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John Colter Monument MO78
CA. 1775 - 1812 John Colter, a Virginia native, was recruited in Kentucky, by Meriwether Lewis to service in the Lewis and Clark Expedition, October 1803. Colter became a valued member of the Corps of Discovery serving as a hunter and scout. When Colter asked to leave the Expedition to trap in the mountains on August 15, 1806, William Clark said "...we were disposed to be of service to any one of our party who had performed their duty as well as Colter had done, we agreed to allow him the privilage ..." After several encounters with the Blackfeet Indians while trapping beaver, he returned to farm, in what is now Missouri, married and had a son, Hiriam. Military records show that Private John Colter died May 7, 1812, while serving in the United States Mounted Rangers commanded by Captain Nathan Boone, son of Daniel Boone. His gravesite has never been located but it is believed that Colter was buried several miles east of here in a bluff top cemetery overlooking the Missouri River.
John Colter and the Blackfeet MO69
While trapping for beaver along the Jefferson's Fork River in the fall of 1808, John Colter and his companion, John Potts, were surprised by a war party of Blackfeet braves. With no chance to escape, Colter came ashore while Potts retreated and was killed. Immediately Colter was seized and stripped naked. Soon he discovered that he would be given a chance to run for his life. Placing him ahead of the braves in the open prairie, a signal was given and the race began. The warrior that could catch and kill Colter would receive special honor in the tribe. Seeking cover of the river about six miles ahead, Colter ran across the prairie which was covered with prickly pear cactus. He soon out distanced all but one brave. Approaching the river and hearing footsteps behind him, he stopped and turned to face his enemy. Surprised by Colter's action, the brave dropped his spear and fell to the ground exhausted. Quickly grabbing the spear, Colter stabbed the brave and continued his race to the river. Seeing a pile of drift wood in the stream, he dove into the water and hid himself among the logs. Upon their arrival the Indians searched the shoreline but could not find any sign of Colter. As night fell the band of discouraged braves left the river and gave up the hunt for the elusive mountain man. Colter now crawled from his hiding place and quietly swam downstream. Traveling day and night and subsisting on roots, Colter began a three hundred mile journey back to Lisa's Fort. Over a week later, weak, bearded, scratched, and cloaked with an Indian blanket Colter walked into the fort. He had been lucky to survive.
Lewis and Clark - Missouri: The Return MO54
From reentry into Missouri, til arrival in St. Louis Sept 9, 1806 BALD ISLAND -The expedition re-enters today's state of Missouri. Clark reports that "our party appears extreamly anzious to get on, and every day appears produce new anxieties in them to get to their Country and friends." ABOVE BIG NEMAHA RIVER -Missouri River travel is no easier during the return. Referring to moving sand and snags, Clark writes "Great caution and much attention is required to Stear Clear of all those dificuelties in this low State of the water." ST. MICHAEL'S PRAIRIE -For the sixth time in the last nine days, the expedition meets a trading party heading upriver. Robert McClellan, an old army friend of Lewis and Clark, provides news and wine and whiskey to celebrate. Sgt. Ordway writes "that the people in the united States...heard that we were all killed." OLD KANSA VILLAGE -In the afternoon, the expedition meets three large fur-trading boats. That evening, "our party received a dram and Sung Songs until 11 oClock at night in the greatest harmoney." ABOVE GRAND RIVER -The expedition meets another trading party, led by Lewis' friend John McClallen. The groups camp together and exchange news. Clark reports McClallen saying "we had been long since given out by the people of the U S Generaly and almost forgotton." LAMINE TO OSAGE RIVERS -Eager to reach St. Louis, "the men ply their oars & we decended with great velocity." They are satisfied with eating pawpaw fruits and do not stop to hunt. LA CHARRETTE -During the return to St. Louis, the villagers of La Charrette are amazed to see the party has survived two years and four months away. ST. LOUIS -Reaching St. Louis about noon, the men fire their guns in salute. Clark writes "we were met by all the village and received a harty welcom from it's inhabitants." Lewis immediately writes a letter to President Thomas Jefferson with the first news of the journey.
