The Doctor Who Swam for His Life: Marcus Whitman’s Forgotten Struggle

Perhaps the following items in regard to Dr. Whitman and wife, gathered chiefly from letters recently received from his relatives and early friends, may be of interest to some of your readers.

A sketch of the Whitman family published by Fowier Wells notes that the original stock predominated in imparting age and high moral footing. John Whitman, the ancestor, lived to be about ninety. None of his sons died under eighty-two.

All of Dr. Whitman's brothers and sisters are now dead except one, Mrs. Alice Whitman Wisewell, of Naples, New York. Her sister, Mrs. Mary A. Wisewell, writes regarding the early life of her uncle:

"Dr. Marcus Whitman was the third son of Hosa and Alice Whitman... born September 4, 1802... His parents lived in a log house... one evening, she was much startled to find on her return that a log had fallen from the fireplace, and burned the lower end of the cradle, and that he was nearly suffocated by the smoke. His life was wonderfully spared for a great work."

Regarding his health, Mrs. Wisewell notes: "During his study he was severely afflicted with a pain in his side, to which he was subject all his life, but was a man of remarkable energy and perseverance... He took up a three years' course of study with Dr. Ira Bryant... His health was not good."

A letter from Dr. Whitman dated at Walla Walla, May 1847, describes a harrowing incident:

"My labor was excessive last fall after the death of our dear Joseph... I was called suddenly to go to Mr. [illegible]... After I got home we had much to do... and frost appeared in the wood which I was busy preparing a mass for our mill... By these several causes I was reduced by the same affliction of which I complained before I left the United States... I was called to see a sick man at Walla Walla. Mrs. Whitman went with me... In the morning we found the water had risen so that on returning it was most difficult to cross.

Mrs. Whitman was on a strong horse... she came across safely. Unfortunately I chose a tall but weak horse, and set myself with both feet on one side of the horse, to try and keep out of the water, but in crossing the beast rolled and tumbled until she threw me into the water, and the current soon took me down into swimming water, and I had to swim some rods to the shore. I put on a great many clothes to keep me from exposure... It was the last of December. Some Indians in passing at the same time were near, and had a fire, and rendered us very important assistance.

By these means I was enabled to wrap up and keep comfortable... But the second day after I found myself so much worse that I was obliged to be bled, and for some weeks I kept my bed and room, and from that time to this I have not recovered, nor do I even expect fully to do so. I am, however, now in comfortable health, but unfit for bodily labor."