A collection of Captain Oliver Taylor’s letters, along with a few personal items of his, were donated to Fort Walla Walla Museum in late 2023. Museum Volunteer Karen Summers had the exciting opportunity to help the museum transcribe these personal letters and learn more about the early life of Captain Taylor during the 1800s. Below are excerpts from the transcription project, which is still ongoing. These documents help us understand who Taylor was, and how he found himself in the Walla Walla area. The excerpts below lay out some of Capt. Taylor’s early life.