See: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~cchouk/ccrulaford.htm for the other stories. By Cecil Clark Rulaford 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 seperate 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.] Cecil Houk, ET1 USN Ret., AG6I PO Box 530833 San Diego CA 92153 res San Diego CA 92154-3654 NEW EMAIL ADDRESS mailto:cchouk@cox.net ANDERSON-BLAKELY-EGGERS-FORD-HOUK-KIMSEY-MONTGOMERY-RULAFORD-SIMPSON Searchable GEDCOM: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/~cchouk See also: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/~donhouk My Web pages menu: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~cchouk/rulaford/menu.htm