ofhbalch.html

The Pacific, San Fransisco, CA., June 24, 1891, page 8

REV. FREDERIC H. BALCH

Was born in Lebanon, Linn County, Or., on December 14, 1861; was converted at the age of 21, and united with the Methodist church at Lyle, Wash., and began to preach immediately afterward, spending much of his time in study. He remained in that church a year, and, after long deliberation, withdrew and became a through Congregationalist. "He was warmly attached to his church and to his calling, and the first few years of his ministerial life were spent in the hardest of labor, organizing churches, going to settlements where no services were ever held, and holding meetings until the good results came. "His appointments were always kept, regardless of distance or the state of the weather. I have known him to ride twenty miles to keep an appointment, both through drenching rains and blinding snowstorms. His whole life was thrown into his work, and he took no thought for himself; it was always to do something for others. Never having been very strong, his ceaseless work and exposures began to tell on him. "He was the pastor of two churches, one at Hood River and the other at White Salmon, the former of which he had previously organized, and in 1885 he removed to Hood River, taking with him his mother's family. There he cared mostly for the above-named two churches, only preaching occasionally in neighboring districts; among them the Baldwin settlement and the Odel district, two well-known places. As soon as he noticed a growing thoughtfulness and interest among the people in those two places, he began holding special meetings there, and organized a church in the former of twenty-three members, and the latter of eighteen. During all this time he was trying to build a church at his old home, Lyle. Not satisfied with the hard struggle, lasting for weeks and months, to raise money to buy the material for it, he labored on it for days with his own hands and gave of his hard-earned salary, till finally it was accomplished, and it now stands within half a mile of his last resting-place. "Two years after his removal to Hood River he was ordained there by Dr. Atkinson in May, 1887. All these years, ever since he was a child, his ambition was to be an author, to leave to coming generations the history of the Oregon Indians, their habits and traditions, and in later years to unite this with his pastoral work. Never for a moment did he give up that resolve, and all his leisure time was employed in writing and revising what he had written. "Two years ago he went to the Theological Seminary at Oakland to educate himself more fully for the ministry, and remained there until last March, when the state of his health compelled him to relinquish his studies before graduating. He could not give up for a long time; he would compel himself to go to his classes when he would not be able to remain until their close. But after he saw that his efforts were useless he spent no time in complaining or vain regret. "During his illness his mind was mostly on the books he intended to write; he had, I think, three planned, and a few chapters of one of them written, beside two that were completed, one of which, "The Bridge of the Gods," has been published. He hoped to get well until almost the very end; but on the third of June God took him home. He was uncomplaining and patient, through all the months of his sickness. No one ever heard him utter one impatient or irritable word. All he said was, when he thought of dying, his next thought was of his unfinished work. But at the last he said God had work for him in another world. "He spent his life in working for others. Had he been less unselfish, perhaps his life here might have been longer; but as it is, our sweetest memories is of the deeds and words of the one who has gone away from us, and, as he always said of his friends when any of them were called away, "He knows now the great secret of the hereafter."

George H. Hines
June 21, 1891

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., June 18, 1891, page 3
(taken from THE GRANITE BOULDER, by Leonard Wiley)

DEATH OF FRED BALCH

Fred Balch whose home was at Hood River, died in the Portland Hospital, June 3rd. Mr. Balch was afflicted with consumption and went to Portland with hopes of regaining his health by medical treatment.

The Klickitat County Agriculturist, Goldendale, WA., April 25, 1903, page 1
"Klickitat Intelligence"

