Oregon Historical Quarterly/Volume 37/Expenses of Mission Journey, 1836
A document of some interest in this centennial year of the establishment of the Whitman-Spalding missions is the report to the Prudential Committee of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions of the expenses of the journey of Whitman, Spalding and Gray to Oregon.
The Whitmans left from Rushville, the Spaldings from Prattsburg, and W. H. Gray from Utica, all in New York state. They traveled by land to Pittsburg; from there they went by steamer to Cincinnati, and then again by steamer to Liberty, Missouri. As shown in the report, the board supplied Whitman and Gray with money "from home," but Spalding's account did not begin until he reached Pittsburg. Mr. and Mrs. Spalding left Pittsburg February 29, 1836, and reached Cincinnati March 4; there they were joined by Dr. Whitman and his bride on March 18, and the two missionaries received a joint fund of $2000.
Gray's appointment was made after the other missionaries had started, and he was to overtake them at Liberty, Missouri. At Saint Louis he was given an additional $25. At Lexington, Missouri, $800 was added to their joint account. April 19, they were altogether at Liberty, ready to begin their long overland journey. The total sum they had received from the board now amounted to $3273.96. Of this amount, according to the report, all but $210 was expended for traveling and supplies.
After arrival in Oregon Spalding drew £371 and Whitman £102,[1] which, translated into dollars at the prevailing rate of exchange, amounted to about $2500.
That the cost of establishing the missions was a matter of concern to the board is shown by a postscript to a circular sent in July, 1837, regarding its financial condition. It was written by David Greene and contained the following paragraph:
You must permit me here to say that the expenses of your mission hitherto have much exceeded our anticipations and we cannot but fear that you have not in all cases remembered with what difficulty money is obtained by the Board ...
I write also a remark of Mr. Parker, which he made on being informed of the expenses of your outfit and journey, without expressing my opinion respecting its correctness: He remarked that he would pledge himself to outfit a mission of equal numbers, take them across the country, and sustain them in their work three years for the same amount, i.e. about $7000.[2]
Both Whitman and Spalding resented the criticism, especially of Parker, and sent replies. Whitman, whose remembrance of his trip to the mountains with Parker in 1835 was not of the happiest, wrote:
If Mr. Parker was to contract and take a party across the mountains and sustain them in this field, I think no one would be found satisfied with the arrangements he would make.[3]
To the Revd Prudential Committee of the ABCFM
The undersigned respectfully present the following Schedule of the Receipts & Expenditures accruing to the Columbia Mission. Viz—
Mr. Spalding from Pittsburgh
Doct Whitman from home
Mr Gray from home
| Traveling & Provisions | $590.98 |
| Labor | 275.75 |
| Sadellery & Harness | 267.13 |
| Cattle | 118.00 |
| Indian goods to trade for horses & provisions | 222.25 |
| Horses & Mules | 926.00 |
| Tools & Furniture | 219.03 |
| Guns & Ammonition | 91.44 |
| Clothing | 208.05 |
| Books & Stationery | 74.57 |
| Seeds | 7.17 |
| Medicines & Surg instruments | 28.39 |
| Incidentals | 35.20 |
| Money on hand | 210.00 |
| $3273.96 |
| Mr Spalding on hand | $197.00 |
| Dr Whitman on hand | 166.96 |
| Jointly at Cincinnati | 2000.00 |
| Mr Gray on hand | 125.00 |
| At St Louis Mo | 25.00 |
| Mr Spalding Dr Whitman Mr Gray Jointly at Lexington Mo |
800.00 |
| $3273.96 |
| At Liberty Mo | Bot | Reports of Indians at Rendezvous | Lost | on hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horses | 12 | 5 | 4 | 13 |
| Mules | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Cattle | 17 | 0 | 4 | 13 |
Dated at Fort Walla walla Columbia
Sept 5 1836
Signed H. H. Spalding
William H. Gray