LEWIS McMORRIS - Among those who merit consideration as distinctive pioneers of the northwest is he whose name initiates this review. Air. Mr McMorris is a native of the Buckeye state, having been born in Ohio on the 12th of August, 1831.When he was a lad of eight years he accompanied his parents on their removal to Shelby county,
Illinois, where he received his educational discipline and grew to man's estate.
In the month of March. 1852, our subject started on the long and perilous journey across the plains and mountains, making the trip by means of the primitive ox-team equipment and arriving in the Willamette valley, Oregon, in the fall of the same year. There he was for a time engaged in mining, finally going from southern Oregon to Yreka, California, whence he returned to Oregon, in the year 1855, and engaged in packing for the troops during the Indian wars, as an employe of the quartermaster's department of the Oregon volunteers.
In the fall of the year mentioned he accompanied the soldiers on an expedition to Yakima and thence to Walla Walla, where they had an engagement with the hostile Indians. Of this and other conflicts with the red men a detailed report may be found on other pages of this work. Eventually Mr. McMorris returned to The Dalles, Oregon, where he was employed in the quartermaster's department with the United States regulars, with whom, in 1856, he made another expedition to Yakima, under Colonel Wright of the Ninth Infantry, returning with him to The Dalles, from which point he accompanied Colonel Steptoe to Walla Walla, their purpose being to establish an army post here.
He continued in the government employ until the following year, when he again went to The Dalles, purchased an ox-team and engaged in freighting, in company with Mr. McGlinchey and Captain Freedman, for whom he built the first house on the south side of Main street in Walla Walla, the same being then the third house in the town. It was located at the corner of Third. He continued to be associated with the gentlemen mentioned until this section of the country was thrown open to settlement, whereupon he availed himself of the privileges accorded, by securing a pre-emption claim two miles south of the town, where he was engaged in stock raising for several years, simultaneously operating a pack train to Boise,Idaho.
His" next venture was at Weston, Oregon, where he was engaged in the mercantile business with his brother. Subsequently he was for four years a contractor on the stage hne operating between Dayton, Washington, and Lewiston, Idaho. Now venerable in years, crowned with the honors of a busy and useful life and secure in the esteem of all who know him as one of the pioneers of the Inland Empire, Mr. McMorris is practically retired from active business pursuits, though he gives his personal supervision to his real estate interests, a considerable amount of which he owns in various parts of the country. He has always maintained a public-spirited attitude and has contributed his quota to the advancement and substantial upbuilding of this favored section of our national domain.
It should be mentioned in this connection that Mr. McMorris laid out the town of Wallula and also donated to the railroad company the land which they use for depot purposes there. He is a member of the Indian War Veterans of the Pacific Northwest, and his reminiscences of the early days are very interesting.
Source: Lyman's History of Old Walla Walla County (1918) (Public Domain)
Author: William Denison Lyman, 1852-1920
History; Columbia County (Wash.)
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Illinois, where he received his educational discipline and grew to man's estate.
In the month of March. 1852, our subject started on the long and perilous journey across the plains and mountains, making the trip by means of the primitive ox-team equipment and arriving in the Willamette valley, Oregon, in the fall of the same year. There he was for a time engaged in mining, finally going from southern Oregon to Yreka, California, whence he returned to Oregon, in the year 1855, and engaged in packing for the troops during the Indian wars, as an employe of the quartermaster's department of the Oregon volunteers.
In the fall of the year mentioned he accompanied the soldiers on an expedition to Yakima and thence to Walla Walla, where they had an engagement with the hostile Indians. Of this and other conflicts with the red men a detailed report may be found on other pages of this work. Eventually Mr. McMorris returned to The Dalles, Oregon, where he was employed in the quartermaster's department with the United States regulars, with whom, in 1856, he made another expedition to Yakima, under Colonel Wright of the Ninth Infantry, returning with him to The Dalles, from which point he accompanied Colonel Steptoe to Walla Walla, their purpose being to establish an army post here.
He continued in the government employ until the following year, when he again went to The Dalles, purchased an ox-team and engaged in freighting, in company with Mr. McGlinchey and Captain Freedman, for whom he built the first house on the south side of Main street in Walla Walla, the same being then the third house in the town. It was located at the corner of Third. He continued to be associated with the gentlemen mentioned until this section of the country was thrown open to settlement, whereupon he availed himself of the privileges accorded, by securing a pre-emption claim two miles south of the town, where he was engaged in stock raising for several years, simultaneously operating a pack train to Boise,Idaho.
His" next venture was at Weston, Oregon, where he was engaged in the mercantile business with his brother. Subsequently he was for four years a contractor on the stage hne operating between Dayton, Washington, and Lewiston, Idaho. Now venerable in years, crowned with the honors of a busy and useful life and secure in the esteem of all who know him as one of the pioneers of the Inland Empire, Mr. McMorris is practically retired from active business pursuits, though he gives his personal supervision to his real estate interests, a considerable amount of which he owns in various parts of the country. He has always maintained a public-spirited attitude and has contributed his quota to the advancement and substantial upbuilding of this favored section of our national domain.
It should be mentioned in this connection that Mr. McMorris laid out the town of Wallula and also donated to the railroad company the land which they use for depot purposes there. He is a member of the Indian War Veterans of the Pacific Northwest, and his reminiscences of the early days are very interesting.
Source: Lyman's History of Old Walla Walla County (1918) (Public Domain)
Author: William Denison Lyman, 1852-1920
History; Columbia County (Wash.)
