Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 18.djvu/240

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212 Fred Wilbur Powell

shadowy claim to having indirectly influenced Sutter to locate at Sacramento. As to Oregon, however, the claim is better grounded. That Wyeth went to Oregon because of Kelley's efforts is an established fact ; that the Lees went as a result of his agitation is almost certain; and Kdley himself induced Ewing Young to accompany him to Oregon, where he re- mained as a settler. Calvin Tibbetts was the only man whose enrollment on the books of the American Society was fol- lowed by emigration and settlement ; but some of the men who went out with Wyeth on his second expedition became settlers, as did those who were members of Young's party. It was Young^s death in 1841 that led to the first movement for an organized government among the American settlers. The name of Webley Hauxhurst, one of Young's party, with that of Calvin Tibbetts appears on the list of those who voted in favor of organizing a provisional government in 1843; and Joseph Gale, also of Young's party, served on the first execu- tive committee, 1843-4, which was elected to enforce the laws before the organization of the provisional government.^

The settlement of Oregon was not accomplished by New Englanders," as Kelley had planned, but it was accomplished as Uie result of the movement which he started.

The Origin Of The Word Oregcm And Its Application To The Pacific Northwest. — ^"Who first accounted for the Indian name of the 'Great River of the West,' (Oregon) and applied the same to the country watered by that river? Who ac- counted for the name both of the Indian tribe and the river called KUmookf Who accounted for the name of Mexico? Humboldt did not. Who accounted for the name of many of

I a Himes, Organizatioo of Oregon provisional gorernment, Oregon Blue Bock, 19x5-6: X4-6.

>f Oregon's pioneer population, 6 per cent came . from the Middle West, 33 per cent, from Sooth md II per cent from aa foreign countries, the om the British Isles, Canada and Germany." — r of politcal parties in Oregon, Oregon Historical "W^eth as a New Englander is hardly to be the impending pioneer moTcment It came from Correspondence and Journals of Nathaniel J.