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On Being Certain Believing You Are
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Believing You Are Right
Even When Youre Not

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.
The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Busy Life
of Eighty-Five Years of Ezra Meeker
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Title: The Busy Life of Eighty-Five Years of Ezra Meeker

Author: Ezra Meeker

Release date: July 26, 2016 [eBook #52652]

Most recently updated: October 23, 2024

Language: English

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BUSY LIFE

OF EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS OF EZRA MEEKER ***
 EZRA MEEKER
WASHINGTON, D. C., JAN. 23, 1916. BORN DEC. 29, 1830
 THE BUSY LIFE
OF
Eighty-Five Years
OF
EZRA MEEKER

VENTURES AND ADVENTURES

Sixty-three years of Pioneer Life in the Old Oregon Country; An Account
of the Author's Trip Across the Plains with an Ox Team, 1852;
Return Trip, 1906-7; His Cruise on Puget Sound, 1853;
Trip Through the Natchess Pass, 1854; Over
the Chilcoot Pass; Flat-boating on the
Yukon, 1898.

THE OREGON TRAIL

AUTHOR OF PIONEER "REMINISCENCES OF PUGET SOUND"—"THE TRAGEDY OF
LESCHI"—"HOP CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES"—"WASHINGTON
TERRITORY WEST OF THE CASCADE MOUNTAINS"—"THE OX
TEAM"—"UNCLE EZRA'S SHORT STORIES FOR
THE CHILDREN."
PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR

$1.50 Postpaid

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Copyright 1916
by

Ezra Meeker

Press Wm. B. Burford

Indianapolis
 CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.
Autobiography.
Birth and Parentage—Boyhood Days—Aversion to School—
Early Ambitions—Farm Training—Life in a Printing Office
—At Tippecanoe as a Songster 7

CHAPTER II.
Time of My Youth.
Our Ohio Home—A Period of Invention—The Printing Press
—Our Removal to Indiana—Habits Acquired on the Trip 15

CHAPTER III.
Early Days in Indiana.
I'm Going to Be a Farmer—Off for Iowa—An Iowa Winter 18

CHAPTER IV.
Off for Oregon.
Preparation—Getting a Partner—First Day Out 23

CHAPTER V.
The Ferry Across the Missouri 26

CHAPTER VI.
Out on the Plains.
Indian Country—The Cholera—Extent of Emigration—The
Casualties 29

CHAPTER VII.
Buffalo Chase and Stampede.
Buffalo Trails—Chase on the Missouri—Stampede on the
Platte 37

CHAPTER VIII.
Out on the Plains.
The Law of Self-Preservation—Crossing the Snake River—
Wagon Beds as Boats—Down Snake River in Wagon
Boxes—On to Portland 39

CHAPTER IX.
Floating Down the River 51

CHAPTER X.
The Arrival.
At Work—Moving to St. Helens—Building a Home 57

CHAPTER XI.
The First Cabin.
Home Life—A Trip to Puget Sound 63

CHAPTER XII.
Cruise on Puget Sound.
Building a Boat—Afloat on Puget Sound—A Visit to the
Indians 69
 CHAPTER XIII.
Cruise on Puget Sound.
At Steilacoom 77

CHAPTER XIV.
Cruise on Puget Sound.
At Tacoma—On Puyallup Bay 84

CHAPTER XV.
Cruise on Puget Sound.
At Alki Point—A Fish Story 91

CHAPTER XVI.
Cruise on Puget Sound.
Port Townsend—Building the City—Colonel Ebey 96

CHAPTER XVII.
From Columbia River to Puget Sound.
Arrival Home—Preparations to Move—The Trip 101

CHAPTER XVIII.
The Second Cabin.
The New Home—Brother Oliver Returns to the States 115

CHAPTER XIX.
Trip Through Natchess Pass.
Cross the Streams 122
 CHAPTER XX.
Trip Through Natchess Pass—Cont.
Many Obstacles—Killing of Steers to Make Rope—A Brave
Boy 128

CHAPTER XXI.
Trip Through Natchess Pass—Cont.
Fun with the Pony—Immigrants 136

CHAPTER XXII.
Trip Through Natchess Pass—Cont.
Desert Lands—Lost—Crossing the River—Reunion 142

CHAPTER XXIII.
Trip Through Natchess Pass—Cont.
Nearly Home—Trouble Over Titles—Parting 148

CHAPTER XXIV.
Trip Through Natchess Pass—Cont.
Home Again—Visitors—Jay Cooke and My Pamphlet 154

CHAPTER XXV.
First Immigrants Through Natchess Pass.
Hard Trip—Letter from Geo. H. Himes 161

