An organization dedicated to the history of jedediah smith and the fur trade era. Smith in 1826 in the early fall of 1826 the venturesome explorer and furtrader, jedediah s. Jedediah smiths journal is one of the few sources of information about the lives and travels of the mountain men of the early 1800s. Jedediah smith and the opening of the west bison book s.
Jedediah smiths life in the west is a truly amazing tale of adventure, endurance, violence, devotion, and courage. But 160 years ago some travelers chose this minor canyon as the route of least topographical resistance into the book cliffs. American journeys background on the expeditions of. For 17 years, she edited the western writers of americas roundup magazine. Little did jedediah know, this pass would later serve a crucial role in the american westward expansion. Jedediah smith was a very interesting man, perhaps an enigma. He made his mark as one of the most respected american pathfinders. Kelly, charles 1930 journal article jedediah smith. One or more items could not be added because you are not logged in. In 1822, before jedediah smith entered the west, it was largely an unknown. In 1822 jedediah smith became one of the original ashley men, trappers under the command of william ashley. Taken from the utah history encyclopedia links added 1 jedediah s.
Jedediah was ten years old, when the smith family moved westward to erie county, pennsylvania. The second book introduces a man who further explored the west a generation after lewis and clark. From 1826 to 1831, smith made his way through the land that would become montana, idaho, washington, oregon, california, nevada, utah, and wyoming. Jedediah smith by dale morgan bison books western americana softcover opening of the west 1969 levellander. The rugged country on the west side of the teton range, between yellowstone and grand teton national parks, is a wilderness area named for jedediah strong smith, who came west as one of the trappers organized by william ashley in 1823.
Utah historical quarterly, volume 4, january 1931, number 2. In 1821, at age 22, he came west and joined the furtrapping party of general william ashley. In 1822, before jedediah smith entered the west, it was largely an unknown land, a wilderness, he wrote, of two thousand miles diameter. The story of the exploits and adventures of jedediah smith and and his comrardes, the ashleyhenry men, discoverers and explorers of the great central route from the missouri river to the pacific ocean, 18221832 by litt. Utahs first methodist pioneer jedediah strong smith. Smith explored a stunningly large area of the far west during his short life. It traces his beginnings as a young man of 23, and his explorations and business ventures until his death about a decade later. By late 1826 the young businessman and two associates had bought out general ashley. Willamette has the accent on the second syllable not the third. In 1826 at the cache valley summer rendezvous, in what is now northern utah, but at that time a part of mexico, general william h.
A folded copy of the two maps is placed in an envelope on the back inside cover of his book. Drumm, librarian of the missouri historical society at st. The party included jedediah smith and many others who would later become famous mountain men. Smart utah geographic series photos history maps landscape stories escalante jedediah smith tuesdaystulips 5 out of 5 stars 214. Publishes books and journals especially in american history, the american west. The discovery of the south pass gave a quick and efficient way to travel through the rocky mountains. This is the classic source historical scholarship about jedediah smith and the fur.
While many of the commonly held beliefs about jedediah smiths religious. Smith was a trailblazer, brigade leader, and partner in two furtrading companies. Jedediah morgan grant biography the joseph smith papers. Smith, led a small party on horseback from great salt lake, utah, to san diego, california. After many strange adventures, fully narrated in my history of california, smith works his way northward up the san joaquin valley, and in may 1827 crosses the sierra nevada and returns eastward to great salt lake.
In 1822 he joined a furtrading expedition to the rocky. Jedediah smith s ancestors first reached american shores in 1634, when samuel smith s puritan family departed hadleigh, england, for the massachusetts bay colony noted among other things for an emphasis on introspective selfcriticism and an abiding revulsion from all things catholic, the new englanders puritan faith underwent change as time passed, commercial enterprises expanded, and new generations fanned out over the land. In this book, barton barbour presents the first comprehensive history of fort union, the nineteenth. His personal account of his journey to california 18261827 1989 and leroy r. Smith, whom we must immortalize in history as pegleg smith. Grant not after 1856, photograph by studio of charles r. Jackson a scholarly and well written volume of jedediah smith, which may well serve as a base for a complete history of the fur trade of the west. A dirt road follows the creek up into the north hills. The standard books about these events are george r. Sky, this journal has gone almost unmentioned in utah histories. Smith was a trailblazer, brigade leader, and partner in two furtrading.
