NEWS AND COMMENT
MEETINGS
The annual meeting of the Oregon Pioneer Association was held for the 64th year at Portland, June 18, 1936. The membership of the association for the most part is now made up of persons who were born in Oregon, although there are still a few who crossed the plains. The oldest member present was John W. Cullen, who was also celebrating his 98th birthday. He crossed the plains in 1847. The mother queen was Minerva Thessing Oatheld, who was born near Dayton, January 7, 1852. Other prominent pioneers in attendance were Stephen A. D. Meek, born in 1857, son of the famous Joe Meek, and Samuel T. Walker, born at Forest Grove, May 2, 1852, son of the missionary Elkanah Walker, Mrs. Edith Tozier Weatherred read the annual address and after the afternoon program the woman's auxiliary served a dinner. At the business meeting Samuel Walker, Hillsboro, was elected president; George H. Himes, Portland, reelected secretary; David Stearns, Portland, treasurer; Robert A. Miller, J. O. Stearns and E. M. Croisan, directors.
The eleventh annual meeting of the Veteran Steamboat Men of the West, at Bonneville, June 28, 1936, gave a special place on the program to the history of the steamer Beaver, as it was just a hundred years ago that the little vessel left the Columbia River for its trip along the northern coast, the first steamer on the Pacific Ocean. Memorial services were conducted for the steamboat men of the northwest who had died during the year, as well as for the men who were lost in the wreck of the Iowa, January 12, 1936. Judge Fred Wilson, The Dalles, was master of ceremonies. E. C. Merrill, district superintendent of lighthouses, spoke on the history of lighthouse service. Other addresses and reminiscences entertained the large crowd that had arrived by automobiles and by the steamers Cascades and Georgiana.
At the annual meeting of the Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific at Portland, June 17, 1936, John W. Cullen was the only survivor of the Indian wars. He was born in 1838, and came to Oregon in 1847. He fought in the Yakima Indian War. The meeting this year was attended by the Sons and Daughters of Indian War Veterans. The Sons and Daughters of Oregon Pioneers, at their annual business meeting June 15, 1936, elected Mary Drain Albro, president; James W. Crawford, vice president; Mary Bullock, secretary; Harold D. Marsh, treasurer. Directors are Mrs. Oliver A. Todd and George W. Caldwell.
The Siuslaw Pioneer Association met at Cushman, July 2, 1936. The following officers were elected: Mrs. Kenneth McCornack, North Fork, president; Mrs. Alice Bernhardt, Mapleton, vice president; Mrs. Emma Saubert, secretary-treasurer; Mrs. Clarence Welty, assistant secretary.
The Sandy Pioneer Association met at Jonsrud Park, July 26, 1936, for their annual summer meeting, John T. McIntyre was the oldest pioneer present. Mrs. Mary Bacon was queen mother. E. F. Bruns was elected president and A. C. Thomas, vice president.
THE WHITMAN CENTENNIAL
August 13-16, inclusive, at Walla Walla a four days' celebration was staged in honor of the arrival in that valley in August, 1836, of the missionaries, Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife, Narcissa Whitman,
