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JEDEDIAH SMITH, the Man Who Opened the Far West by Milton Vondamm

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JEDEDIAH SMITH, the Man Who Opened the Far West by Milton Vondamm JEDEDIAH SMITH, THE MAN WHO OPENED THE FAR WEST BY MILTON VONDAMM deliver a directive from his employer William Ashley Jedediah Smith has earned his place in history be- to Ashley’s partner Andrew Henry for help to deal cause he elevated the early understanding of the Far with the consequences of the Massacre. West, the land beyond the Continental Divide. His The second area involves Smith’s route to Crow travels were geographically more extensive than ei- wintering grounds in 1823-24. Now leading a fifteen ther the Lewis and Clark or the American Fur Com- man, trapping brigade, “Captain” Smith travels West 1 pany’s far West expedition . This article lists his ac- from Fort Kiowa on the Missouri River to the eastern complishments, summarizes and illustrates his travel slope of the Wind River Mountains. During the trip he routes, and complements these glimpses with de- saves two men’s lives and is attacked by a grizzly bear. scriptions of selected incidents. It concludes with de- scriptions and pictures of the typical guns that would Third, he leads his men through South Pass, trav- have been carried during the 1820’s. els North, and becomes the first American to directly encounter a Hudson’s Bay Company Brigade, serv- Jedediah Smith was an American fur trader who ing notice that the Americans were coming, a chilling traveled and mapped the far West beyond the Con- threat to pending negotiations between Britain and tinental Divide in the 1820’s. He was murdered by a the United States over the Oregon Territory national band of Commanche Indians in 1831, at the age of boundary. 32, before his detailed journals and map(s) could be published. Thus he faded from public view within a Fourth, Jedediah circles the entire area West of the year of his death. It was not until 1918 that historians Continental Divide over a three year period involv- began to tell his story. ing contacts with native tribes that had never seen a white man, or even horses, covering deserts, moun- The Setting tains and forests that had never felt a white man’s footprint. Among his firsts include the first American to reach California by land, the first known person to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the first person to cross the Great Divide from West to East, and the first non native person to pass between Oregon and Cali- fornia. Notable incidents will include the second and third most serious losses of trapper lives by Indians during the western fur trade period. Jedediah Strong Smith was a unique Mountain Man Jedediah’s family roots are traceable back to about Jedediah Smith’s travels 1630 in North America. He was born in January of This article will be easier to follow with a brief look 1799 in Bainbridge, New York. At the age of eleven his at the enormous geographic areas Captain Smith family relocated to Erie County, Pennsylvania, where a covered during his eight years in the West. The first neighbor and local doctor named Titus Simmons rec- year and a half involves his experiences on the Mis- ognized Jed’s potential and tutored him in reading, souri River. Two incidents stand out as examples of writing and mathematics. The Smith and Simmons the courage, energy and leadership potential of this families moved to Perrysville, Ohio in the fall of 1816. twenty four year old young man. This is where Jedediah spent his formative teen years, honing his outdoor and hunting skills in the rugged He was on the beach and one of the last men to countryside and spending time with Deleware Indi- withdraw from the deadliest encounter between ans. He also became interested in the Lewis and Clark trappers and Indians in the history of the western fur expedition, possibly inspired by the 1807 journal of trade, the Arikara Massacre. He also volunteered to a member of the expedition, Patrick Gass, who was a travel by land, over one thousand miles upstream to 116/3 Reprinted from the American Society of Arms Collectors Bulletin 116:3-14 Additional articles available at http://americansocietyofarmscollectors.org/resources/articles/ neighbor in the area. Jedediah’s ambitions soon sur- The travels of Jedediah Smith and his men passed the modest business and farming activities 1822-24 practiced by his father and brothers. Smith was hired by General William Ashley as a Smith was raised in a conservative Christian family hunter to accompany men under the command of and was reserved by nature. There is information from Ashley’s experienced partner, Major Andrew Henry. peers that provides some reliable insights