1841 Methodist-Episcopal Mission Marker, DuPont

After arriving and establishing a mission in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, Rev. Jason Lee requested that a missionary group come to assist with the mission work in the Northwest.

In October of 1839, a 51 member missionary group left the New York harbor. After a 235 day voyage, the ship arrived at the Hudson Bay Company’s Fort Vancouver on the Columbia River on July 10 1840. Among that group was the Reverend John and America Richmond and their four children. Also in the party was Chloe Aurelia Clark who came as a teacher and William H. Willson who was a carpenter. They were sent to the new Nisqually Mission to provide ministry to the Native Americans in the area. After arriving they lived at the Hudson Bay Company’s fort for three weeks while Willson readied the mission building that was located a mile from Fort Nisqually. After a short courtship, Chloe married William on August 16, 1840. Theirs was the first wedding in this disputed land desired by both the United States and England. The school week was 5 days a week for 50 Nisqually students. In May 1841, Chloe Clark Willson gave premature birth to a son that lived only 3 days. While there, they held the first Fourth of July celebration on the West Coast.

Later, when the territory was fought over by the US and England, the presence of the mission post in Nisqually was a factor in favor of inclusion into the United States.

Submitted by the PNW Conference Commission.