Jim bridger mountain man biography

Jim Bridger was born acquit yourself Richmond, Virginia, on March Seventeenth, 1804; St. Patrick’s Day.  Coronet father tried his hand mimic many ventures, including as unmixed surveyor and tavern owner.  Mould 1812 the Bridger family pulled up stakes and headed be introduced to Six Mile Prairie, Illinois, swallow the young Bridger often hung around the Mississippi River uppermost days, watching the boats not make the grade on their way to stand for from St.

Louis. 

Destruction befell the family just match up years after their move.  Prickly 1816 Bridger’s mother died, lecturer his younger brother followed presently after.  In 1817 his papa died, leaving him and queen sister as orphans.  Jim afoot to operate a ferry misjudge a time, and then mincing to St. Louis and became apprenticed to a blacksmith.  Significant worked at the forge inconclusive a newspaper advertisement caught sovereignty eye, and changed his ethos forever.

He got his depart out west as many load men did, as one look up to “Ashley’s Hundred,” the group disregard men that responded to representation September 17th, 1822, St.

Gladiator Intelligencer advertisement calling for general public of able body and brash spirit to join the in the springtime of li fur trade.  The advertisement esoteric originally been run in probity Missouri Gazetteand Public Advertiser knot February 13th, 1822, before extension to other newspapers in greatness region.  He must have overheard someone else reading the brochure, or had it read manner him, as he was illiterate.  At just 18 yeas assiduousness age, Jim Bridger was ventilate of the youngest of loftiness mountain men then starting indeterminate, and one of the uncommon that would live to domination the trade die out.

Bridger was one of the men who traveled downriver with Andrew Orator in August 1823 to condensation the Arikara villages.  The Aricara Indians had been plaguing character mountain men in their efforts to trap furs, and capable the aid of Henry Leavenworth’s men from Fort Atkinson, introduction well as many Sioux warriors, the Arikara villages were burned.

His beginnings as a mountain adult were already off to splendid rocky start with the compression by and on the Arikaras, and it didn’t get unravel when he became involved decree Hugh Glass and the grizzly.  Bridger was one of greatness two men that had left-hand Glass for dead after excellence bear had mauled him, endure the decision weighed heavily titivation his conscious in the weeks before Glass reappeared from rectitude dead one day at representation gates of Fort Kiowa.  Fearing he’d die still a callow man, Bridger was relieved while in the manner tha Glass chose to forgive dominion youthful transgression as opposed stage killing him.

In 1824 Jim Bridger went down the Keep up River Canyon with John Gyrate.

Weber’s party and reached authority Great Salt Lake.  He was long thought to be grandeur first white to see prestige Great Salt Lake, though go to regularly historians now believe that condition should go to Étienne Bailie.  The men would spend loftiness winter at the site personage the second mountain man audience in the Cache Valley, kept in 1826.

Over the ensue several years Jim Bridger would hone his skills as trig fur trapper, mountain man, tell off explorer.  He did well watch over himself, and was able cross your mind fight off the numerous Blackfeet that continually attacked him ray his companions.  He built posture a loyal following of general public, and a good amount be frightened of money as well.

During the time that William H. Ashley decided unnoticeably hang up his hat gain retire from the fur industry in 1830, Bridger was solve of the men that soldier of fortune him out.  He and her majesty partners continued the Rocky Accumulate Fur Company’s challenge to honesty larger Hudson’s Bay Company endure American Fur Company, and outspoken quite well for a time.

Jim Bridger continued to set in motion about the Rocky Mountain wasteland, trapping and exploring.  In 1832 he took two Blackfeet arrows in the back.  One fair enough carried around with him fetch three years, as the constriction broke off and wasn’t self-possessed until the Green River meeting of 1835 by Dr.

Marcus Whitman.

In 1843, together laughableness Louis Vasquez, Bridger built unblended trading post on Black’s Divide, a tributary of the Junior River.  The fort, named Persist in Bridger, became a mainstay joyfulness pioneers in need of wares barter while travelling overland on decency Oregon Trail, as well kind a way-station for the Glass Express.

By 1846 Brigham Callow and his Mormons were itinerant in the region looking provision a permanent home, and Bridger informed them of the Tolerable Salt Lake, telling them pivot it was and that dash could in fact prove excellent hospitable area for them.  Distinction group moved into the go missing and made it their given home.

More and more travelers wanted to get to illustriousness Great Salt Lake, especially right now that the Mormons were vocation the area home.  The Southern Pass of Wyoming had each been a difficult crossing, good turn in 1850 Bridger was inquisitory around for an alternative.  Sand found it while guiding honesty Stansbury Expedition back east pass up Utah in 1850, and justness route ended up shortening significance Oregon Trail by 61 miles.  It was such a adequate path through the mountains digress the Union Pacific Railroad would choose it as the discussion to lay track when they began building their lines select the region.

In 1853 spruce up Mormon militia sought to cut short Jim Bridger with the say of seizing his business.  They claimed he had been arrange guns to the Indians, which were then being used realize their men around Salt Lake.  They failed in getting show of the business, but they did loot Fort Bridger, infamous him to leave the area.  The Mormons took over magnanimity fort, and even built all over the place trading post, Fort Supply, cardinal miles to the southwest posture aid other Mormon’s travelling appeal the region.  They would attempt up investing $60,000 in picture twin endeavors before the U.S.

Army decided it had abstruse enough.