about who The two men served in the militia during the War of he was as a person, although his actions speak louder 1812 and their ranks were informally continued af- than personal comments. William Ashley referred to ter the war. Jedediah ascended the Missouri River to him as very intelligent; Robert Campbell said he was the mouth of the Yellowstone River and hunted and efficient; Joe Meek testified at a hearing that Smith trapped under the command of Andrew Henry. It is was truthful and a gentleman. During his extensive not known what rifle he had, but he did purchase a US travels, usually as the leader of a group of trappers, military pistol from Ashley’s stores. Henry had several his actions portray a strong sense of purpose, unusu- horses stolen by the Shoshone Indians and he sent al endurance, perseverance, and concern for his men. Smith down the Missouri to locate General Ashley to Letters home following the loss of nearly all his men in trade for replacements. Thus, Smith was with Ashley 1828 and 1829 reflected a sense of failure, modesty and his 1823 expedition when one of the fur trade’s and a depth of religious need to be forgiven, as well most famous massacres occurred. This was the Arika- as concern for the welfare of his parents and siblings. ra Indian attack on Ashley’s men that were guarding horses that had just been acquired by trade. About Jedediah Strong Smith was hired by General Wil- fifteen of Ashley’s men were killed in the surprise at- liam Ashley to join his 1822 expedition as a hunter tack that lasted only a few minutes and eleven more at age twenty three. His whereabouts and activities were wounded, two critically. Smith escaped injury. from the time he left home to the time he joined Ash- ley’s fur trade expedition from St. Louis to the Rocky Ashley retreated about 50 miles downstream to re- Mountains indicates he spent time along the Missis- organize. Many of his new men quit and returned to sippi River between Rock River and New Orleans. St. Louis. Ashley’s remaining men participated in the subsequent retaliation along with the Army and Sioux Accounts of his Indians. accomplishments and travels are The “Arikara Massacre” incident led Ashley to intro- primarily based duce an overland system of annually supplying trap- on two manu- ping parties that remained in the mountains full time scripts of his lost and returning with the year’s furs. This led to the fa- journals that were mous Rendezvous System. The new policy began with prepared by Sam- Ashley deploying his remaining men from Fort Kiowa, uel Parkman, a lit- located on the Missouri, into two groups. The main erate friend who party, led by Major Henry, returned to the Northwest witnessed the to their fort at the mouth of the Yellowstone River. signing of his will and accompa- nied Smith on his fatal commercial trip to Santa Fe. The first manu- script was discov- ered in 1934 and edited and pub- lished by Maurice Sullivan, and cov- ers Smith’s sec- Jedediah Strong Smith ond trip to Cali- fornia and beyond from July 13, 1827 to July 3, 1828. The journal temporarily fell into Indian hands during the massacre of Smith’s men at the Umpqua River in Oregon and only portions of it seem to have been re- covered. A daybook kept by his clerk, Harrison Rog- Jedediah Smith 1822-24 ers, is another source. Just eighteen months after being hired, and not yet The second manuscript was made available to twenty four years old, Jedediah was placed in com- historian George Brooks in 1967 after having been mand of the second group, a small party of eleven found in an attic. It covers Smith’s first trip to Califor- to fifteen trappers who were directed to the South- nia from August of 1826 to July first 1827. western Wind River area of the Rocky Mountains to 116/4 Reprinted from the American Society of Arms Collectors Bulletin 116:3-14 Additional articles available at http://americansocietyofarmscollectors.org/resources/articles/ winter with the friendly Crow Indians and establish a trading and trapping presence. This turned out to be an all star group that included such future famous mountain men as Tom Fitzpatrick , William Sublette and James Clyman. Along the way the, now Captain Smith saved the lives of two of his Brigade who had fallen behind the group who were desperately searching for water. They were badly dehydrated. Once water was found, he returned to them and brought them back to good condition. A few days later, Smith was mauled by a Grizzly bear. The group had been traveling on foot, lead- ing their horses along a narrow defile when Smith emerged from some brush and came face to face with an enraged bear. It grabbed Smith by the head and threw him down before the bear could be killed.
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