During the 1840s, that eras penny press accorded fremont the sobriquet the pathfinder. Aug 05, 2019 the following is from a presentation i gave for the nevada state museum tour guides when the fremont artifacts were on display at the museum several years ago. This narrative arc suits the authors story of the invention. John charles fremont, the pathfinder mesquite local news. Image of fremont taken from 1856 book of fremonts expeditions. Fremont and his reports on the oregon trail kit carson. This desert oasis, with a surface area of nearly two hundred square miles, is a unique geological feature and was home to the paiute for thousands of years before the arrival of explorer john c. In 1890 congress placed fremont on the retired army list at his former rank of major general.
Printed shortly after the expedition itself, this account of exploration includes fremonts expeditions took him to california, along the oregon trail, and through nevada, where he encountered and battled native american indians. John charles fremont and the course of american empire. This provided fremont with a small government pension. The name john charles fremont fremont is synonymous with president james k. After all, apples first mac computer manufacturing plant was located in fremont.
River, missouri river, rocky mountains, columbia river, sierra nevada. The truth is, there were several trade routes in use by natives between sante fe and the pacific coast centuries before the spanish started searching for the overland route. Nevadas leading institution of higher education is the univ. Most people have heard of john fremont, who has mountain peaks and towns named after him, but few people know much about why he was famous. Explorer, presidential candidate, civil war general biography john c. Fremont january 21, 18july, 1890 held a controversial and unusual place in mid19th century america.
They had spent the spring and summer of 1843 trekking west into the oregon territory pacific northwest, exploring and mapping as they went. And it makes me feel that the heroism of fremont is the norm of the american spirit. Fremont was a unique combination of incredible courage in terrible natural conditions along with. Deschutes river to klamath marsh, novemberdecember 1843. Otherwise known as the fremont cannon, this priceless artifact has been sought by treasure hunters, archaeologists, forest service employees and others for 170 years. Historical novels are my favorite go to books after crafts and this latest but. Jan 23, 2020 inskeep traces the rise of john and jessie fremont, culminating in his nomination for president by the new republican party in 1856. It is an accident of history that the las vegas route became famous as the old spanish trail. The biographies of john charles fremont is a delight to read. Whether you are a history buff or not, there is a lot to enjoy and a lot to learn in imperfect union. One of my favorite characters in nevada history is john c. Aug 02, 2019 the following is from a presentation i gave for the nevada state museum tour guides when the fremont artifacts were on display at the museum several years ago. It is currently listed in the national register of historic places.
Fremont was the illegitimate child of the runaway wife of an older revolutionary war veteran and a tutor who had fought with the royalist in the french revolution. History early exploration in the 1770s several spanish explorers came near the area of presentday nevada but it was not until half a century later that fur traders venturing into the rocky mts. Fremont las vegas lays on the path of what is commonly called the old spanish trail but the fact that john c. John edward jones and reinhold sadler, silver party governors of nevada, during 18951903, shared like backgrounds and rose to political power by the same route. Each was a european immigrant who came to the state in its mining boom of the 1870s, prospered financially, and engaged in politics until the boom collapsed late in the 1870s.
Georgia historical society erected a historical marker at the birthplace of john c. By 1860, even though the california gold rush populated the outlying areas of the sierra nevada, most of the sierras remained unexplored. General stephen kearny brought charges against fremont when a dispute arose over who held governing authority in californiaa region that had been recently ceded to. Fremonts expedition discovered the hot springs near gerlach and named pyramid lake in.
John charles fremonts 1842, 184344 report and map of his exploratory expeditions to the american west guided thousands of overland immigrants to the oregon and california regions from the years 1845 to 1849. Louis to san francisco, also known as the thirtyeighthparallel line. The fremont cannon, the largest and most expensive trophy in college football is a replica of a cannon that accompanied captain john c. Polks policy of manifest destiny the westward expansion of the united states in the 1840s. The men in lieutenant john charles fremonts command were a bit confused. Fremont on his expedition through oregon, nevada and california in 184344. When his father died when john was just five years old, the family moved to charleston, south carolina where he attended college before being expelled for irregular attendance. The treasure im talking about in this article is the elusive mountain howitzer abandoned during a snowstorm in the sierra nevada mountains in 1844 by john c. John charles 1 fremont john charles 2 fremont 181890 was an american explorer, politician, and soldier. Fremont the pathfinder for a vast inland empire stretching from the mississippi valley to the pacific ocean. Within the same year, he died of peritonitis in a manhattan boarding house, at age 77, with only his son, john c. The biographies of john charles fremont kindle edition by hans g. Jul 30, 2019 the following is from a presentation i gave for the nevada state museum tour guides when the fremont artifacts were on display at the museum several years ago. However, hed done well in math and got a teaching job on a warship.
