Margaret Jewett Smith Bailey facts for kids

Margaret Jewett Smith Bailey (born around 1812, died 1882) was an important American pioneer, missionary, and writer from Oregon. She is known for writing one of the first books published in Oregon.

Using the pen name Ruth Rover, Margaret Bailey wrote a book called The Grains, or, Passages in the Life of Ruth Rover, with Occasional Pictures of Oregon, Natural and Moral. This book was partly about her own life, partly about her religious beliefs, and partly a travel story. Many people consider The Grains to be the first novel written and published on the Pacific Coast.

Early Life and Dreams

Margaret Jewett Smith was born in Saugus, Massachusetts, around 1812. When she was about 17, she became a follower of Methodism, a type of Christian faith.

She went to the Methodist Episcopal Wesleyan Academy in Wilbraham. Her family, especially her father, did not want her to go. He wanted her to stay home and care for him as he grew older. Margaret hoped to become a missionary teacher among Native American communities.

Moving to the Oregon Country

In September 1837, Margaret Smith traveled to the Oregon Country. She joined the Methodist Mission there. She traveled with Reverend David Leslie, his wife, their children, and Reverend H. K. W. Perkins.

Margaret worked as a teacher at the mission. She was the only single white woman there. Because of this, the mission leaders encouraged her to marry. She was briefly engaged to William H. Willson. However, she decided not to marry him when she found out he had also asked another woman to come to Oregon to be his wife.

In 1839, Margaret Smith married William J. Bailey. He was an early pioneer and later became a politician. William Bailey was not part of the mission. Margaret lived with him on their farm in French Prairie. She started writing for the Oregon Spectator newspaper in 1846. She wrote both stories and poems. Margaret and William ended their marriage in 1854.

The Grains: A Story of Her Life

The title page of The Grains, published in 1854.

After her marriage ended, Margaret Bailey wrote The Grains. She wanted to share her side of the story about her time at the Methodist mission and her divorce. She wrote in her book that she felt avoided and looked at with suspicion.

The Grains was meant to be published in monthly parts. However, only two parts came out in August and September 1854. These were published by Carter & Austin in Portland, Oregon. Margaret Bailey was already known to some readers in Oregon. Her writings had appeared in the Spectator newspaper. Her letters home were also printed in Christian newspapers in Boston and New York as early as 1838.

Margaret Bailey became the first local poet published west of the Rocky Mountains. Her poem "Love" was in the very first issue of the Spectator on February 5, 1846. After her divorce, she also edited a section for women in the Spectator for a short time. She hoped to publish a newspaper just for women. However, The Grains was her last published work.

The Grains was published two years before Uncle Tom's Cabin. Like that famous book, The Grains was a form of social protest. It criticized the mission community and its leader, Jason Lee. It also pointed out that the mission failed to help local Native Americans become Christians. The book also spoke out against unfair treatment of women.

The book used her letters and diary entries. She changed the names of many people in the book. For example, Willson became "Wiley," Leslie became "Leland," and Bailey became "Binney." When the book came out, people knew it was Margaret Bailey's story.

When The Grains was first released, it did not get good reviews. Some scholars believe most copies were destroyed. Much of the criticism was because she was a woman and had been divorced.

For a long time, The Grains was considered a "lost" book. But in 1986, the Oregon State University Press republished it. They put together the last three known copies to create a new edition. This new edition helped people learn more about early life in Oregon.

Later Life and Legacy

Margaret Bailey married Francis Waddle in Polk County in 1855. They ended their marriage in 1858. Later, Margaret moved to the Washington Territory. She married a man named Crane. Margaret J. Crane died in Seattle on May 17, 1882. She passed away in poverty.

Margaret Bailey's The Grains is seen as a very important early book from Oregon. She was also the first woman writer from Oregon to have her work printed.

Images for kids

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  The title page of The Grains, published in 1854.