NAMES OF PEOPLE IN THE WEST DURING THE FUR TRADE By Mike Moore © Copyright 2008 Have you ever wondered how many people were in the early American west? I have. Over the years, experts and historians have claimed between 2500 to 4500 people were in this wild and adventurous place. It drew many individuals for various reasons like: money, adventure or health. This list, still far from complete, will hopefully recognize those who are mentioned in the journals, diaries and autobiographies of the day. These individuals, whether they were well known or not, led interesting lives, had grand adventures and many stories to tell. I guess in a way, this list is for the unknown ones. Those who made the hard trip west, sometimes for only a short time, but saw the west as it was and will never made a list of “famous” people. So for you, the viewer of this work, here is my list in its latest form. This is the third updated edition of where to find individuals is taken from 98 of the most common journals and diaries of the western American fur trade. The total number of people recorded here is about 4216, along with these names are approximately 11,775 entries on where to find them in these books. This large group is far from the total number that actually was in the early west. Some the names who were there may never be found, as sometimes no written record of their events. Or the only record of an event or group may have been lost, destroyed or misplaced. The most written about person during this time is Thomas Fitzpatrick with 31 entries. This means he shows up in 32 % of the books, quite a accomplishment! Evidently, everyone who met him thought there was something about him to merit words in their journals. I do hope this data base of names will be a help to you; either as a way to find a long lost relative or to search for information an individual. May it shed a little more light on this wonderful and exciting period and help you in your knowledge of a time frame that I love. All the pictures shown here were taken by the author. Mike Moore. How to use this data base: Think of a name you would like to find some information on. For example let’s use Joseph Barnett, you will find: Joseph Barnett trappers 157 Mtn 74 85 107-9 His name and two books where he is mentioned will show up like this. The notes given are the book title (see list on complete titles and their associating shorter name) and the page in the book where to find him. The only exception is “haf”, where the volume and page is given. It is a ten volume set, so the number given reflects the volume number and page number. I have tried to make this as easy as possible, but I need to give you viewers some helpful hints: -Look for various spellings of a last name, especially if it is French or Spanish. Americans sometimes spelled them phonically or incorrectly in their writings. -Try the first name or last name only, as in some journals they are called by this and not their full name. -If they have a nick name or have the name “Baptiste” or “Pierre” as part of their recognized name be sure to see what I have listed on them on with their first and last names. -Know the American/ French/Spanish versions of names. John/ Jean/ Juan are just one example of this, as some first names were noted in a language familiar with the writer and possibly not the reader. -If you see the note “book”, he or she has written a journal or dairy and will be a good source for them. I will note the abbreviated title after this. -When you see “…”, this means there are more places in the book than I can note here, usually more than four entries. So you would want to see the index at the back of the book for all of them, if there is one. Otherwise, you will need to read or scan over the complete book (which was what I had to do). - The title Captain, Colonel, Doctor or Major does not mean they were in the army or a trained phyiscan in any form. The title was some times given to a party leader, healer or organizer. -I included all the original spellings, some which are sometimes phonic, and if a name is spelled differently I have tried to keep that with the reference it is found at. -If a job title or description, tribe affiliation or important note is shown with the places they are mentioned, I included this in between the name and places found. -Lastly, any lapses, incorrectness or errors are my fault. Forgive me, this is and always will be an ongoing project. If you find any need of a correction, let me know, as it will help the next time I update it, which I try to do every two to three years. REFERENCES AND ABBREVIATIONS: … More than four references in a book abert Lieutenant James William Abert, Expedition to the Southwest, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 1999. across John Kirk Townsend, Across the Rockies to the Columbia, Lincoln, University