CHAPTER XXVI.
Building of the Natchess Pass Road.
Many Obstacles—Lines from Winthrop—Receipts 169
 CHAPTER XXVII.
Building of the Natchess Pass Road—Cont.
Letter from A. J. Burge—Lawlessness—A Great Pioneer,
George Bush—The Fanning Mill—The First Cougar 178

CHAPTER XXVIII.
About Indians.
Massacre—Flight of Settlers 183

CHAPTER XXIX.
Fraser River Stampede.
Excitement High—Off for Whatcom—The Arrival—Where's
De Lacy? 186

CHAPTER XXX.
An Old Settlers' Meeting.
Review of the Past—Lady Sheriff—Personal Anecdotes 195

CHAPTER XXXI.
A Chapter on Names.
Seattle—Puyallup and Amusing Incidents 201

CHAPTER XXXII.
Pioneer Religious Experiences and Incidents.
Aunt Ann—Mr. and Mrs. Wickser—John McLeod 206

CHAPTER XXXIII.
Wild Animals.
Carrie Sees a Cougar—An Unfriendly Meeting 210
 CHAPTER XXXIV.
The Morning School.
The First Log School House—Going to Market—Fifty Years
Ago 216

CHAPTER XXXV.
An Early Survey.
The Surveying Party—The Camp—Location—Value 221

CHAPTER XXXVI.
The Hop Business.
My Hop Venture—The Curse on Hops 223

CHAPTER XXXVII.
The Beet Sugar Venture 230

CHAPTER XXXVIII.
The History of a History 231

CHAPTER XXXIX.
Banking.
Bank President—The Run on the Bank 235

CHAPTER XL.
The Klondike Venture.
Through White Horse Rapids—On the Yukon 238

CHAPTER XLI.
 THE OREGON TRAIL MONUMENT EXPEDITION.
The Ox.
Ready for the Trip—Getting Notoriety 243

CHAPTER XLII.
The Start.
Making Camps—Out on the Trail—Centralia, Wash.—
Chehalis, Wash.—Jackson's—Toledo, Wash.—Portland,
Oregon 246

CHAPTER XLIII.
The Dalles, Oregon.
Quotations from Journal—Shoeing the Oxen—Out from The
Dalles—Pendleton, Oregon—The Blue Mountains—
Meacham, Oregon—La Grande, Oregon—Ladd's Canyon
—Camp No. 34—Baker City, Oregon—Old Mt. Pleasant,
Oregon—Durkee, Oregon—Huntington—Vale, Oregon 255

CHAPTER XLIV.
Old Fort Boise—Parma, Idaho—Boise, Idaho—Twin Falls,
Idaho—American Falls, Idaho—Pocatello, Idaho—Soda
Springs, Idaho—Montpelier, Idaho—The Mad Bull—The
Wounded Buffalo—Cokeville, Wyoming 266

CHAPTER XLV.
Independence Rock.
The Rocky Mountains.
Pacific Springs—Sweetwater—Split Rock—The Devil's Gate 271

CHAPTER XLVI.
Fish Creek—North Platte—Casper, Wyoming—Glen Rock—
Douglas, Wyoming—Puyallup, Tacoma, Seattle—New
Changes 280

CHAPTER XLVII.
Fort Laramie, Wyoming.
Scott's Bluff—The Dead of the Plains—The Lone Grave—
Chimney Rock—North Platte 289

CHAPTER XLVIII.
Death of Twist.
Gothenberg, Nebraska—Lexington 298

CHAPTER XLIX.
Kearney, Nebraska.
Grand Island 303

CHAPTER L.
From Indianapolis to Washington—Events on the Way 306

CHAPTER LI.
Return Trip.
Leaving Washington—Out West Again—From Portland to
Seattle 320

CHAPTER LII.
The End 328

CHAPTER LIII.
The Interim and Second Trip.
Good Road Movement—The Overland Outfit in the Interim—
Yukon Exposition—The Trip of 1910-'11—Hunting for the
Trail—Dedication of the Wagon and Team to Washington
—A Bill for Surveying "Pioneer Way"—The Author's Plea
Before the House Committee on Military Affairs 331

CHAPTER LIV.
Conquest of the Oregon Country.
(1) Exploration, by Robert Gray, Lewis and Clark and
Jonathan Carver—Naming Oregon. (2) Exploitation, by
John Jacob Astor, the Hunt Party, Hudson Bay Co.—
Ashley, Bonneyville and Wythe—(3) Missionary; "White
Man's Book of Heaven," Lee, Parker, Whitman and
Spaulding as Missionaries—Tribute to Pioneers. (4)
Home builders; American Settlers Outnumber English—
English give up Joint Occupancy, Withdrawal and
Ashburton's Treaty—Establishment of the Oregon Trail
1843—Emigration of 1852—Conclusions 343

CHAPTER LV.
Pioneer Life in Puyallup.
The Cabin—Stilly a Typical Pioneer—Stilly's Cabin Becomes
The Author's Home—The Ivy Vine—Dedication of the
Cabin as "Pioneer Park"—The Author's Phonographic
Address 352

