Biography of Myra Fairbank Eells, 1899, State of Oregon
Surnames: Eels, Fairbank

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Transcribed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
W. David Samuelsen - January 2002
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Oregon Native Son, Vol. 1, June 1899, page 109-110

MRS. MYRA FAIRBANK EELLS.

Mrs. Eells was the daughter of Joshua and Sally Fairbank, and was born at
olden, Mass., May 26, 1805. At the early age of 13 she made a profession of
eligion, and all her future was guided by such act, giving gon in its wild and
avage state in 1838. She became acquainted with her future husband, Rev.
Cushing Eells, while he was teaching school in her native town, and on March
5, 838, they were united in marriage. On the next day they started for Oregon,
where Dr. Eells had engaged to go as a missionary among the Indians. Only two
women - Mrs. Whitman and Mrs. Spalding - had ever made the trip before, in
1836, and in the company of which they were a part, was Rev. E. Walker and
wife, Rev. A. B. Smith and wife, Wm. H. Gray and wife, and Mr. C. Rogers. The
most of the trip from the Missouri river was made on horseback. They arrived
at Waiilatpu in August, 1838, and there spent the winter with Dr. Whitman. In
the spring of 1839 they, with Rev. Mr. Walker and wife, who were their
associates until 1848, went to their mission station, Tshimakin, among the
Spokane Indians. Upon the massacre of Dr. Whitman, they moved to the
Willamette valley. They both taught school for a short time at Abiqua, and in
1849 removed to Forest Grove, where they had accepted a request to teach in
what was the beginning of the now well-known Tualatin Academy and Pacific
university. In 1851 they removd to Hillsboro, and in 1862 to Walla Walla. Here
the plans were laid for the building up of Whitman college, in memory of his
co-laborers. In 1872 they removed to Skokomish, on Puget sound, and there, on
August 9, 1878, she passed away, at the age of 73 years, leaving behind to
mourn her loss, her husband and two sons, Edwin and Myron, and friends in all
sections of the Pacific Northwest, who recognized in her a true Christian
woman, a firm friend and a lovable companion and neighbor.