FREDERIC BALCH - At the Lyle Cemetery proposes of the remains of a once well-known Klickitat author, Frederic Balch, whose famous romance "The Bridge of the God's" is now a classic in the realm of literature. According to the monument over his grave, he died on June 3, 1891 at the early age of 30 years. His home had been for a number of years the valley of the Big Klickitat, a section of country that he most devotedly loved. When Frederic was about 10 years of age the family moved from Oregon to east of the Cascades in the Klickitat Valley. "There," to quote from his journal, "I rode on horseback over the prairie after stock and read all the books I could get, though the frontier libraries were very scanty. Half the education I have I owe to the ceaseless reading and re-reading of Macauley. Milton was one of his boyhood favorites, also " Nicholas Nickleby" and "Jane Eyre." At this time he was constantly writing essays historical and otherwise, and as he afterwards expressed it "wrote them almost by the bushel." At different periods of his life he had given a great deal of time to studying the Indians their customs, habits, language and legends. This had been an absorbing study from his boyhood. Often had he gone many miles to talk with some old Indian, both in Oregon and adjoining states. About 1888 he went to British Columbia on a vacation and their commenced "The Bridge of the God's," this Indian legend having appealed to his vivid imagination for years. His fondness for Oregon was a strong passion; her scenery, her views and mountains, her legends, all called to his romantic fantasy; the spirit of the Indian past breathed through him. He had resulted to become the Walter Scott of Oregon, to make Oregon as famous as Scott had made Scotland, to make the Cascades as widely known as the Highlands, the Santiam as celebrated as the Tweed or Ayr, to make the splendid scenery of the Columbia and Willamette the background of romances. But an early death brought his bright envisions of future greatness to a close, -- visions which would have unquestionably come true, if he could have lived. The living members of the Balch family are a younger brother and Mrs. J.W. Ingalls, of Hood River Valley, who was generously kind in furnishing the data for this article.

The Dufur Dispatch, Dufur, OR., January 3, 1912, page 1

LIFE SKETCHES OF EARLY PIONEERS
Personal Recollections of Some of the Builders of the Inland Empire
By Rev. G.W. Kennedy

I now take great pleasure in giving new a short pen sketch of one of Oregon's native sons; for a while a resident of Eastern Oregon, Mr. Fredrick H. Balch. His name will be forever associated with that remarkable book, the Bridge of the Gods. He wrote other books; became a minister of the gospel at the age of 21 and after a hard pioneer service on the coast came to Hood River where organized the Congregational church and built the building which is still occupied, called the Riverside Church. He and I were at the same school; the Pacific University of Forest Grove.
F.H. Balch was born at Lebanon, Oregon, in 1861. He took to literature, especially along historical lines. He began writing poetry when at the age of 13. He had an intense interest in the history of Pioneer Oregon, even going beyond, into the legendy, and studied with great pains the Indian lore. The learning the became the great ambition of his life and gave him much knowledge of the Indian habits, traditions, religious beliefs, etc..
After much investigation among the Indian tribes he became assured of the one time existence of the 'bridge of the Gods' a natural bridge spanning the Columbia river at the Cascade falls. The book's title is naturally embellished which much that must be regarded as romantic, but at all points hinged onto the fact. It cannot be regarded as fictitious literature. It seems to be born of inspiration, but really came from a genius hard at work. No other work in the history of Oregon will outlive this.
He wrote other books, some of which are still in the manuscript. He wrote "Tanaskat," a story of Oregon in 1818; "Crossing the Plains," and "Olalla." He died at Portland in 1861, greatly lamented by his many friends. Another name written high in Oregon's Roll of Fame.
