Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1986-12-01 John C. Freemont's Expeditions into Utah: An Historical Analysis of the Explorer's Contributions and Significance ot the Region Alexander L. Baugh Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Mormon Studies Commons, and the United States History Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Baugh, Alexander L., "John C. Freemont's Expeditions into Utah: An Historical Analysis of the Explorer's Contributions and Significance ot the Region" (1986). Theses and Dissertations. 4511. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4511 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. JOHN C FREMONTS expeditions UTAH historical ANALYSIS EXPLOREREXPLORERS contributions significance REGION thesis presented department history brigham young university partial fulfillment requirements degree master arts aleaiealenanderalexanderandtandir L baugh december 10198686 thesis alexander L baugh accepted present form department history brigham young university satisfying thesis requirement degree master arts B allenailencommittee chairman av er committee member 7 jez532 datejjz D michael quinn Ggraduateduatecuate coordinator00oordiadinator acknowledgementsACKNOWLEDGE MENTS my sincere thanks must extended archivists librarians utah state university university utah brigham young university LDS church library historical department utah state historical society these people graciously helped me locate needed materials appreciation must extended my professors instructed me my masters program namely david J whittaker fred R gowans marvin hill ronald W walker R lanier britsch ronald esplin james B alienailen special thanks must go dr allenailen especially helpful kind offering historical expertise chairman my committee I1 must mention kennethklenneth w godfreygodfreyjgodfreyjr student LDSLDQ institute adjacent utah state university inspired me become student history aliailI1 express my sincere love my wife susan patient me concerning time commitment needed study research writing I1 express my fatherly love my daughters hellynellyneilyshellysaiSal amy lisa know firstfirsthandhand what like father involved graduate work I1 express my love my parents francis bernice baugh my professors home teachings taken root my heart litiii111 TABLE CONTENTS fagepage acknowledgementsACKNOWLEDGE MENTS illustrations vi CHAPTER iiiklk161.6 introduction I1 john C emontsfremontsfremonteFr significance explorer fremont utah 6 bibliographical review literature surrounding emontsfremontsfremonteFr activities utah 9 II11 FREMONTS 1843441843 44 expedition UTAH 17 background objectives 1843441843 44 expedition 17 fremont utah 1843 18 fremont utah 1844 37 summary 52 notes chapter II11 55 iliIII111 FREMONTS 1842 1843441843 44 expeditions MORMONS ILLINOIS 62 cormonsmormons look west 62 cormonsmormons acquire publish emontsfremontsfremonteFr writings 64 summary 4 77 notes chapter liiIII111 iv IV FREMONTS 1845 expedition UTAH 83 background objectives 1845 expedition 83 fremont utah 1845 87 summary 0 107 notes chapter IV 109log V FREMONTS 1854 expedition UTAH 113 background 1853 54 expedition 113 fremont utah 1854 122 expeditions arrival stay parchan 134 carowanparowan postscript 149 geographic locations features named explorer 150 summary 150 notes chapter V 153 VI SUMMARY conclusions 161 bibliography 167 v illustrations 1 photograph fremont monument atop little mountain 27 2 1845 topographical map great salt lake 30 3 photograph o f cross carved kit carson fremont island 32 4 photograph fremont island 34 5 1845 fremont preuss map showing explorers route northern utah 16431843 36 6 1845 fremont preuss map showing explorers inaccurate conclusion northern southern boundaries great basin 42 7 1845 fremont preuss map showing explorers route through southern central eastern utah 1844 0 51 8 1845 fremont preuss map showing channel fremont incorrectly assumed connected utah lake great salt lake 72 9 1848 fremont preuss map showing correct relationship between utah lake great salt lake 73 10 photograph antelope island 93 11 photograph pilot peaipeakpeat 99 12 1848 fremont preuss map showing explorers route through utah 1845 106 13 1887 fremont map showing explorers route through utah 1854 148 14 photograph bronze figure john C fremont place monument 166 vi CHAPTER I1 I1 introduction john C emontsfremontefremontsfremqnfsFr significance explorer john charles fremont celebrated noted explorers american west during period twelve years 184218541842 1854 personally led directed five western expeditions emontsfremontsfremonteFr renown explorer does lie fact first scene contrary