That town site, and river survey, connects for all time, the name of Hall J. Kelley with the history of this city.
After completing this work, Kelley left the country in March, 1836, on transportation via the Sandwich Islands, furnished by Dr. McLoughlin, and which was acknowledged by Kelley in his narrative of his journey to Oregon, saying McLoughlin kindly furnished him comforts to start home with, and some money, which he felt very grateful for. On his return to Boston by a whale ship from the islands, Kelley published the first satisfactory report of the Willamette and Columbia river valleys, ever made, giving far more information about the climate, soil, timber and other natural resources of wealth upon which to found a prosperous state than was given by Lewis and Clarke. And notwithstanding his failure to enlist public support of his colonization schemes, or to get aid from congress, or even decent treatment in the wilds of Oregon, Kelley continued his agitation of the Oregon question, and advocacy of congressional aid, and settlement of the country as long as he had financial means to do so. He had gone through trials, disappointments, and severe labors, in traveling through foreign countries to reach Oregon to be received not only with distrust but with slander and persecution, such as would have crushed most of men. Yet his hopeful and unwavering spirit of promotion and adventure did not desert him, and on his return to his old home, he immediately engaged with others in erecting a cotton mill at Three Rivers, Massachusetts. And after losing the last remnant of his fortune in this venture, he retired to private life, and lived as and was known as "The Hermit," of Three Rivers, finally passing away at the advanced age of eighty-five years.
The work that Hall Kelley did to save Oregon to the United States was that of an educator and agitator. He wrote and published more about Oregon than all others put together prior to the formation of the provisional government. His writings were all characterized by noble thoughts, and directed to the promotion of the uplift and welfare of his fellow-man. Not a line can be found in all his voluminous writings, that is not educational and reformatory. His labors for spreading knowledge and interest about Oregon were not fitful and spasmodic, but were persistently and energetically carried on for more than forty years. And the result of it all was to secure and hold the attention of men in congress, in public stations, and in the newspaper world, so that a public sentiment was created in favor of holding on to Oregon as a Pacific outpost for national development and defense. But for Kelley 's labors, the whole of the New England states. New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia would have been practically without any information about Oregon further than the report of Lewis and Clarke. And that this labor of Kelley's was eff^ective and of great service, the letter of U. S. Senator John Davis of Massachusetts, is here given. Davis was a man of such great integrity and high character that he achieved the distinction of being known as "Honest John Davis."
"June 6th, 1848.Hall J. Kelley,
Dear Sir: Having learned that you are about to leave Washington city for your home without having obtained an act of congress in your behalf, the subject not having been acted upon, I beg leave to say that I consider you as entitled, in equity and good conscience, to a liberal grant of land from the government for your meritorious services in promoting the settlement of Oregon, and I by no means despair of obtaining such a grant.
Respectfully yours,John Davis."
And among the many distinguished supporters of Kelley's claim for recognition by congress was the eminent historian, George Bancroft. And in addition to his work in creating public opinion in congress and the eastern states
