Who were Marcus and Narcissa Whitman and what happened to them?

Marcus Whitman was a Protestant missionary who might have faded into historical obscurity had not he, his wife Narcissa, and 11 others been killed by Cayuse Indians at his mission at Waiilatpu, near present-day Walla Walla, on Nov. 29, 1847 — 170 years ago.

What was the main goal of Marcus and Narcissa Whitman?

On February 19, 1836 — one day after their wedding — missionaries Marcus Whitman (1802-1847) and Narcissa Prentiss Whitman (1808-1847) begin a seven-month, 3,000-mile journey from New York State to the Pacific Northwest. Their goal is to Christianize and “civilize” Indians in what is then known as Oregon Country.

Why did Marcus Whitman marry Narcissa?

Because she was single, the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions rejected her application as a missionary. Her marriage to Dr. Marcus Whitman, who shared her desire to bring Christianity and American civilization to Native people, overcame this hurdle.

What did Marcus Whitman do on the Oregon Trail?

On November 29, 1847, the Indians attacked, killing 14 whites, including the Whitmans, and kidnapping 53 women and children. The Whitman Massacre directed national attention to the difficulties faced by settlers in the Far West and contributed to early passage of a bill to organize the Oregon Territory (1848).

What are the two things Marcus and Narcissa Whitman want to do?

Marcus and Narcissa Whitman were missionaries who came to the Walla Walla Valley from New York. They wanted to teach Indians about their religion. They also wanted the Indians to change the way they were living and become more like white people.

What happened in 1842 to the Whitman Mission?

Whitman’s Cayuse Indians were not as receptive to the white man’s religion as Spalding’s Nez Perce converts. By 1842, having heard of the growing dissension between the Cayuse and Whitman’s mission, the Board ordered the closing of both the Waiilatpu and Lapwai stations.

Who was Marcus and Narcissa Whitman?

Why was the Whitman Mission important?

The Whitman’s established their religious mission at Waiilatpu on the Columbia Plateau in 1836. During the 1840s, the mission also served as a way-stop on the Oregon Trail, providing emigrants with food, medicine, and, if needed, a place to stay during the winter.

Why did Marcus and Narcissa Whitman go to Oregon?

Whitman knew that married men were preferred as missionaries so he agreed to find a wife. He was told that Narcissa Prentiss wanted to go to Oregon as a missionary too, so he arranged to meet her.

What happened to Marcus and Narcissa Whitman?

The Whitmans had tended to both groups, but given the variance in the mortality rate Cayuse chieftain Tiloukaikt suspected treachery. On November 29, the tribe burnt down the mission, killed 14 whites, including Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, and took several dozen others captive.

Why did Marcus and Narcissa wait to get married?

In March 1835, Narcissa and Marcus received their missionary appointment to the foreign land in the western part of North America that was not yet part of the United States. The couple had to wait to be married until February 1836 because Marcus had gone on an exploratory trip to their mission area.

How did Narcissa die in the novel?

Narcissa died on November 29, 1847, killed in the same series of events that ended the lives of her husband and other men at the mission. Narcissa is remembered as one of the first two white women, the other being Eliza Spalding, to cross the continent overland.

Who was killed in the Whitman Massacre?

On November 29, the tribe burnt down the mission, and killed fourteen whites, including Marcus and Narcissa Whitman. Tiloukaikt and four other Indians voluntarily surrendered and were hanged for the Whitman massacre.