CHAPTER LVI.
Pioneer Life in Puyallup Valley.
The Carson Family—The Walker Family—"Good Templars 360
Lodge"—Holiday Celebrations—First Postoffice—Mount
Rainier Glacier—Colony of 1853—Indian Massacre and
Flight of the Settlers—Discovery of Coal—Acquiring Title
of Land—Publication of "Washington Territory West of
 the Cascades"—Pioneer Socialism—Religion and Schools
—Allen's Letter—Early Settlers Meet in Puyallup's Park—
Great Public Dinner—Strong Program Speech by Ezra
Meeker

CHAPTER LVII.
Sketches of Western Life.
"Occidental Transcontinental Oriental McDonald"—His
Personal Appearance—His Sloop—His Prophecies 375

CHAPTER LVIII.
Sketches of Western Life.
"The Prairie Schooner"—Why Wagon Body was Boat Shape
—Crossing Snake River—Moving Pictures of Crossing
Loop Fork of the Platte River—How the Teams Crossed
the River 377

CHAPTER LIX.
High Cost of Living.
Cincinnati Market a Hundred Years Ago; No Middlemen—All
Markets Now, All Middlemen—Transportation, a Factor in
the Cost of Living—Causes, "High Living," Abandonment
of Simple Life, Change in Environments and Extravagant
Wants 381

CHAPTER LX.
Cost of High Living.
Fortieth Anniversary Celebration of the Completion of N. P. 386
R. R.—Extravagance and Waste at the Celebration—
Supply and Demand Regulates Prices—Consumer Too
Far Removed from Producer, Demand Too Much Service,
Buys in Too Small Quantities—Too Much Money—
 Remedy, Stop Extravagance and Waste, and Buy With
Judgment

CHAPTER LXI.
Preparedness.
Witness of Five Wars—Results, Advancement of Civilization
—Wars Cannot be Averted—Preparedness Gives
Advantage—It Does Not Cause War—The Monroe
Doctrine and the "Open Door To China"—No Other
Nation Will Assert Our Rights—Preparedness Does Not
Prevent Wars, But Lessens the Danger 395

CHAPTER LXII.
How to Live to be a Hundred 399
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Page
The Old Ancestral Homestead, 1676 1
Mt. Tacoma 86
We Struck Rapid but Awkward Strokes 118
Mt. Rainier 139
Type of Blockhouse 185
Old Settlers Meeting 195
Group of Hop Houses 223
The Klondike Team 239
Ezra Meeker's Homestead 245
The Ivy-covered Cabin 246
Camp in Seattle 250
Dedicating Monument at Tenino, Washington 253
The First Boulder Marked 257
Baker City Monument 264
The Old Oregon Trail 270
Summit Monument 273
Devil's Gate 277
An Old Scout 284
Snap Shot on the Trail 290
The Lone Grave 294
Chimney Rock 295
Twist 298
Broad Street, New York 313
Jim 317
President Roosevelt on the Way to View the Team 317
President Viewing the Team 320
Addressing Colored School 323
At the Yukon Exposition 333
Pioneer Park, Puyallup 355
The Prairie Schooner on the White House Grounds 377
Dave and Dandy at the Panama Exposition 379
 PREFACE
Just why I should write a preface I know not, except that it is
fashionable to do so, and yet in the present case there would seem
a little explanation due the reader, who may cast his eye on the first
chapter of this work.
Indeed, the chapter, "Early Days in Indiana," may properly be
termed an introduction, though quite intimately connected with the
narrative that follows, yet not necessary to make a completed story
of the trip to Oregon in the early fifties.
The enlarged scope of this work, narrating incidents not
connected with the Oregon Trail or the Ox Team expedition, may call
for this explanation, that the author's thought has been to portray
frontier life in the Old Oregon Country, as well as pioneer life on the
plains; to live his experiences of eighty-five years over again, and tell
them in plain, homely language, to the end the later generation may
know how the "fathers" lived, what they did, and what they thought
in the long ago.
An attempt has been made to teach the young lessons of industry,
frugality, upright and altruistic living as exemplified in the lives of the
pioneers.
While acknowledging the imperfections of the work, yet to parents
I can sincerely say they may safely place this volume in the home
without fear that the adventures recited will arouse a morbid craving
in the minds of their children. The adventures are of real life, and
incident to a serious purpose in life, and not stories of fancy to make
exciting reading, although some of them may seem as such.
"Truth is stranger than fiction," and the pioneers have no need to
borrow from their imagination.
Seattle, Washington.

PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR

Cloth $1.50 Postpaid

Address: Ezra Meeker, 1120 38th Ave. N.