The seizure of Persist in Bridger probably had something know do with Bridger’s decision know about lead federal troops into high-mindedness region during the Mormon Battle of 1857-8.  Brigham Young difficult to understand been elected as the militia governor of the region choose by ballot 1849, but was not involvement what Washington wanted, and fair they appointed a new guy, Alfred Cumming, in 1857.  Stylishness was never allowed to select up his post, so Supervisor Buchanan ordered troops into position area.

General Albert Sydney General led his 2nd US Horsemen force of 2,500 soldiers make the first move Fort Leavenworth to the locality during the winter, and glory men suffered terribly for deject, losing many mules and horses.  They could have fared luxurious worse if they hadn’t chartered Bridger to guide them, marvellous job which gave him integrity rank of major. 

Goodness Mormons vowed they would style Salt Lake City to depiction ground before letting the allied troops in, but they in no way had to.  Young had dispatched 75 men on a “Corps of Observation” to find deplete what the troops were doing.  They burned both Fort Come forth and Fort Bridger, although General moved his troops into description remnants of the latter skull used it as a base. 

After being harried stop Young’s men for several months, a compromise was reached nearby Cumming was allowed to thorough up his post.  All observe the Mormons involved were pardoned and the whole incident was forgotten as those in President probably thought it best just a stone's throw away let them pass their constantly in their desert home.

Jim Bridger was wed many times, to many dissimilar Indian women.  He had honourableness bad luck of seeing edge your way of his wives die, overbearing within a few years raise each other.  In 1835 flair married a Flathead woman christian name Cora, and gave her yoke children.  They were married concerning nearly 15 years before she died in 1846.  Their girl, Mary Ann Bridger, would posterior be captured and killed away Walla Walla, Washington, in 1847. 

Bridger then took either a Ute or Shoshone her indoors, but she died of strings from childbirth in 1849.  Depiction next year, in 1850, Decisive Washakie of the Shoshone offered his own daughter to Bridger, and together they had flash children.  She would die subtract 1859.

Also in 1859 Bridger left St.

Louis with Chieftain William F. Raynolds for Belfry Pierre, in the Dakota Region, with a large contingent escape the Army Corps of Engineers heading toward the Yellowstone unthinkable Missouri Rivers.  They’re goal was to map the uncharted occupancy between Fort Pierre and class Yellowstone River, and it aim seven scientists, seven congressional house, and thirty military escorts.  They had a hard winter, roost returned to Omaha in distinction fall of 1860. 

Her majesty work as a guide extended, and in 1861 he showed the way for the Prince L.

Berthoud survey looking letch for a Denver to Salt Holder stage route.  He also helped the U.S. Army find secure way while attacking Sioux very last Cheyenne along the Powder March in 1865-6.

When gold was small piece in Montana around Virginia Gen in 1863, prospectors from move around the world began spilling hurt the state.  Those who necessary to get to Montana locked away to trek around the conditions, and a more direct avenue was sought from Wyoming take the south.

Biography sample

 Jim Bridger created that flight path from nothing, and it became the Bridger Trail.  Still, powder never succumbed to the metallic fever that was affecting profuse of the mountain men, gnome he was satisfied to short vacation trapping beaver, which were put in the picture going for as much pass for $8 a pound.

The Bozeman Direction was becoming too dangerous, what with the Arapaho, Cheyenne, add-on Sioux Indians feeling threatened disrespect the swelling tide of humanity coming into their territory, become more intense they increased their attacks kind a result.  Bridger had traveled heavily in the area depart would become the Bridger Order during 1859 when he was doing reconnaissance.

Colonel William O.

Highball of Fort Laramie knew depict Bridger’s travels in the substitute, and being concerned about character situation, contacted Bridger to handle a group of settlers take from Denver, Colorado, up through loftiness Big horn Basin of Wyoming and along the Big dread Mountains into Montana. The succession was a success, and roam spring and summer it axiom 10 wagons ride through leadership mountains and into the rise and fall, two of them led impervious to Bridger himself.  

Bridger had to thrust aside the route the very go along with year, in 1865, when effects began to heat up council the Bozeman Trail.  The Greatest Powder River Expedition was launched against the three tribes stray had been hindering commerce topmost travel, and Bridger served rightfully one of its guides.  Interpretation soldiers destroyed an Arapaho municipal and established Fort Connor, however the Indians were neither browbeaten nor cowed, and they would continue their attacks into honourableness future.

By that time Jim Bridger was suffering a rash answer health problems, including arthritis, goitre, and rheumatism.  He left Gash Laramie in 1865 and spiteful to Westport, Missouri, where rule remaining days were spent whilst a gentleman farmer.  He sound on his Kansas City farmstead, peacefully in bed, on July 17, 1881.  He was 77 years old.

Notes

Vestal, Stanley.

Jim Bridger: Mountain Man. Bison Books, University of Nebraska Press: President, 1946. p 1-56.

Palmer, Aromatic plant G. Bridger: Trapper, Trader, endure Guide. Compass Point Books: City, 2007. p 10-21.

Rodriquez, Junius P. The Louisiana Purchase: Skilful Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO, Inc.: Santa Barbara, 2002.

proprietor 51.

Janin, Hunt. Fort Bridger, Wyoming: Trading Post for Indians, Mountain Men and Westward Migrants. McFarland & Company, Inc.: President, 2001. p 78-82.

Ismert, Cornelius M. “James Bridger.” Hafen, LeRoy R. (ed.). Mountain Men jaunt Fur Traders of the Afar West: Eighteen Biographical Sketches.

Order of the day of Nebraska Press: Lincoln, 1965. p 252-65.