A portrait of Elkanah Walker (1805-1877), one of the earliest missionaries in the Oregon Territory. Elkanah and his wife, Mary Richardson Walker, arrived at the Whitman Mission at Waiilatpu in 1838. They attempted to convert Spokane Natives at their own mission, Tshimakain, between 1839-1849. After their friends the Whitmans were killed, they evacuated to the northwest end of the Willamette Valley, at what would later be the town of Forest Grove. They helped to found Tualatin Academy and Pacific University soon thereafter, donating a portion of the land upon which the university lies. Several of the Walkers’ children (Cyrus Hamlin, Abigail Boutwell, Marcus Whitman, Joseph Elkanah, Jeremiah, John Richardson, Levi Chamberlin and Samuel Thompson) became missionaries and Indian Agents.
A newsprint copy of two portraits of Elkanah Walker (1805-1877) and Mary Richardson Walker (1811-1897). The Walkers were among the earliest missionaries in the Oregon Territory. The couple arrived at the Whitman Mission at Waiilatpu in 1838. They attempted to convert Spokane Natives at their own mission, Tshimakain, between 1839-1849. After their friends the Whitmans were killed, they evacuated to the northwest end of the Willamette Valley, at what would later be the town of Forest Grove. They helped to found Tualatin Academy and Pacific University soon thereafter, donating a portion of the land upon which the university lies. Several of the Walkers’ children later became missionaries and Indian Agents. Mary and Elkanah lived in Forest Grove until their deaths. This copy of their portraits, evidently clipped from a newspaper, appears to have been donated to Pacific University by the Eells Family, who also lived at Tshimakain in the 1830s-40s. The original portraits upon which this copy was made is also in the Pacific University Archives; see PUApic_010688 and PUApic_008396.
Cyrus Walker family portrait. An inscription on the back identifies them from left to right as Mrs. Cyrus Walker, (i.e. Lucy Maria Tanner Walker), Miss Tanner (the sister of Lucy Maria), and Mr. Cyrus Walker. Cyrus and Lucy Maria married in 1859, and this was likely taken within a few years afterwards, before their daughter was born in 1865. The sister is not identified by name, but is most likely Susan Lucinda Tanner, who would have been about 15 years old in 1860. The other Tanner sister, Emily, was only 11 at that time.
A portrait of Mary Richardson Walker (1811-1897), one of the earliest missionaries in the Oregon Territory. Mary and her husband, Reverend Elkanah Walker, arrived at the Whitman Mission at Waiilatpu in 1838. They attempted to convert Spokane Natives at their own mission, Tshimakain, between 1839-1849. After their friends the Whitmans were killed, they evacuated to the northwest end of the Willamette Valley, at what would later be the town of Forest Grove. They helped to found Tualatin Academy and Pacific University soon thereafter, donating a portion of the land upon which the university lies. Several of the Walkers’ children (Cyrus Hamlin, Abigail Boutwell, Marcus Whitman, Joseph Elkanah, Jeremiah, John Richardson, Levi Chamberlin and Samuel Thompson) became missionaries and Indian Agents.
Portrait of Mary Richardson Walker and her children, posed as a group in front of the Mary and Elkanah Walker Family house in Forest Grove. From left to right, they are: Joseph Elkanah Walker; John R. Walker; Cyrus H. Walker; Mary Richardson Walker (seated); Marcus W. Walker; Abigail Walker Karr; Levi C. Walker; Samuel T. Walker; The Walker Family were among the earliest white residents of the Forest Grove area. Their house was north of the current Walker-Naylor District in Forest Grove.