Smith was a trailblazer, brigade leader, and partner in two furtrading companies whose travels took him throughout utah and the west. American journeys background on the expeditions of jedediah. Jedediah and his party of trappers spent the winter of 182324 with a band of crow indians who told him how to reach utah s green river. Returning under extreme conditions, he crossed the sierra nevada and the states of nevada and utah to salt lake. Jedediah smith, trader and explorer who was the first american to enter california from the east and return from it by an overland route. Jedediah smith and the opening of the west on apple books. Utah history encyclopedia, 1994 jedediah strong smith 17981831 was a fur trapper and explorer credited for being one of the first white men to explore much of what is now utah. The story of the exploits and adventures of jedediah smith and his comrades, the ashleyhenry men, discoverers and explorers. In 1827 smith journeyed to the american river near sacramento, california, and then crossed the sierra nevada and the desert to return to the great salt lake. Willard marriott library 295 south 1500 east, suite 5400 salt lake city, utah 84112. You go a few chapters with barely a mention of smith except as a side note. In april 1825, on the bear river in what is now utah, smith and his. Jan 04, 2021 jedediah strong smith, one of americas greatest trapperexplorers, is born in bainbridge, new york.
River to the pacific ocean, 18221831 by john gneisenau 18811973 neihardt 5. With jedediah smith, during some part of his stay in utah, was thomas l. Jedediah smith, in full jedediah strong smith, born january 6, 1799, bainbridge, new york, u. This is the book on one of the true great men of his era. By late 1826, smith and two partners had bought out general ashley. Jedediah strong smith january 6, 1799 may 27, 1831, was an american clerk. The wyoming native leading the organization has written western history books including the spurwinning biography chief joseph, coedited a short fiction collection and. Among the american mountain menfrontiersmen, explorers and pathfinders of the early 19th century jedediah strong smith was one of the most remarkable. Ashley sold out his interests in the fur trade to jedediah smith. Five miles west of the utah colorado border, not far from i70, westwater creek enters the colorado river. Jackson, san francisco chronicle san francisco chronicle j. The appendix contains letters written by smith himself about his explorations, and to members. The book is an interesting summary of smith s life.
Smith later became primarily a guide and one of three partners of the new rocky mountain fur company. Earliest known image of jedediah smith, circa 1835. This book did a really great job of not only telling smiths story but also the history of the times and people around him. During his nine years as a trapper for ashley and henry and later for the rocky mountain fur company, the mild and christian young man blazed the trail westward through south pass. Well educated and deeply religious, he chose to spend much of his life in a lawless, bookless society. It would could have been improved by providing greater fidelity to the relevant diaries. With only a flint, knife, and his bible, smith stayed alive by eating beaver meat. In march, smith s party crossed through the south pass in the rocky mountains and were able to reach the green river in what i now utah. Smith, southern california historical society, pub lications, vol. Early on in the book, morgan informs us that there are periods of jedediah smiths fur trading life where there is scant information on smith. Candy moulton is a frequent contributor to the renegade roads column in true west magazine. The narrator detracted from the book by incorrectly pronouncing several geographic names, e. For the next 20 years, he repeatedly traversed the continental interior between the canadau.
I hope to see other older books of this quality put in the digital format. A popular smith biography by dale morgan, published in 1953, established smith as an authentic national hero. Earliest crossing of the deserts of utah and nevada to southern california. Although the title suggests this book is primarily about jedediah smith, it is much broader and deeper than just smith. Earliest crossing of the deserts of utah and nevada to. Jedediah strong smith was the first nonnative known to have traveled overland from the mississippi river across the sierra nevada to the pacific coast. Mar 01, 2004 the second book introduces a man who further explored the west a generation after lewis and clark.
The expeditions of jedediah strong smith american journeys. Jedediah strong smith was born in the susquehanna valley of new york in 1799. Imagine the stories that would be available to us had more of the mountain men been able to document their adventures. Jedediah smith and the opening of the west by dale l. In midmarch 1824, his company rediscovered the south pass a passage to the northwest through presentday wyoming.
Book 4 earliest crossing of the deserts of utah and nevada to southern california. In midmarch 1824, his company rediscovered the south pass a passage to the northwest through presentday wyoming and descended into the green river area for the spring hunt. Hart 1923 book 1 jedediah smith and his maps of the american west. Early american methodism and the exploration of the american west share a common pioneering ancestor in jedediah smith. Said to have been the first great protestant missionary to mountain men, bible totin jed smith holds a special place in the memory of the methodist community of utah. Jedediah smith, born in new york state, took to the western wilderness as a young man. Smart utah geographic series photos history maps landscape stories escalante jedediah smith tuesdaystulips.
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