missionaries to Oregon. His first book "Oregon, Its History, Condition and Prospects," was published in 1846; and his second work entitled "Oregon and Its Institutions" was published in 1868. This last volume is largely devoted to the history of the Willamette university. Mr. Hines was born in Herkimer County, New York, September 16, 1809; commenced preaching in 1832; appointed to the Oregon mission in 1839, and died at Oregon City, December 9, 1873.
The next volume of Oregon history to attract attention was that of William H. Gray, published in 1870. This work is highly characteristic of its author, and has provoked more discussion than any other book published about Oregon. Gray was among the first to come to Oregon with the missionaries, coming out with Whitman and Spalding in 1836 as an aid to the missions in building the necessary houses. He was a quick, bright man, with great energy and invincible courage; readily took in the whole condition of affairs in the wilderness of the northwest, and was not backward in offering his suggestions as to the relative importance of missions and politics; and early arrayed himself as the leader of the movement to hold in check the growing influence of the Catholic missions. His history is written from the standpoint of his own observations; and the fact that it has provoked much unfriendly criticism only proves the author to have been in a position to know whereof he speaks. Of the work, Bancroft's history says: "As an exhibition of the feeling entertained by certain persons in Oregon, 64 years ago, towards the subjects of Great Britain, and professors of the Catholic faith, it is striking, though perhaps somewhat overdrawn, and all the more impressive, in that the writer speaks as if those past days were still present to him."
William H. Gray was born at Fairfield, New York, in 1810, came to Oregon in 1836, settled at Astoria in 1852, and died at the residence of his son-in-law, Jacob Kamm in Portland, November 4, 1889, and was buried at Astoria.
The next Oregon history to appear was that brought out by Mr. George H. Himes in the year 1885. Of this work Mr. Himes was both publisher and author, notwithstanding another gentleman appears as editor. This is a work of 900 pages and about 600 biographical sketches and a very fine portrait of Oregon's great friend—Thomas H. Benton. This was practically the commencement of the great work done by Mr. Himes to preserve the history of Oregon. Mr. Himes has followed up the difficult and laborious work of a collector of materials for writing history for more than a quarter of a century. His work in this direction far exceeds the labors of all other historians of the northwest. A visit to the rooms of the Oregon Historical Society in the city hall will confirm the observer in the truth of this statement. He has had special advantages to aid him in his ardent attachment to this patriotic duty, in being for many years not only the assistant secretary of the Oregon Historical Society, but also the secretary of the Oregon Pioneer Association. His acquaintance with the pioneers, and the descendants of pioneers exceeds that of any other forty persons in the whole country. And all the historians, poets, and story writers in the long generations to come will be delving into the work of George H. Himes for their themes, and the divine afflatus to portray the glories of the old pioneers, and sing the Georgics of their sons and daughters.
The most pretentious history of Oregon was published in 1888 by the Bancroft History Company of San Francisco, making two volumes of 800 pages each. With ample financial resources Mr. Hubert Howe Bancroft of San Francisco, set himself to work in producing histories of the Pacific coast states and territories, including Mexico, The Central American States, British Columbia, Alaska, Utah, and New Mexico. It was one of the most ambitious projects in book making ever attempted, in which all the great libraries of the old world were ransacked, and the histories of the native races traced back into oblivion and the realms of imagination. On this work Mr. Bancroft expended a fortune of a quarter of a million dollars, doing scarcely any of the work himself, but
