Cushing Eells Matters

Cushing Eells, the pioneer preacher of the Northwest, was born almost directly opposite of his great achievements in Blandford, Massachusetts, outside of Springfield, Massachusetts on February 16, 1810. It was only serendipity, though the good minister would say the hand of God, that led him Westward, as his original intent was south east, and South Africa.

Dr. Marcus and Narcissa Whitman

The Whitmans were early missionaries, who went over the Rockies with fellow Congregationalist to provide and schooling to the Native Americans.  Marcus Whitman and his fellows helped the Indians also in building houses, tilling their fields, and irrigating their crops. They also taught them how to erect mills for grinding corn and wheat, while the wives established mission schools.  This uprooted the natives nomadic lifestyle and made it settled and agricultural, so while they were more prosperous and better fed, it caused a natural antipathy to those who wanted to continue the traditional lifestyle.  Prior to the Whitman arrival, the Cayuse depended solely on salmon caught from the Columbia River along with trout and eels. 

But things turned south as Roman Catholic priests came into the area, and the natives preferred the rituals of the Roman Catholic church over the plainness of Congregationalism.  After much consideration, the Whitmans planned to move south out of harm’s way, but then in 1847  a measles epidemic spread through the area. 

Caught in the middle, Dr. Whitman and the other settlers stayed to help those who caught the disease.  But for some unknown reason, a greater number of Native American children died from the measles than adults, and the natives accused Whitman and other missionaries of using magic to kill them off to make room for the settlers. 

In retaliation, on November 29, 1847, Cayuse warriors killed Marcus and Narcissa Whitman and 12 other settlers. This event, known as the Whitman Massacre, sparked the Cayuse War, which was fought until 1850. 

Whitman Massacre Aftermath

  The deaths of the Whitmans and others at Waiilatpu signified the end of the missionary efforts and the US Army moved the Eells and others from Tshimakain to Oregon., There Reverend Eells taught at various schools in the Tualatin Plains, including the Oregon Institute, now Willamette University. Tualatin Academy, now Pacific University, was another achievement of his.. When in 1859, the “upper country” was re-opened, Reverend Ells and his family returned to the Walla Walla Valley.  

There Eells built a seminary in memory of Marcus, and Narcissa Whitman called Whitman College. On December 1859 the first classes were held at Waiilatpu, now Walla Walla. Dr. Dorsey Syng Baker, a physician like Marcus Whitman, but also a successful businessman, gave the money for the building,   For the first two years, Eells was the principal of Whitman while serving simultaneously as superintendent of schools for Walla Walla County. He traveled throughout the Washington Territory, founding Congregational churches and schools throughout, and continued to raise money for the seminary.   Whitman College charter  

On December 20, 1859, the Washington legislature issued a new charter for the seminary, while changing its name Whitman College.   Despite many hardships, Reverend made efforts to keep Whitman alive, giving 10,000 dollars during his life and in last will and testament willed much of his property to the College too. thus insuring its success. Whitman College survives today.  It is now a secular college acknowledged on their  founders page.

Eells charts

Progressed chart to Eells’ time of demise.

Time of demise transit chart and Reverend Eels genethliacal chart in biwheel format.

Reverend Eels natal chart

He gets the ascendant of 01 Leo, the Hyperion symbol of “a Masonic certificate is affixed with a cross of gold.”  This represents the native’s inner exertion towards outer concrete goals.  The keyword is Achievement.

With the Moon so nearby, Reverend Eells was propelled by his dreams, first to work with the Zulu’s but when the Zulu Wars broke out, he decided to go West instead i.e. the Moon is trine (120 degrees away) from Mars in Pisces in the ninth house of great journeys, and religious education. While Pluto is too far away from Mars to have much effect, it is a symbol of the masses of unschooled peoples Eels hoped to help and here in Pisces, as a natural square to Virgo, shows that he would not have a peaceful time of it.

There were many who questioned his purpose, including the many tribes he went there to help and doubted whether his efforts would be worthwhile. Nevertheless, the North Node in Libra in the fourth house says this is not something he would surrender because establishment of an education framework was part of his calling.

The other trine goes to Uranus at 14 Scorpio 17 in the fifth, showing how those dreams made him create something unusual, colleges, there for others to pursue their dreams and goals.  It was a driving force and while considered in its fall because it is in the fifth house; it gets an assist from the preponderance of Aquarius in the eighth, again showing Eells long and tireless work to make it come true.

The eighth house preponderance shows he used other people’s money to create Whitman College. Sextile (60 degrees) away from the tenth house where Jupiter reigns in Aries, that reality could only be sought  through generous benefactors who believed as much as he in its establishment.   The South Node there reminds me, relying on others is always dicey, and why Eells gave away so much of his personal fortune as well.

Download rev-Cushing-eels-charts

Epilogue

Reverend Eells went to his final reward in Tacoma, Washington on February 16, 1893, his birthday. He was a Congregational missionary for fifty-five of his 83 years.