of Nebraska, 1978. Adams David Adams, The David Adams Journals, Charles E. Hanson, Jr. editor, Chadron, The Museum of the Fur Trade, 1994. advent James Josiah Webb, Adventures in the Santa Fe Trail, 1844-47, Univeristy of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 1995. alex George Hammond, Alexander Barclay, Mountain Man, Old West Publishing Company, Denver,1976. Alv Thomas Chavez, Manuel Alvarez, University of Colorado Press, Niwot, 1990. Am1 Hiram Chittenden, The American Fur Trade of the Far West, Volume one, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 1986. Am2 Hiram Chittenden, The American Fur Trade of the Far West, volume two, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 1986. Ash William Ashley, The West of William Ashley, Dale Morgan editor, Old West Publishing, Denver, 1964. Aud John Woodhouse Audubon, Audubon’s Western Journal 1849-50, Tucson, University of Arizona Press, 1984. baker Leighton Baker, Jim Baker, the Redheaded Shoshone, Golden Lifestyles’ Books, Tavares, 1993. Bay Francis Bayles, History of the Northwest Coast, Ye Galleon Press, Fairfield, 1986. beck Thomas Bonner, The Life and Adventures of James P. Beckwourth, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 1972. bents David Lavender, Bent’s Fort, Lincoln, University of Nebraska, 1972. bonn Washington Irving, The Adventures of Captain Bonneville, U. S. A., Edgeley Todd, ed., University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 1986. book the name by this authored a journal or narrative Brig Henry Bridgman, The Journal of Henry Bridgman, Richard Seiber editor, Ye Galleon Press, Fairfield, 1986. Brown David Brown, Three years in the Rocky Mountains, Ye Galleon Press, Fairfield, 1982. Cal Caleb Cushing, Beyond the Rocky Mountains, Ye Galleon Press, Fairfield, 1999. Cam Robert Campbell, A Narrative of Col. Robert Campbell’s Experiences in the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade from 1825-1835, Drew Holloway editor,Ye Galleon Press, Fairfield, 1999. Cat2 George Catlin, Letters and Notes on the North American Indians, Volume II, (JG Press, North Dighton), 1995. Clark F. A. Chardon, Chardon’s Journal at Fort Clark, 1834-1839, Annie Heloise Abel editor, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 1997. Crossed Clifford Drury editor, The Mountains We Have Crossed, diaries and letters of the Oregon Mission, 1838, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 1999. Denig Edward Denig, Five Indian Tribes on the Upper Missouri, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 1961. Des Rev. Pierre Jean DeSmet, New Indian Sketches, The Shorrey Book Store, Seattle, 1971. duke Paul Wilhelm, Duke of Wurttenburg,Travels in North America 1822-24”Savoie Lottinville editor, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 1973. Dor Jerome Peltier, Madame Dorion, Edward Kowrach editor, Ye Galleon Press, Fairfield, 1980. Ed William Drummond Stewart, Edward Warren, Bart Barbour editor, Mountain Press Publishing, Missoula, 1986 Ermatinger Francis Ermatinger, Fur Trade Letters of Francis Ermatinger, Lois Halliday McDonald, editor, Glendale, Arthur H. Clark Company, 1980. Dav David Thompson, Columbia Journals, Barbara Belyea, University of Washington Press, Seattle, 1994. Des Rev. Pierre Jean DeSmet, New Indian Sketches, Shorey Book Store, Seattle, 1974. Dor Jerome Peltier, Madame Dorin, Edward Kowrach editor,Ye Galleon Press, Fairfield, 1980. grand William Fairholme, Journal of an Expedition to the Grand Prairies of the Missouri, 1840, Jack B. Tykal, editor, Spokane, The Arthur H. Clark Company, 1996. Gregg Josiah Gregg, Commerce of the Prairies, Milo Quaife editor, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 1967. Ed William Drummond Stewart, Edward Warren, Bart Barbour editor, Mountain Press Publishing, Missoula, 1986. Father Nicolas Point, Wilderness Kingdom, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York, 1967. Ferris Warren Angus Ferris, Life in the Rocky Mountains, LeRoy R. Hafen, editor, Denver, Old West Publishing, 1983. Field Matt Field, Matt Field on the Santa Fe Trail, John E. Sunder, editor, Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1995. Fur Alexander Ross, Fur Hunters of the Far West, Kenneth Spaulding editor, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 1956. Haf LeRoy Hafen, editor, Mountain Men and the Fur Trade, ten volumes, Arthur Clark Company, Spokand, 2000-2004, (references on this one will be volume/page number). hand Prince Maximilian zu Wied, People of the First Man, Life Among the Plains Indians in Their Final Days of Glory, The Firsthand Account of Prince Maximilian’s Expedition up the Missouri River, 1833-34, Davis Thomas and Karin Ronnefeldt, editors, New York, Promontory Press, 1982. Has Lansford Hastings, The Emigrants’ Guide to Oregon and California, Applewood Books Bedford, 1994.