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
LEWIS McMORRIS - Among those who merit consideration as distinctive pioneers of the northwest is he whose name initiates this review. Air. Mr McMorris is a native of the Buckeye state, having been born in Ohio on the 12th of August, 1831.When he was a lad of eight years he accompanied his parents on their removal to Shelby county,
Illinois, where he received his educational discipline and grew to man's estate.
In the month of March. 1852, our subject started on the long and perilous journey across the plains and mountains, making the trip by means of the primitive ox-team equipment and arriving in the Willamette valley, Oregon, in the fall of the same year. There he was for a time engaged in mining, finally going from southern Oregon to Yreka, California, whence he returned to Oregon, in the year 1855, and engaged in packing for the troops during the Indian wars, as an employe of the quartermaster's department of the Oregon volunteers.
In the fall of the year mentioned he accompanied the soldiers on an expedition to Yakima and thence to Walla Walla, where they had an engagement with the hostile Indians. Of this and other conflicts with the red men a detailed report may be found on other pages of this work. Eventually Mr. McMorris returned to The Dalles, Oregon, where he was employed in the quartermaster's department with the United States regulars, with whom, in 1856, he made another expedition to Yakima, under Colonel Wright of the Ninth Infantry, returning with him to The Dalles, from which point he accompanied Colonel Steptoe to Walla Walla, their purpose being to establish an army post here.
He continued in the government employ until the following year, when he again went to The Dalles, purchased an ox-team and engaged in freighting, in company with Mr. McGlinchey and Captain Freedman, for whom he built the first house on the south side of Main street in Walla Walla, the same being then the third house in the town. It was located at the corner of Third. He continued to be associated with the gentlemen mentioned until this section of the country was thrown open to settlement, whereupon he availed himself of the privileges accorded, by securing a pre-emption claim two miles south of the town, where he was engaged in stock raising for several years, simultaneously operating a pack train to Boise,Idaho.
His" next venture was at Weston, Oregon, where he was engaged in the mercantile business with his brother. Subsequently he was for four years a contractor on the stage hne operating between Dayton, Washington, and Lewiston, Idaho. Now venerable in years, crowned with the honors of a busy and useful life and secure in the esteem of all who know him as one of the pioneers of the Inland Empire, Mr. McMorris is practically retired from active business pursuits, though he gives his personal supervision to his real estate interests, a considerable amount of which he owns in various parts of the country. He has always maintained a public-spirited attitude and has contributed his quota to the advancement and substantial upbuilding of this favored section of our national domain.
It should be mentioned in this connection that Mr. McMorris laid out the town of Wallula and also donated to the railroad company the land which they use for depot purposes there. He is a member of the Indian War Veterans of the Pacific Northwest, and his reminiscences of the early days are very interesting.
Source: Lyman's History of Old Walla Walla County (1918) (Public Domain)
Author: William Denison Lyman, 1852-1920
History; Columbia County (Wash.)
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Illinois, where he received his educational discipline and grew to man's estate.
In the month of March. 1852, our subject started on the long and perilous journey across the plains and mountains, making the trip by means of the primitive ox-team equipment and arriving in the Willamette valley, Oregon, in the fall of the same year. There he was for a time engaged in mining, finally going from southern Oregon to Yreka, California, whence he returned to Oregon, in the year 1855, and engaged in packing for the troops during the Indian wars, as an employe of the quartermaster's department of the Oregon volunteers.
In the fall of the year mentioned he accompanied the soldiers on an expedition to Yakima and thence to Walla Walla, where they had an engagement with the hostile Indians. Of this and other conflicts with the red men a detailed report may be found on other pages of this work. Eventually Mr. McMorris returned to The Dalles, Oregon, where he was employed in the quartermaster's department with the United States regulars, with whom, in 1856, he made another expedition to Yakima, under Colonel Wright of the Ninth Infantry, returning with him to The Dalles, from which point he accompanied Colonel Steptoe to Walla Walla, their purpose being to establish an army post here.
He continued in the government employ until the following year, when he again went to The Dalles, purchased an ox-team and engaged in freighting, in company with Mr. McGlinchey and Captain Freedman, for whom he built the first house on the south side of Main street in Walla Walla, the same being then the third house in the town. It was located at the corner of Third. He continued to be associated with the gentlemen mentioned until this section of the country was thrown open to settlement, whereupon he availed himself of the privileges accorded, by securing a pre-emption claim two miles south of the town, where he was engaged in stock raising for several years, simultaneously operating a pack train to Boise,Idaho.
His" next venture was at Weston, Oregon, where he was engaged in the mercantile business with his brother. Subsequently he was for four years a contractor on the stage hne operating between Dayton, Washington, and Lewiston, Idaho. Now venerable in years, crowned with the honors of a busy and useful life and secure in the esteem of all who know him as one of the pioneers of the Inland Empire, Mr. McMorris is practically retired from active business pursuits, though he gives his personal supervision to his real estate interests, a considerable amount of which he owns in various parts of the country. He has always maintained a public-spirited attitude and has contributed his quota to the advancement and substantial upbuilding of this favored section of our national domain.
It should be mentioned in this connection that Mr. McMorris laid out the town of Wallula and also donated to the railroad company the land which they use for depot purposes there. He is a member of the Indian War Veterans of the Pacific Northwest, and his reminiscences of the early days are very interesting.
Source: Lyman's History of Old Walla Walla County (1918) (Public Domain)
Author: William Denison Lyman, 1852-1920
History; Columbia County (Wash.)
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
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