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Malachite's Big Hole - Introduction and Purpose of this web site.

The Mountain Man – An overview of the way of life and qualities of the Mountain Man  

          Sign Language

The Men – A list of Historical Mountain Men

          Ashley, William - a short biography  

          Baca, Marcelino-a short biography

          Beckwourth, Jim - a short biography 

          Francis Ziba Branch - a short biography

          Briggs, Calvin T.-a short biography

          Clermont, August - a short biography

          Clyman, James - a short biography

          Craig, William - a short biography  

          Crooks, Ramsey - a short biography

                   Map showing Westbound route of Astorians

                   Map showing Eastbound route of Astorians

          Fontenelle, Lucien - a short biography

          Gardner, Johnson - a short biography

          Glass, Hugh - a short biography  

       Godin, Antoine - a short biography

       Harvey, Alexander - a short biography

       Hawken, Jacob and Samuel - a short biography

       Hatcher, John L - a short biography

       Kipp, James - a short biography      

          Lisa, Manuel - a short biography

          McGaa, William (Jack Jones) - short biography

          Meek, Joe - a short biography  

          Miller, Alfred Jacob, a short biography of an artist recording events in the west in 1837

          Montero, Antonio - a short biography

          Ogden, Peter, Skene - a short biography

          Russell, Osborne - a short biography

          Sarpy, Peter – a short biography

          Sinclair, Alexander – a short biography

          Smith, Jedediah - a short biography

                   Map showing Smith’s travels 1826

                   Map showing Smith’s travels 1827

          Stewart, Sir William Drummond

          Sublette, Milton G – a short biography

          Thompson, David - a short biography

          Vanderburgh, William

                    Death of Vanderburgh  

          Vasquez, Louis - a short biography

          Wootten, Richard L - a short biography

          Wyeth, Nathaniel - short biography

The Women – Women who lived with mountain men or influenced fur trade society

          Dorian's Wife

          Narcissa Whitman/Eliza Spaulding

               Whitman Massacre

          Thanadelthur

          Isabel Gunn

          Marie-Anne Gaboury

Equipment:  description of equipment used by the Mountain Men

          Guns: a more detailed description of the types of firearms for personal use and for trade purposes  

               Lancaster Rifle (American Rifle)

               Pennsylvania/Kentucky Style Rifle

               Trade Arms

               English Rifle

               New English Rifle

               J&S Hawken Rifles

               Plains Rifle

               Muskets and Scatterguns

               Swivel Gun and Small Cannon

               Black Powder

                    Black Powder Production Through Time

               Ammunition

               Powder Horns

               Gun Worms and Ram Rods

               Gunflints

               Gauge Caliber Conversion Table

          Knives: describes the various types of knives used in the mountains  

               J.Russell & Co. and the Green River Knife

          Axes, Tomahawks and Hatchets:  a description of tomahawks, axes and hatchets

          Steel Traps: describes the types of traps used in the fur trade

Clothing:  early 1800’s frontier and wilderness clothing  

          1851 Thoughts about Indian versus White Styles of Clothing

Shelter:  a description of tents, tipis and lodges  

          Winter Camp: a description of winter quarters provided by Rufus Sage circa 1843.

Transportation:  describes the modes of transportation for supplies, goods, equipment, furs and for the men  

          Horses: describes use of horses by the mountain men

          Canoes: describes the different types of canoes, primarily in the earlier periods of the fur trade

          Keel Boats:  describes the use of keel boats for heavy transport used along the major rivers

          Bull Boats: describes these small personal water craft  

          Steamboats:  describes the use of steamboats in the fur trade on the Missouri River

                    S.S. Yellowstone: the first steamboat used by the American Fur Company

          Dog Sleds: Types and uses of dog sleds among the mountain men. 

          Horses:  describes one of the major modes of transportation.

Food and Drink: typical frontier and wilderness foods and drink common in the early 1800’s

          Trade Alcohol includes a more complete description of ardent spirits used in the fur trade. 

          Evading Liquor Laws. Describes methods of avoiding alcohol regulations.

Mountain Medicine:  a description of medicine as practiced by the Whites and Indians in the early 1800’s  

         Cholera Strikes the Upper Missouri River:  A description of the Cholera epidemic of 1832-1833.

         S.S. St. Peters Smallpox Epidemic:  a description of the the transmission of this disease by steamship and the destruction it wrought on Indian peoples along the Upper Missouri.  

          Fort Union Smallpox Epidemic:  a first hand description of events at Fort Union recorded by Charles Larpenteur in 1837 while he was a clerk/trader at the post. 