Let me pass from this character to a remarkable contrast. I speak of Col. Nathan Olney. This man could be classed with Joe Meek, Kit Carson and Jim Bridges. Indeed he was the Jim Bridges of Oregon. Some of your readers may remember him. He was one of the builders of Wasco county. He took the first donation land claim and settled on it in 1847; sold it and took another on 10-mile creek; then another on 5-mile. I first saw him in 1853, while traveling as an emigrant lad across the plains. I well remember his singular appearance -- tall, soldierly, polite, handsome. He had married among the Indians, hence he reigned as king among them. He held office in Wasco county from its organization. He had the intelligence and education sufficient to hold any office.
In 1853 the Indian war came, the great Cayuse war. Olney took command of the company at The Dalles and marched with Col. Kelly to final battle in the Walla Walla valley. Old Peo-Peo-Mox-Mox was commander of the Indian forces and had concentrated his forces for a final struggle. Kelly marched out from The Dalles in February, 1856. He first went to Wallula and found thefortdestroyed. He then pursued the course of the Walla Walla river to near Touchet, a tributary. Here he met Mox-Mox with three of his braves, a flag of truce and high proposal to treat for peace. He told Col. Kelly to march to the north a few miles and come on to the river through an approach to his camp; that on the morrow he would have a big dinner ready for him, then the council would follow. Guiding the soldiers they soon came into and on down a steep gulch, rimmed on either side by precipitous ledges. Olney was the first man to suspicion treachery. He told Col. Kelly that if he ventured futher he would be ambushed. The colonel saw the situation and called a halt. The Indians began to fire from the rimrock but the soldiers, seizing the old chief and his companion, retreated to open ground.
Next day began a three day's fight which resulted in final rout of the Indians. Mox-Mox - one of the mightiest of Indian warriors - was killed. The victory of that battle; the peace which soon came; his knowledge of Indian life and his bravery, cannot be overestimated. Wasco county ought to build a monument to his memory.
Again a remarkable contrast when I write the name of Hon. A.G. Wilson. Some remember him; may have heard of him. He was known everywhere in the early days by the familiar name of Joe Wilson. His name will be forever associated with the legal history of Eastern Oregon.
When the counties of Baker, Union and Grant were organized he held the first circuit court sessions as Presiding Judge. It was my privilege to attend the first session of court held in Baker county. It was held in a large log building in the booming mining town of Auburn then the county seat. And what a session. The famous Quigley case was on. Judge Wilson was clearly master of the whole tangled case, and of all that came on during those border ruffian-darevevil times.
Mr. Wilson was born in New Hampshire in 1829. The family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1828. He graduated at Marietta college and then after a law course came in 1852 to Oregon. He began the practice of law and rapidly rose through various positions until he became Judge of the Supreme Court. In 1872 he was elected to Congress and while visiting his Alam Mater to deliver a college address he was stricken with paralysis and died. In his death Oregon lost one of its ablest statesman, and most remarkable men. His rise was a steady stride; marked with ability and genius, such as made him unique. He had no natural rivals. Eastern Oregon felt his inspiration and he left impressions to be read by coming generations. He was a friend - a companion. He was great, whether you met him in mountain passes, on horseback, or on court days. His work, his heroism, his character, will forever be imprinted upon all that Oregon has become and is destined to be. His son, Hon. F.W. Wilson, lives in The Dalles. Also his estimable wife and daughters.

