Elkanah Walker (1805-1877) was an American pioneer settler in the Oregon Country in what is now the states of Oregon and Washington. Walker was born August 7, 1805, the sixth child of Jeremiah and Jane Walker, on a farm near North Yarmouth, Maine. He attended the Bangor Theological Seminary.
The Walkers traveled to the Oregon Country with other missionaries.
From August 1838 to June 1848, under the auspices of American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, he and Cushing Eells and their wives created and lived at the Tshimakain Mission, studying the local language and bringing their Protestant faith to the Spokane People.
Elkanah wrote in diary the following: “Bear with me if I trouble you with a little of their superstitions. They believe in a race of giants, which inhabit a certain mountain off to the west of us. This mountain is covered with perpetual snow. They (the creatures) inhabit the snow peaks. They hunt and do all their work at night. They are men stealers.
They come to the people’s lodges at night when the people are asleep and take them and put them under their skins and to their place of abode without even waking. Their track is a foot and a half long. They steal salmon from Indian nets and eat then raw as the bears do. If the people are awake, they always know when they are coming very near by their strong smell that is most intolerable. It is not uncommon for them to come in the night and give three whistles and then the stones will begin to hit their houses.” (Drury 1976, pp. 122-123)
Reverend Walker’s established mission was approximately located twenty-five miles northwest of present day Spokane, WA. His diary entry of the snow peak to the west could be one of several peaks in the Cascade Range such as Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, Mt Adams or Mount St. Helens or possibly he could have meant Mt. Hood on the Oregon side of the Columbia River.
Jan W
Wow- very convincing. Love these old accounts. Thanks!
Albert R
These old journals are priceless. It’s always great when they turn up. I was born and raised in Spokane and I think it is likely that he was thinking of Mount Baker, although many Cascade peaks have perpetual snow. Baker has a reputation for sightings but I’m sure you know that, Wes.
David M
Amazing how the accounts haven’t changed over time.
JOHN E
LOOK HOW LONG ITS BEEN AND THEY STILL DONT GET FOUND OUT………
Linda G
I grew up on Portland Oregon & Mt. Hood has perpetual snow too. It slso could have been there.
Karen C
Great history accounts from the 1800’s, very eerie tale about taking them from their lodges (how terrifing that must of been)…
Jane M
Love the old historical accounts! Thanks!
Paul M
Very cool oldiee. They seem to relate the message well. Not all these beast s are just fine and courteous. What did they do with the carried off bodys. Oh ya they snapped there NECKS. They just looked like they were sleeping.
NW Mike
I live north of Spokane. There are many native tales in this area about bigfoot. Around here BF is interested in stealing native women for mates. There are even stories of people in the area that are half native and half bigfoot. They are described as having wide mouths, big ears, and an uncanny knack for imitating animal and bird calls. Overall the half humans are considered very ugly.