Henry H. Spalding Record Book, 1855-1873

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Spalding, Henry Harmon, 1803-1874
Title
Henry H. Spalding Record Book
Dates
1855-1873 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.0 folder
Collection Number
MS.74
Summary
Henry H. Spalding was a missionary in the Pacific Northwest who is best known for his work with the Nez Perce from the 1830s-1870s. This record book consists of two parts: the records of the Preble Wigwam of the Order of the Star Spangled Banner, 1855, for which he served as president; and notes from his missionary trip to the Spokane Indians in 1873.
Repository
Pacific University, Archives
Pacific University Archives
2043 College Way
Forest Grove, OR
97116
Telephone: 5033521400
archives@pacificu.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Sponsored by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Henry H. Spalding was an early Presbyterian missionary in the Pacific Northwest who worked from the 1830s to the 1870s. He is best known for his work with the Nez Perce at Lapwai and for being zealously anti-Catholic. After the Whitman massacre in 1847, he moved to Oregon, where he lived in several locations including Forest Grove and Brownsville. He returned to the Nez Perce lands in 1859 and divided his years thereafter between missionary work, travel, and time back in Oregon.

In 1855, Spalding served as the president of the Preble Wigwam, which was a local chapter of the Order of the Star Spangled Banner. This was a secret society for adherents of the American Party, also called the "Know-Nothings." They were an anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant, nativist party that arose in the Northeastern United States in the early 1850s. The Preble Wigwam held its meetings at various locations in the southern part of the Willamette Valley, including at Spalding's house.

In 1873, a Protestant member of the Spokane Tribe known as "Spokane Garry" became concerned about Catholic influence in his area. Garry sent several other Spokane Indians to see Spalding in Lapwai, asking him to visit the Spokanes. Spalding, who was then 70 years old, undertook a 3-week tour of the Spokane lands, baptising more than 100 people (see Ruby & Brown, p.160).

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The record book contains two parts:

Part 1. Preble Wigwam of the Order of the Star Spangled Banner records, 1855. The entries for each meeting are brief, usually focusing on the names of new initiates into the order and the location of the meetings.

Part 2. Spalding's notes on a missionary trip to the Spokane Indians, 1873. The notes list baptisms of men, women and children around Spokane Falls and the Spokane River "Great Fishery." The baptised people appear to all be Spokane Indians. Spalding only noted first names, with occasional honorifics such as "Abraham Head Chief." A few native names are present in the margins, such as "Holokamka" and "Selotahin." There are also several pages of religious hymns.

The record book is accompanied by typed transcripts of the Preble Wigman records.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Pacific University owns the copyright to some, but not all, of the materials housed in its archives. Copyright for materials authored or otherwise produced as official business of Pacific University is retained by Pacific University and requires its permission for publication. Copyright status for other collection materials varies. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Preferred Citation

Henry H. Spalding Record Book, Pacific University Archives, Forest Grove, Oregon.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Location of Collection

Housed in MS File Box 2.

Bibliography

Ruby, Robert H. and John A. Brown. The Spokane Indians: Children of the Sun. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2006. Expanded edition.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Missionaries--Oregon

Corporate Names

  • American Party
  • Order of the Star Spangled Banner. Preble Wigwam
  • Spokane Indians.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Minutes