The Klickitat County Agriculturist, Goldendale, WA., March 11, 1932, page 4

FREDERIC BALCH, KLICKITAT PIONEER OF LYLE: A STUDY OF HIS LIFE
By Mrs. Hattie Gunn Tebbs, of Goldendale

At the January meeting of the Klickitat Valley Pioneers Association held at the Grange Hall in Goldendale, Mrs. Hattie Tebbs, a pioneer resident, read an interesting historical sketch of Frederic Balch, who for many years lived at Lyle. Here he wrote a rough draft of "The Bridge of the Gods," according to the late N.B. Brooks of Goldendale, who was a personal friend of Balch, Mr. Brooks being a school teacher in that section at the time. Some years later Balch revised the manuscript and had the book published.
Mrs. Tebbs' story of Balch was listened to with close attention by the large audience present. This pioneer author and minister, she said was born at Lebanon, Linn County, Oregon, on December 14, 1861. His parents were both pioneers of the Northwest, his father arriving on this coast in 1851 from Indiana, served in the frontier service from 1864 to 1866 as a Lieutenant in Company F, Eighteenth Regiment of the Oregon Volunteer Infantry, later teaching school at various places including Olympia and Tumwater, and still later served for a time as County Judge of Klickitat County.
When Frederic was about 10 years of age the family moved west of the Cascades to the Klickitat Valley, near Goldendale, where they resided for four years, only to remove to Mount Tabor, Oregon. After a short stay at Mount Tabor the family again moved to Klickitat, this time settling at Lyle.
While still young his father encouraged Frederic in his literary efforts and ambitions, and it was no great wonder that his later works should win him renown. It was while employed as a laborer for the O.R. & N. Co. that young Balch gathered and compiled the manuscript for "Wallulah," an Indian tale. The name was used for the heroine of the "Bridge of the Gods." The manuscript was not accepted, however, and later was destroyed due to a strain of infidelity that ran through it, which was at variance with his later convictions.
For six years Balch was rent and torn by a battle between his avowed infidelity and a secret self-questioning as to the truths of Christianity. Then came the final struggle that involves the lives of so many young men: Religion vs. non-religion, but becoming convinced of the falsity of his infidel beliefs, truth was vindicated and Christianity was accepted. He soon became convinced that he must give up his cherished ambition to become an author and enter the ministry. The struggle was great, for as he then felt, he was giving up the one great ambition of his life, and when the decision was made to enter upon the ministry he decided to destroy the manuscript of "Wallulah" lest it lure him again into forbidden paths of his literary ambitions. Eight years of effort were consigned to the flames at this time, much to the deep disappointment of members of his family.
In 1885 Mr. Balch entered upon his pastorate as a home missionary of the First Congregational Church in Hood River Valley. The first two years of his chosen work paid him one dollar. His duties were arduous and various. He rode all over the valley to minister to his flock and also served as pastor of a Congregational Church at White Salmon. The close attention to his pastoral duties, the long rides, over-exposure, all tended to so undermine his health that he soon was obliged to give up many of his most arduous tasks. This gave him leasure time to divide between his church duties and his cherished literary ambitions.
In resuming his work in the paths of literature he did so with a two-fold motive; hoping not only to assist in the uplift of mankind with pure and lofty thoughts, but also to preserve for future generations the sometimes beautiful and sometimes strange traditions of Indian Oregon, which he was so well prepared to portray. At different periods throughout his life he had given a great deal of study to the Indians, their customs, habits, language and legends. This had been an absorbing study from his boyhood. Often he had gone many miles to talk with some old Indian, both in Oregon and in adjoining states. About this time he went to British Columbia on a vacation and there completed "The Bridge of the Gods," this Indian legend having appealed to his imagination for years. Finding that he needed the advantage of a theological course he entered the Pacific Theological Seminary in Oakland, California in 1889. While in Oakland he revised the manuscript of "The Bridge of the Gods" and placed it in the hands of his publishers. He remained at the seminary for two years.
His health completely broke down from a severe attack of la grippe, he returned to the Hood River Valley in March of 1891 and upon advice of his physicians entered the Good Samaritan Hospital. On June 3rd, just two weeks after entering the hospital, he peacefully passed away. His remains were taken to his old home at Lyle, where he was laid to rest.
Frederic Balch left a large accumulation of notes and outlines for future work. A novel, "Kenasket," had been commenced and the opening chapters completed. There were also the titles chosen, and outlines drawn for at least six historical romances relating to Indian Oregon. There was also a completed novel in the manuscript, called "Genevieve," the plot being laid near Washougal, Washington.
Oregon and Washington sustained an irreparable loss in the early death of Balch. His fondness for Oregon was a strong passion; her scenery, mountains, legend, all called to his romantic fancy; the spirit of the Indian breathed through him. He had resolved to become Oregon's Walter Scott by portraying her beauties as Scott did the highlands of his native heath.

Several books, and numerous newspaper & magazine articles have been written by, and about, Frederick Homer Balch. A few are listed here. Bibliography's in the books listed also contain many other sources of information on Mr. Balch.

The Bridge of the Gods, by Frederick Balch.
Genevieve, by Frederick Balch.
Memaloose, by Frederick Balch.
The Granite Boulder, by Leonard Wiley.
History of Oregon Literature, October 1935, by Alfred Powers.
Early Klickitat Valley Days, by Robert Ballou.
The Washington Historical Quarterly, January 1924.
The Oregon Historical Quarterly, Winter 1996-97.
The Pacific Monthly, December 1900.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR......(many articles, see their index)
The Oregon Journal, Portland, OR.(many articles, see their index)
The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA.
The Hood River Glacier, Hood River, OR.
The Times-Mountaineer, The Dalles, OR.