"I VOUCH FOR HIS ENERGY, HONESTY AND PRACTICAL SKILL IN THE BUSINESS."

A letter in which J.W. Perit Huntington addresses H.W. Corbett of Portland, Oregon concerning a Salem agent for a stage company. The correspondents, Huntington and Corbett, and the subject of the letter, Thatcher, are all interesting men in the early history of the development of Oregon in the last half of the 19th century.Henry W. Corbett (1827-1903) arrived in Portland, Oregon Territory in 1851. He established a general merchandise, hardware and farming implement business and quickly became very successful and wealthy. He was financially involved in all forms of transportation (stagecoach lines, steamboats, and railroads), banking, community evelopment, newspapers and other business endeavors. He represented Oregon as a United States Senator from 1867-1873. The letter's reference to "the new enterprise you have undertaken" could apply to his Oregon Stage Lien (established in 1865), or his interest in railroads in Oregon, or his involvement in steamboats on the Columbia River going to the Idaho mines. The writer of the letter, John Webster Perit Huntington (1831-1869), came to California in 1850 and two years later had a farm in Douglas County, Oregon Territory. He was a rancher, lawyer, teacher and in 1860 a state legislator, In 1864, having been appointed by President Lincoln, he began serving as the Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Oregon. He relocated to Salem and continued in that office until his death in 1869 at the age of 38. As an interesting side note, Huntington was interested in spiritualism and there were "reports" after his death of his coffin seen floating in the air!

Henry M. Thatcher, the subject of the letter, crossed the plains twice to California. After a year as a gold miner (1851-1852), he returned back to his home in Illinois with a net, after expenses, of $2,000. He returned to California in 1853 and first settled in the San Jose area. Dhortly thereafter he relocated to San Francisco. While there, he was a member of the Vigilance Committee. He headed north to Salem, Oregon around 1858 and worked in the livery and transfer business, which matches the comments in the letter about his employment as a stage agent. In 1863 he served a year as the Mayor of Salem and was appointed Salem's Postmaster in 1876. His biography in the Illustrated History of Idaho 91899) indicates that he left Oregon around 1878/79 and arrived in Boise, Idaho where he again engaged in the livery and transfer business and took charge ofthe overland stage from Boise to Kelton. He later moved to Cassia, Idaho where he had a ranch and ran a hotel. In 1890 he moved to Shoshone, Idaho and continued ranching. (Source: Cultural Images)

Written in ink, 2 pages, docketed on the back of 2nd sheet, very legible and in vg cond.