Peter Skene Ogden, Fur Trader. 273 large. It was the principal wholesale house on the Columbia, and distributed goods to Fort Hall and Fort Boise, in Idaho and Fort Colvile in North Washington and the Indian traders of Southern Oregon. In the nearer by communities, The Dalles, Oregon City, Cathlamet, Chinook and Champoeg goods were sold on commission by former officers of the Company, Mr. Allan, Mr. McKinlay, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Birnie and others. But Mr. Ogden was in failing health ; his letters speak of internal disorders and a recurrent fever, pos- sibly beginning, as Mr. Evans states, though some exertion at the time of the stranding of the steamship Tennessee. The published notice of his death speaks of an illness of several weeks. These last weeks were spent at "The Cliffs" under the care of his wife and daughter and Dr. Barclay; death occurred on the 27th of September, 1854. Rev. St. Michael Fackler, the first Episcopal clergyman to reside in Oregon (Rev. Herbert Beaver excepted) officiated at the burial and his body was laid to rest in Mountain View Cemetery at Oregon City, where his grave may still be seen, a wild rose bush its only adornment, and the glistening peak of Mt. Hood its only monument. During his illness Dr. McLoughlin was a regular visitor at the bedside and urged upon him to permit a formal mar- riage ceremony with his wife. Mr. Ogden bluffly refused, saying that if his many years of open recognition of the re- lationship and of their children was not proof enough the empty words of man could not add anything of value. Surely enough this refusal occasioned long delay and much trouble in the settlement of his estate, for certain of the family in Canada and England began proceedings to break the will on the ground that there was no proof that he was ever married. A compromise was finally arranged, however, by Sir George Simpson, who was the executor. The will was executed at Fort Vancouver in June, 185 1, but described him as a resident of Montreal and was proven at Montreal. Probably this was because nearly all of his investments were in Lower Canada,