Lewis and Clark - New Haven MO94
"Set out at 7 oClock after a hard rain & Wind, & proceed on verry well under sale...The wind favourable today...we made 18 miles...wind & rain Closed the Day..." The Lewis and Clark Expedition passed by New Haven on May 26, 1804, and Sept. 20, 1806. On the upriver journey, the expedition camped on May 25 at the mouth of La Charrette Creek. Just above the creek was the small French settlement of La Charrette, which was the westernmost white settlement on the river at that time. Not long after the Corps set up camp, a boatload of trappers and traders led by Regis Loisel arrived from a post "Situated in the country of the Suxex [Sioux] 400 leagues up." These voyagers (the first among several the expedition would encounter) had useful intelligence about the Indian tribes farther up the river. Early on the morning of May 26th the Corps set out at 7 after a hard rain and wind. A favorable wind enabled the expedition to "proceed on verry well under Sale," according to William Clark. Before departing, the captains established a routine of sending out hunters to search the woods for fresh game. Two of the hunters sent out this day, George Drouillard and John Shields, were instructed to walk a day and then hunt a day. As it turned out they lost contact with the boats and would not rejoin the expedition for six days. The flotilla passed Beef Island and Creek just below present-day New Haven, and "Shepherd's Creek," today's Big Berger Creek ("berger" is the French word for "shepherd"). The expedition then camped on an island near the southern extreme of Loutre Island just below present-day Hermann. The expedition passed the site of New Haven again on Sept. 20, 1806, on their return voyage to St. Louis. They once more stopped at the village of La Charrette where they were given beef, flour and pork, and purchased two gallons of whiskey from a local citizen. John Colter was one of the "nine young men from Kentucky" who joined the Corps of Discovery in October 1803. He proved useful to the expedition as a hunter. In the years following the expedition, Colter led a remarkable life as a trapper and trader. His discovery of "Colter's Hell" (Yellowstone Park) and his amazing escape from the Blackfeet Indians in 1809 made him a legend. About 1810, he married and settled down on a farm near New Haven where the English naturalist John Bradbury met him in 1811 while on a river expedition. Bradbury said that Colter accompanied them for several miles up river and "seemed to have a strong inclination to join the expedition but having been lately married, he reluctantly took leave of us." Colter died from jaundice in 1813 and was buried somewhere near New Haven. His actual burial place is still somewhat of a mystery.
Fort Shaw MT5
Barring fur trading posts, the first important white settlements in Montana were the mining camps in the western mountains. Everything to the east belonged to the plains Indians and was buffalo range. To protect the miners and settlers from possible incursions of hostile tribes, a series of military posts was established around the eastern border of the mining camps and settlements. Fort Shaw, established in 1867, was one of these. It also protected the stage and freight trail from Fort Benton, head of navigation on the Missouri, to the Last Chance Gulch placer diggings at Helena. Everything north of the Sun River was Blackfeet Indian Territory at that time. The fort was built by the 13th U.S. Infantry, under Major Wm. Clinton. General Gibbon led his troops from here in 1876 to join General Terry and General Custer on the Yellowstone just prior to the latter’s disastrous fight with the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
Kootenai River MT7
The river is named for the Kootenai tribe that lived and hunted in this part of Montana and adjoining territory in Idaho and Canada. They were settled south of Flathead Lake in 1855 with the Salish on the Flathead Reservation. They were friendly with neighboring mountain tribes but suffered frequently from the incursions of their bitter enemies, the Blackfeet, who came accress the Continential Divide from the plains on horse-stealing and scalp-raising expeditions. First white men in here were trappers and traders for British fur companies as early as 1809. Placer discoveries were made and mining operations commenced about sixty years later.
The Judith Basin Country MT14
The first white man to explore this district was Hugh Monroe, called “Rising Wolf” by the Blackfeet Indians. The Judith Basin was favorite hunting ground for this Nation, and Monroe, as an adopted member of the Piegan Tribe, often came here with them during the first half of the last century. Reed’s Fort, a typical Indian trading post, was located near here. Operated by Major Reed and Jim Bowles, the latter a friend of Jim Bridger, the post was going strong during the 1870s. In the early 1880s cattlemen and prospectors moved in. Rich mines were opened in the Judith Mountains and range stock replaced the vanishing buffalo. This country is rich in frontier history and tales of the pioneers.
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