­ martyred missionary couple. He devoted much of his sembled Indians-the first sermon by missionaries life and $20,000 to Whitman's cause. among the tribes of the Colville-Spokane River Val­ As an early superintendent of Spokane County's leys. After a time the party returned to Walla Walla schools, Cushing Eells visited each of the 50 schools but in February, 1839, a party of Spokans escorted at least once a year, always riding his famous sorrel the two missionary families to the Tshimakain Mis­ horse Le Blonde, with food in the saddlebag for both sion - which would be their home for nine hard, of them. They ate together, and often slept together. lonely years. This faithful horse carried him over much of the Frontier life was full of indescribable hardships. Northwest - across the Cascades three times. In Those who lived it raised their own food, built their 1893, Rev.· Eells died while feeding his old own furniture, made their own implements, built their companion. own houses and barns. The log cabins had dirt In 1876- 52 years after he began his mission among floors. There were no iron stoves - all cooking was the Spokane Indians - Rev. Cushing Eells helped done over an open fire. In 10 years at Tshimakain the organize the Westminster Congregational Church at Eells household had just one chair. The danger of the home of H. T. Cowley. fire was always there - in 1840 the Eells' cabin - When our Bank came in 1882, Indians camped in with all their meager belongings - burned to the pleasant places along the river, and wintered on the ground. South Hill. Fewer than fifty houses made up the little The Whitman Massacre occurred in November, 1847, town, but hopes were high. We stayed and grew - and was followed by an Indian war. Reluctantly both right along with Spokane. families left Tshimakain Mission, but they soon Spokane's fl ,1 1882 1975 SPOKANE'S OWN BANK BUil T AND OWNED BY THE PEOPLE OF SPOKANE .