The Emilene Whitman Story

The story of Emilene Trimble Whitman (an early settler and subsequent owner of Whitman’s Stage Line in Rosalia as verified by old ledgers in the museum collection) is equal to that of the Donner Party Sierra Nevada Tragedy.

Emilene and the Trimble family crossed the plains from Wisconsin to Washington Territory in the early 1800’s. Emilene, a girl of 13 or 14 when the family began their journey with a few belated emigrant wagons, gives this graphic description of the hardships endured by those who made this country a place that future generations could live in peace and plenty. Her account is as follows:

On account of the wagons being too late to start with the regular wagon train, there were no soldiers to accompany them. But they started bravely on, hoping to overtake the others or meet soldiers who would go with them. This they failed to do; however, they continued their journey. But met misfortune when they were attacked by Indians who killed all but two of the men and took their wagons, stock and provisions. Emily Trimble took her baby sister, who was too young to walk, and three or four other children and fled into the wilderness along the Snake River. Later they met others of the party (also refugees) and went on. They lived on roots and buds and occasionally a little meat. Worn and weary they made camp and resigned themselves to death by starvation, fearing that those who had tried to make their way to Fort Walla Walla had failed. It wasn’t long before weaker ones succumbed to the inevitable. The survivors, who were by this time barefoot, nearly naked and faced with the pangs of hunger, resorted to eating the dead. Later soldiers found and rescued the few who survived and took them to Fort Walla Walla.”  - Mrs. Emily Trimble Whitman Fuller Calhoun

Emily stayed with a lieutenant’s family until her cousin arrived to take her home to Oregon. Her family of twelve that started across the plains from Wisconsin was all gone except for her. In 1863 she married John M. Whitman, and they moved from Oregon to Rosalia in 1872 where she and her husband ran the Whitman Stage. In 1887 Mr. Whitman was killed when he rode out on a handcar to meet the first Northern Pacific Train. After his death, Emily returned to Wisconsin and married a man by the name of Fuller but divorced him four years later. In 1900 she returned to Rosalia and married A. J. Calhoun. After his death she made a final trip back to Wisconsin and never returned to Rosalia.