BLAZING OVERLAND TRAILS FOR THE WESTWARD EXPANSION, 1832-1850
October 2020 11th Postal History Symposium - Steve Walske Opening up the New Western Territories
1804-06 – Lewis & Clark expedition to Northwest returns with reports of flora and fauna (furs!)
1825-40 – Annual fur trade rendezvous in the Rocky Mountains: supplies to trappers and furs back to St Louis
1834-46 – First Great Migration to Oregon
1841-49 – Second Great Migration to California
1847-48 – Third Great Migration to Salt Lake City Fur Trade Rendezvous, 1825-1840
Annual trips left Missouri in March-May Trips took from two to three months Rendezvous lasted two to four weeks Hudson’s Bay Co. traders came from Northwest Earliest Known Transcontinental Letter
Datelined July 14, 1832 at Pierre’s Hole (Idaho) Rendezvous Carried “fav(or) of Mr. Wm L. Sublette” to Missouri Sublette left July 30 and arrived in St Louis October 3 25 cents due for over 400 miles to Baltimore from St Louis Nathaniel Wyeth continued on to Fort Vancouver, Oregon Wyeth Letter via HBC from Oregon
Datelined January 16, 1833 at Fort Vancouver, Oregon Endorsed “Favor of the Hon(orable) Hudsons Bay Co.” Carried by HBC canoe brigade to Montreal on August 13 Prepaid 6 pence to border; 18¾ cents due to Cambridge Entered U.S. mails at Whitehall, NY per “B” (for steamboat) Hudson’s Bay Co. Canoe Brigade Route between Oregon and Montreal, 1825-1846
Annual trips with supplies, goods and correspondence Eastbound and westbound trips left March-April Trips took six to seven months Westbound Hudson’s Bay Canoe Brigade
Posted April 8, 1844 at Wilbraham; prepaid 25¢ to Lachine Carried from Lachine by HBC canoe brigade to Oregon Received “By Express Boat” on October 29 Last Hudson’s Bay Canoe Brigade in 1846
Dated February 9, 1846 at Fort Colvile, Oregon Territory Carried by HBC canoe brigade to Lachine, L.C. on October 27 Returned for postage to Montreal on November 18; 4½ cents paid 10 cents due in Blandford, Mass. From Rev. Cushing Eells, pioneer missionary from 1838 1st Great Migration - to Oregon
June 1831 – Northwest Indian delegation to St Louis
1834 – Jason Lee, Methodist to Oregon with Wyeth
1835-36 – First Congregationalist missionaries went overland to Oregon
Sept. 1838 – Lee returned to U.S. via Westport, MO. Lectured about Oregon settlement during trip
May 1839 – Non-missionary Peoria party left for Oregon after hearing Lee
June 15, 1846 – Oregon partition along 49th parallel Overland Route to Oregon 1834 Wyeth Letter from Rendezvous
Datelined June 21 from Ham’s Fork Rendezvous in Wyoming Carried to St. Louis by Michael Cerré of the Bonneville Fur Co. Left Rendezvous July 10 and reached St. Louis in late August Letter forwarded unpaid by Von Phul & McGill on September 1 25¢ due in Cambridge, Mass. on September 16 – forwarded twice 1839 Overland Letter to Oregon
Posted Baldwin, ME March 20, 1839; prepaid 25¢ to Missouri To Elkanah Walker, missionary from 1838 overland party Picked up at Westport by Munger/Griffin missionary party Left Westport, MO May 4, 1839; Stopped at July Rendezvous Delivered September 16 at Tshimakain, Oregon 1842 Overland Letter to Missouri
Dated February 23, 1842 at Wascopam Mission by Henry Brewer Initially endorsed to the HBC Canoe Brigade Given instead to William Fowler, travelling overland to Missouri Posted December 7 at Westport, MO; 25¢ due in Franklin, CT 2nd Great Migration – to California
1821 – Mexican independence slowly opened region
1826-27 – Jedediah Smith overland trip to California
May-Nov. 1841 – Bidwell overland emigration party. Emigr