Entertainment:  ways in which the Mountain Men could have amused themselves

Mountain Man Glossary:  unique vocabulary developed by the Mountain Men and words specific to the fur trade

Skins, and Furs:  describes the use of furs, the manner of take, and processing

The Rendezvous:  provides an overall description of that mountain institution, the rendezvous

          Overall Rendezvous Map shows the locations of all sixteen rendezvous and geopolitical boundaries

          1825 specific information to this rendezvous

          1826 specific information to this rendezvous

          1827 specific information to this rendezvous

          1828 specific information to this rendezvous

          1829 specific information to this rendezvous

          1830 specific information to this rendezvous

          1831 specific information to this rendezvous

          1832 specific information to this rendezvous

          1833 specific information to this rendezvous

          1834 specific information to this rendezvous

          1835 specific information to this rendezvous

          1836 specific information to this rendezvous

          1837 specific information to this rendezvous

          1838 specific information to this rendezvous

          1839 specific information to this rendezvous

          1840 specific information to this rendezvous

Trade Goods: a description of the goods and supplies taken to rendezvous, who used them, and prices or price equivalents  

          Blankets

          Clothing

          Fabrics and Sewing

          Foods and Consumables

          Guns & Firearms Supplies

          Iron & Steel Tools

          Personal Adornment

          Personal Hygiene

          Writing and Records

          Horse Gear

          Cooking

          Miscellaneous

          Lucifers

Forts and Posts:  A list of fur trade era forts and trading posts

          Bent’s Fort; a more in depth description of this fort

Five Forts;  Description of the inter-related Upper South Platte Valley trade establishments, including Fort Jackson, Fort St. Vrain, Fort Lupton, Fort Velesquez and Fort Platte.

Fort Davey Crockett:  also known as Fort Misery.

          Fort Hall:  Built by Nathaniel Wyeth, it was subsequently purchased by the Hudson’s Bay Company  

          Fort Uncompahgre:  Constructed by Santa Fe trader Antoine Robidoux

               Map showing Forts Uncompahgre, Uintah, Robidoux and Spanish Trails

          Fort Union:  a description and history of the American Fur Company’s fort on the Upper Missouri River.

          Fort William:  a description of the use and history of Fort William, constructed by William Sublette

Fur Trade Geopolitics

          Geopolitical Map of North America 1700

          Geopolitical Map of North America 1750

          Map of North American Geopolitical Divisions - 1803

Wild Tale and Lies;  memorable stories and tall tales of the mountain men  

          Tale of the Three Bar's

          White Man Who Scalps Himself

          White Water Adventure, or Just How Thick is Your Skin

          Caught with His Pants Down

          Colter's Escape

          Hunting Antelope by Smell

          Walker's Plunge

          Sound Sleepers

          Crucified by Prickly Pears

          Beating Off a Griz

          Attack on the Yellowstone

          The Death of William Vanderburgh

          "Blackfoot" John Smith gets his Name

          Counting Pawnee

          Marie's Grizz Encounter

          The Death of Drouillard

          Doc Newell Takes a Scalp

          Blackfoot Attack Against the St. Louis Missouri Fur Company

          Joe Meek Rescues His Woman

          Disputing Courage

          A Church Service for Mountain Men

          Joe Meek Stands Guard Duty

          Jim Bridger Leads by Example

          Fitzpatrick's Blackfoot Adventure

Reenactments

          Philosophy

          Persona  

          Clothing and Outfit

          Guns

          Hawks, Knives and Traps

          Shelter

          Plans and How-To’s

                   Chicory Tea

                   Skinning and Tanning Observations & Suggestions

                   Rawhide Container  

                   Small Lead Bars

                   Making a Powder Horn

          Sources

Interesting Links  

Myths: Popular misconceptions regarding the appearance and life of the Mountain Man

          Beards

          Hawken Rifles

          Solitary Loners

          Trade Whiskey

          Softening Leather by Chewing

          Green River Knife

          Cheating Indians of Their Valuable Furs in Exchange for Worthless Trinkets

Everyday Living-Miscellaneous mundane details of life in the early 1800's

          

Buffalo Hunting Cold Weather Sleeping Dogs
Funerals Ice House Kitchen & Tableware
Law and Justice Making Lead Shot Sign Language
Winter Camp Notable Quotes of the Times Tipi Life
Preparing Robes and Hides Mosquitoes Securing Horses
Indian Blanket Coat Wages & Benefits 1851 Wages & Benefits 1842
Dog-A Culinary Delight Turkey Hunting by Moonlight Butchering a Buffalo
Making Coffee Cooking & Eating a Buffalo Prairie Travel
Pack Train Life & Routine Preserving Meat Holiday Celebrations
Dining Formalities at Forts Warm Weather Sleeping Celebrations
Starving Times Pack Train Life-Mess Pack Train Life-Camp Set Up
Pack Train Life-Guard Duty Pack Train Life-Food Accidents & Mishaps
The Greenhorn Mountaineer Celebrity Guns Cooking and Cookware

 

Subsections to Greenhorn Mountaineer:

     Osborne Russell's First Buffalo Hunt:  

     Osborne Russell Encounters His First Grizzly Bear

     Drinker Hunts Porcupine;  

     "Big Jim" Hunts Sandhill Crane

     "Big Jim" Hunts Antelope

     "Big Jim" Kills a Venomous Serpent

     "Big Jim" First Adventure on Guard Duty

     "Big Jim" Challenges a Buffalo Bull

     "Big Jim" 2nd Adventure on Guard Duty

Parting Shot

Comments or Questions

References  

The Battle of Pierre's Hole

Mountain Man Presentations

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