Seattle, Wash.
 GREETINGS
Upon this, my 85th birthday with good health remaining with me
and strength to prompt the will to do, small wonder that I should
arise with thankfulness in my heart for the many, many blessings
vouchsafed to me.
To my friends (and enemies, if I have any) I dedicate this volume,
to be known as "Eighty-five Years of a Busy Life," in the hope of
cementing closer companionship and mutual good will to the end,
that by looking back into earlier life, we may be guided to better
ways in the vista of years to come, to a more forgiving spirit, to a
less stern condemnation of the foibles of others and a more joyful
contemplation of life's duties.
Having lived the simple life for so many years I could not now
change to the more modern ways of "High Living" and would not if I
could; nevertheless, the wonderful advance of art and science, the
great opportunity afforded for betterment of life in so many ways to
challenge our admiration, I would not record myself as against
innovation, as saying that all old ways were the best ways, but I will
say some of them were. The patient reader will notice this thought
developed in the pages to follow and while they may not be in full
accord of the teachings, yet, it is the hope of the author the lessons
may not fall upon deaf ears.
Being profoundly grateful for so many expressions of good will
that have reached me from so many friends, I will reciprocate by
wishing that each and every one of you may live to be over a
hundred years old, coupled with the admonition to accomplish this
you must be possessed with patience, and that "you must keep
working to keep young."
 Now, please read that grand inspired poem on next page, "Work",
before you read the book, to see if you have not there found the
true elixir of life and with it the author's hope to reach the goal
beyond the century mark.
Greetings to all.
The Outlook, December 2, 1914
 WORK
A SONG OF TRIUMPH."
By Angela Morgan.
Work!
Thank God for the might of it,
The ardor, the urge, the delight of it—
Work that springs from the heart's desire,
Setting the soul and the brain on fire.
Oh, what is so good as the heat of it,
And what is so glad as the beat of it,
And what is so kind as the stern command
Challenging brain and heart and hand?

Work!
Thank God for the pride of it,
For the beautiful, conquering tide of it,
Sweeping the life in its furious flood,
Thrilling the arteries, cleansing the blood,
Mastering stupor and dull despair,
Moving the dreamer to do and dare.
Oh; what is so good as the urge of it,
And what is so glad as the surge of it,
And what is so strong as the summons deep
Rousing the torpid soul from sleep?

Work!
Thank God for the pace of it,
For the terrible, keen, swift race of it;
Fiery steeds in full control,
Nostrils aquiver to greet the goal.
Work, the power that drives behind,
Guiding the purposes, taming the mind,
Holding the runaway wishes back,
Reining the will to one steady track,
Speeding the energies faster, faster,
Triumphing over disaster.
Oh! what is so good as the pain of it,
And what is so great as the gain of it,
And what is so kind as the cruel goad,
Forcing us on through the rugged road?

Work!
Thank God for the swing of it,
For the clamoring, hammering ring of it,
Passion of labor daily hurled
On the mighty anvils of the world
Oh, what is so fierce as the flame of it,
And what is so huge as the aim of it,
Thundering on through dearth and doubt,
Calling the plan of the Maker out;
Work, the Titan, Work, the friend,
Shaping the earth to a glorious end;
Draining the swamps and blasting the hills,
Doing whatever the spirit wills,
Rending a continent apart
To answer the dream of the Master heart.
Thank God for a world where none may shirk,
Thank God for the splendor of work.
 CHAPTER I.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
I was born near Huntsville, Butler County, Ohio, about ten miles
east of Hamilton, Ohio. This, to me, important event occurred on
December 29, A. D. 1830, hence I am many years past the usual
limit of three score years and ten.
My father's ancestors came from England in 1637 and in 1665
settled near Elizabeth City, New Jersey, built a very substantial house
which is still preserved, furnished more than a score of hardy
soldiers in the War of Independence, and were noted for their
stalwart strength, steady habits, and patriotic ardor. My father had
lost nothing of the original sturdy instincts of the stock nor of the
stalwart strength, incident to his ancestral breeding. I remember
that for three years, at Carlyle's flouring mill in the then western
suburbs of Indianapolis, Ind., he worked 18 hours a day, as miller.
He had to be on duty by 7 o'clock a. m., and remained on duty until
1 o'clock the next morning, and could not leave the mill for dinner;—
all this for $20 per month, and bran for the cow, and yet his health
was good and strength seemed the same as when he began the
ordeal. My mother's maiden name was Phoeba Baker. A strong
English and Welch strain of blood ran in her veins, but I know
nothing farther back than my grandfather Baker, who settled in
Butler County, Ohio, in the year 1804, or thereabouts. My mother,
like my father, could and did endure continuous long hours of severe
labor without much discomfort, in her household duties. I have
known her frequently to patch and mend our clothing until 11 o'clock
at night and yet would invariably be up in the morning by 4:00 and
resume her labors.