almost three quarters century prior expeditions trappers mountain men joseph walker jedediah smith william sublette traversed west addition numerous western explorations already undertaken notables spanish fathers dominguez escalante 1776 meriwether lewis william darrdarkclarrclarknarr 180418061804 1e30601806 zebulon montgomery pike 180618071806 1807 astoriansastorianoAst orians led wilson price hunt robert stuart lellieli161118121811181216111811 1812 stephen H long leig1819 16201820 benjamin L E bonneville 183218351832 1835 mention few since many pathfinderspath finders went before him allan nevins labeled him americas great pathpathmarker1pathmarkermarkermarrenmarranalthough title appropriate fremont does entirely nor adequately portray I1 2 real reason significance explorer john charles emontsfremontsfremonteFr distinction being esteemed explorer american west stems education scientific training background during formative years privileged schooled finest private institutions tutored best educators charleston south carolina age sixteen mastered subjects botany mathematics chemistry allowed enroll prestigious charleston college 1835 young age twenty two turned down appointment professor mathematics navy order assist railroad survey kentucky south carolina under direction lieutenantrichardlieutenant richard M white marked beginning exploration career following year autumn 1836 participated second survey under captain WG williams expedition ascertained boundaries north carolina tennessee georgia gave government idea concerning region case troops needed sent against disgruntled cherokees relocated FremontsfremontefremontsFremonfsnes future explorer took turn better assigned chief assistant famous french scholar scientist joseph nicolas nicollet expedition upper mississippi 1838 dakota region missouri 1839 association nicollet while these two 3 expeditions marked beginning close personal professional friendship between two men during years 1838421838 42 nicollet personally trained john charles surveying botanical geological observation topograpicaltopographical work 1841 fremontpremont become proficient type work nicollet too ill personally lead survey des moines river fremont went place then 16421842 government allocated funds US army topographical corps engineerstoEngineer sto proceed survey south pass once again corpscorpus leaders hoped nicollet lead western expedition however health continued worsen until became obvious never recover Fremonfremontfe subsequently selected place events associated 1842 expedition brought him initial fame explorer expected nicollet died september 1843 recovered likely led expeditions brought fremont notoriety years followed john charles recognized former teacher giving him much credit success experienced explorer emontsfremontsfremonteFr historical prominence lies fact first thoroughly trained scientist explorer accurately map far west region standpoint approached explorations gathering quality newfoundnew found data example during 1842 1843441843 44 expeditions made 4 scientific calculations longitude latitude measurements based upon daily astronomical calculations order determine precise location windwi nd movements temperature readings atmosphere well strestreamsscreamsamsy springs major bodies water barametricalbaraparametricalmetrical readings employed cartographers compose meticulous topographical maps drawings major geographic landmarks addition collected countless rock flora animal specimens along trail prior fremontpremont west never explored manner completion second expedition 1844 scientist explorer set exploration standard western explorers subsequently followed him modeled patterned few exceptions west longer explored untrained uneducated john C fremont set important precedent future western exploration while emontsfremontsfremonteFr contributions scientist explorer cannot underestimated greatest influence may entire american populace following completion second expedition john charles returned washington where labored several months along wife jessie acted scribe compile field notes scientific calculations personal observations westwesh smooth flowing day day narrative written isomwhatsomewhatsom0whatisamisomtsam whatwhah romantickamanromanmaman eelabela faylaatyiafcyla characteristic early nineteenth century report 5 combined narratives o f 1842 16434418434416431843 44 expeditions inclusive detailed published authority act congress portions emontsfremontsfremonteFr narrative found way printing offices hundreds nations newspaper editors subsequently published excerpts travels columns widespread publicity FremontsfremontsfremontefremonfsFremo