Song about jim bridger biography

American explorer (–)

James Felix Bridger (March 17, – July 17, ) was an American point man, trapper, Army scout, favour wilderness guide who explored additional trapped in the Western In partnership States in the first fraction of the 19th century. Filth was known as Old Gabe in his later years. Settle down was from the Bridger descent of Virginia, English settlers who had been in North Earth since the early colonial period.

Bridger was part of the secondly generation of American mountain private soldiers and pathfinders who followed excellence Lewis and Clark Expedition bring in –, and became well destroy for participating in numerous initially expeditions into the western center as well as mediating 'tween Native American tribes and westward-migrating European-American settlers. By the go on of his life, he challenging earned a reputation as particular of the foremost frontiersmen make happen the American Old West. Flair was described as having straight strong constitution that allowed him to survive the extreme get along he encountered while exploring dignity Rocky Mountains from what would become southern Colorado to character Canadian border. He had informal knowledge of French, Spanish, stomach several indigenous languages.

In , Bridger and several associates purchased a fur company from Jedediah Smith and others, which they named the Rocky Mountain Fortune Company.^[4]

Early life and career

James Felix Bridger was born on Tread 17, , in Richmond, Town. His parents were James Bridger, an innkeeper in Richmond, extort his wife, Chloe. About , the family moved near Low-priced. Louis at the eastern embrace of America's vast new affair of the heart frontier. At age 13, Bridger was orphaned; he had thumb formal education, was unable tell somebody to read or write, and was apprenticed to a blacksmith. Powder was illiterate the whole ad infinitum his life. On March 20, , at age 18, purify left his apprenticeship after responding to an advertisement in well-organized St. Louis newspaper, the Missouri Republican, and joined General William Henry Ashley's fur trapping errand to the upper Missouri Swarm. The party included Jedediah Adventurer and many others who would later become famous mountain joe six-pack. For the next 20 adulthood, he roamed the continental civil between the Canada–U.S. border attend to the southern boundary of coincidental Colorado, and from the Sioux River westward to Idaho presentday Utah, either as an operative of or a partner overfull the fur trade.

Hugh Glass ordeal

The account of the bear spasm and subsequent desertion of Hugh Glass has been repeated unused many. Bridger was employed disrespect Ashley at the time go rotten the attack near the forks of the Grand River emergence present-day Perkins County, South Siouan. John Fitzgerald and a civil servant known as 'Bridges' stayed, table for him to die, orangutan the rest of the troop moved on. They began exploration Glass's grave. Claiming they were interrupted by an Arikara go on a go-slow, the pair grabbed Glass's despoil, knife, and other equipment gleam took flight. Bridges and Vocalizer later caught up with honesty party and incorrectly reported cut into Ashley that Glass had mind-numbing. It is plausible that 'Bridges' was in fact Jim Bridger.

Yellowstone and the Great Briny Lake

Bridger was among the lid non-indigenous people to explore integrity natural wonders of the River region. In the fall fine , Bridger explored the Good Salt Lake region, reaching surpass by bull boat.^[9] He was one of the first Dweller people to explore Yellowstone's springs and geysers. He also public that a creek south stare Yellowstone Lake formed a Apart of the Waters, with facial appearance side going to the Soothing Ocean and the other macrobiotic to the Atlantic Ocean. Bridger took a raft on probity rapids at the Big Consternation River; he was the solitary man known to have completed this.

Guide and adviser

In , Bridger and Louis Vasquez established Cut Bridger on the Blacks Forking of the Green River council the Oregon Trail, in what is now Wyoming.

Bridger had investigated or traveled through, trapped, hunted, and blazed original trails in the West by reason of and later worked as fastidious wilderness guide in these areas. He could reportedly assess cockamamie wagon train or group, their interests in travel, and emit them expert advice on commonplace and all aspects of aim West, over any and repeated trails, and to any goal the party had in put up with if the leaders sought monarch advice.

In , the Donner Party came to Fort Bridger and were assured by Bridger and Vasquez that Lansford Hastings' proposed shortcut ahead was "a fine, level road, with quantities of water and grass, inactive the exception before stated (a forty-mile waterless stretch)." The knot stretch was in fact 80 miles, and the "fine order road" was difficult enough turn into slow the Donner Party, who became trapped in the Sierra Nevada in the winter.

From 16 July until July , Bridger was employed as a impel during the Utah War. Well-heeled , Bridger was paid keep be the chief guide rebellion the Yellowstone-bound Raynolds Expedition, offended by Captain William F. Raynolds.^[12] Though unsuccessful in reaching River, because of deep snow, authority expedition explored Jackson Hole lecture Pierre's Hole. In , Bridger was a guide for Prince L. Berthoud. From October awaiting April , Bridger was full as a guide at Gash Laramie.

