[or-roots] The New Baby and Chief Joseph

[Cecil Houk]

Stories about Nineveh Ford by Cecil Clark Rulaford

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The New Baby and Chief Joseph
          In 1859, Nineveh Ford had a fire which completely destroyed his tannery.  So he gathered
his cattle and horses and migrated to the Walla Walla Valley.  He took a 160 acre homestead on the
Walla Walla River, close to Freewater, Oregon.  [Note that Milton and Freewater were separate towns
at this time.]
          Shortly after he got his family settled in a log cabin, the Indians began to make trouble
not far away.  Nineveh Ford saddled his horse and volunteered to help the soldiers quell the
Indians.  About the same time little Martha (my mother) was born.  September 8, 1859.  Three days
later Chief Joseph, Chief of the Nez Perce tribe, came to the log cabin with sixteen of his
warriors, all decked out in their war paint.  The chief entered first, and said, "We want see white
papoose".  So they all came in single file, took a look, gave a grunt and walked out.  Grandmother
settled back in her bed with a sigh of relief.
  [Note: Martha Jane Ford was the first white girl born in the Walla Walla Valley.]
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I was told by my mother that when Nineveh Ford came home after this
incident, and he and several other men from the area took their guns and went
looking for Chief Joseph.  I assume they didn't find him.  :-)