John charles fremont 181890 explorer, surveyor, military man and politician, fremont was born on january 21, 18, in savannah, georgia. Nevada was the first state to ratify the 15th amendment to the u. Fremonts expedition discovered the hot springs near gerlach and named pyramid lake in january 1844. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Fremont, john charles, 1890, american explorer, soldier, and political leader, b. Through his explorations in the west he stimulated the american desire to own that region. Fremontborn january 21, 18 savannah, georgia died july, 1890 new york, new york american west explorer known as the pathfinder removed from his command as a union general for issuing his own emancipation proclamation in missouri writer edward d. Nicknamed the pathfinder, john charles fremont gained fame several years before the mexican. He studied civil engineering at charleston south carolina college, but was expelled before graduation. Entire books have been written about john charles fremont, the american soldier, explorer, surveyor and mapmaker, politician, and namesake of downtown las vegas fremont street, along with many other geographical place names, many in california where he settled in his adult years he was born in savannah, georgia. John will tell us about nevada history and cover some of the more remote and unusual things to see and do in northern nevada. Plus, we attracted a whole slew of semiconductor and telecommunications firms too. On october 21, 1848, fremont and thirtyfive men left westport, kansas, to find a safe winter crossing across the rockies to california. A rare edition of john c fremonts explorations and voyages. Fremont, in full john charles fremont, born january 21, 18, savannah, georgia, u. He and his party were the first nonindians to lay eyes upon such wonders as pyramid lake, lake tahoe and the fertile valleys we now know as nevada. List of books and articles about nevada history online. Constitution, which gave africanamerican men the right to vote, on march 1.
He was a us senator from california, and in 1856 was the first republican nominee for president of the united states a native of georgia, fremont acquired male protectors after his fathers death, and became proficient in mathematics, science, and surveying. While fremont did little original exploring as he mostly followed trails that had already been established, he did publish narratives and maps based on. Louis businessmen to fund the expedition in hopes that it would help convince congress to support a rail line from st. The carson valley museum and cultural center was designed by famed architect frederic delongchamps and constructed in 1915. Washoe county was explored by john bidwell in 1841 and john c. They also took a trip to salt lake city, utah and pushed onto california and the sierras nevada mountains. John fremont, the great pathfinder april 17, 2011 by john putnam 2 comments born in savannah, georgia on january 21, 18, john c. John charles fremont, the pathfinder mineral county independent.
He served as a civil war general, but was ridiculed for his approach. All dennis books sold through this publication will be at a discount plus. Use our sierra nevada travel planning map and the free mobile app to guide you through a breathtaking landscape that shapes our lives and unforgettable vacations. Archaeological evidence indicates that prehistoric indian settlements existed in nevada more than 20,000 years ago. He was the first presidential candidate of the republican party 3. John charles fremont or fremont january 21, 18 july, 1890 was an american military officer, explorer, and politician who became the first candidate of the antislavery republican party for the office of president of the united states. Las vegas lays on the path of what is commonly called the old spanish trail but the fact that john c. In a biography that, like its subject, never knows a dull moment, tom chaffin captures the spectacular successes as well as failures of this complex and colorful character. Nevada s leading institution of higher education is the univ. Fremont found it is really somewhat of an accident.
Washoe county, located in the northwestern corner of nevada, borders oregon on the north and california on the west. Apr 17, 2014 washoe county, located in the northwestern corner of nevada, borders oregon on the north and california on the west. Pyramid lake is one of the largest lakes in the great basin, the terminus of the truckee river flowing from lake tahoe into northern nevada. The world through maps, a history of cartography, buffalo, new york 14205. The following is from a presentation i gave for the nevada state museum tour guides when the fremont artifacts were on display at the museum several years ago. Looping back to the east to stay on the eastern side of the sierra nevada. Explorers of the early 1800s found mojave, paiute, shoshone, and washoe groups at various locations within nevada. Shop the latest titles by john c fremont at alibris including hardcovers, paperbacks, 1st editions, and audiobooks from thousands of sellers worldwide. In 1849 joseph ware wrote the emigrants guide to california, which was largely drawn from fremonts report, and was to guide the fortyniners through the california gold rush.
Fremont, american military officer and an early explorer and mapmaker of the american west, who was one of the principal figures in opening up that region to settlement and was instrumental in the u. Called the pathfinder, he was hailed as a great explorer of the west. John charles fremont, explorer, the pathfinder the ely times. Fremont, leader of the first and most significant exploratory expeditions through the great basin. At that time, several parts of the valley contained artesian wells.
John charles fremont or fremont january 21, 18 july, 1890 was an american explorer, military officer, and politician. John fremont, through his maps, scientific data and published journals, was responsible more than any other single person for preparing the way for western emigration. He and his party were the first nonindians to lay eyes upon such wonders as pyramid lake, lake tahoe. Cave dwellers left picture writings on rocks in southern nevada, and basketmakers and pueblo indians also flourished there. Fremont, accompanied by kit carson, was the first white man to see lake tahoe, in the winter of 1844. Framont, at his own expense, conducted an extremely hazardous survey in the southwest, intent on finding a route for a transcontinental railroad line. Its like a microscope that enlarges things im familiar with, and introduces new things for further study. Fremonts discovery of lake tahoe in 1844 by mark mclaughlin 2007.
Carson valley museum and cultural center sierra nevada. Take a journey into the past and discover the story of carson valley, nevada from early pioneer days to the present at the carson valley museum and. John charles fremont or fremont january 21, 18 july, 1890 was an american. Tom chaffins important new biography demonstrates fremonts vital importance to the history of american. The robinson library united states 18451861 biography, az. One of the most famous streets in nevada is named for a war criminal, a las vegas writer says.
Fremont was treated as one of nevadas greatest heroes by the the 441 people who viewed artifacts of his illfated expedition at the nevada state museum in carson city on. Attack from native americans was a constant threat. Fremont 1890, popularly admired for his mapmaking expeditions to the west, was courtmartialed on grounds of mutiny and disobeying orders on january 31, 1848. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the biographies of john charles fremont. John fremont, the great pathfinder my gold rush tales. College but was expelled in 1831 for bad attendance.
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