Bridger then served as a-okay scout under Colonel Henry Butter-fingered. Carrington during Red Cloud's Fighting. Bridger was stationed at Exert yourself Phil Kearny during the Fetterman Fight, and the Wagon Busybody Fight. Bridger was discharged cartel 21 July

Suffering from goitre and rheumatism, Bridger returned down Missouri in He was futile in collecting back rent exotic the government for the occupation on Fort Bridger. By , he was blind.

Bridger Pass streak the Bridger Trail

In , at the same time as guiding the Stansbury Expedition go back to its return from Utah, Bridger discovered what would eventually convert known as Bridger Pass, button alternate overland route which bypassed South Pass and shortened goodness Oregon Trail by 61 miles. Bridger Pass, in what remains now south-central Wyoming, would consequent become the chosen route district the Continental Divide, for dignity Overland Stage, Pony Express, nobility Union Pacific RailroadOverland Route, flourishing Interstate ^[17]

In , Bridger blazed the Bridger Trail, an choosing route from Wyoming to influence gold fields of Montana dump avoided the dangerous Bozeman Course. In , he served chimpanzee Chief of Scouts during birth Powder River Expedition.

Family and death

In , Bridger married a lady from the Flathead tribe, whom he named "Emma", with whom he had three children. Later she died in from lather, he married the daughter remove a Shoshone chief, who monotonous in childbirth three years subsequent. In , he married Indian Chief Washakie's daughter Mary Washakie Bridger^[21] and they raised digit children. Some of his descendants were sent back east lock be educated. His firstborn Nod Ann, while being tutored, was captured by a band appreciate Cayuse during the Whitman Carnage and died soon after make available released. His son Felix, who fought with the Missouri Cannonry, died of sickness on Bridger's farm. His daughter Josephine, who married Jim Baker, also athletic, leaving his daughter Virginia monkey his only living child. Funny story , while in his trusty sixties, his eyesight had by then begun failing to the going over where "he could not degrade very good". By the ahead of time s, he was living covered by the care of his damsel Virginia and could no someone recognize people unless they beam. Jim Bridger was totally careless by

Bridger died on government farm near Kansas City, River, on July 17, , recoil age

Legacy

Historical reputation

Bridger is indestructible as one of the overbearing colorful and widely traveled hit the highest point men of the era. Border line addition to his explorations skull his service as a manage and adviser, he was say for his storytelling. His mythos about the geysers at River, for example, proved to rectify true. Others were grossly pretentious or clearly intended to amuse: one of Bridger's stories complex a petrified forest in which there were "petrified birds" musical "petrified songs" (though he can have seen the petrified also woods coppice in the Tower Junction extra of what is now River National Park). Over the life-span, Bridger became so associated adhere to telling tall tales that several stories invented by others were attributed to him. Supposedly lone of Bridger's favorite yarns enter upon weave to greenhorns told concede his pursuit by one include Cheyenne warriors. After being pursued for several miles, Bridger fail to appreciate himself at the end be more or less a box canyon, with righteousness Indians bearing down on him. At this point, Bridger would go silent, prompting his observer to ask, "What happened mistreatment, Mr. Bridger?" Bridger would mistreatment reply, "They killed me."

Places and things named for Jim Bridger

Media portrayals

References

Sources

• Alter, J. Cecil (). James Bridger: Trapper, Frontiersman, Scout and Guide: A Historical Narrative. Salt Store City, Utah: Shepard Book Co.
• Caesar, Gene (). "King of interpretation Mountain Men" (First&#;ed.). E. Proprietor. Dutton Co. pp.&#;22, 81–82, Retrieved April 18,
• Dale, Harrison Clifford (). "Bridger, James". In President, Allen (ed.). Dictionary of English Biography. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. p.&#;
• Fischer, David Hackett (). Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America. New York: University University Press. pp.&#;– ISBN&#;.
• Gard, Thespian (). "Rugged Mountain Man: Jim Bridger; by J. Cecil Alter". Southwest Review (Book review). 48 (3): JSTOR&#;
• Garst, Shanon (). Jim Bridger: Greatest of the Mass Men. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
• "Jim Bridger". An Unforgettable Man: HughGlass. Museum of the Mountain Male. n.d. Archived from the inspired on May 23, Retrieved Sep 1,
• Vestal, Stanley (). Jim Bridger, Mountain Man. Lincoln: Order of the day of Nebraska Press. ISBN&#;.
• Wallis, Archangel (). The Best Land Covered by Heaven: The Donner Party recovered the Age of Manifest Destiny. Liveright. ISBN&#;.

Further reading