Jim Bridger

Let’s dig into Jim Bridger. A fascinating man, illiterate in English but fluent in all the things that made him one of the most famous mountain men. To start, I need to acknowledge two sources in my research about Jim Bridger. 

The first book, titled “Jim Bridger – Mountain Man” by Stanley Vestal was my introduction to Jim Bridger. Like most of us, my knowledge of Jim Bridger was limited, and Mr. Vestal’s book really expanded my understanding of the important role Bridger played in western development, specifically during the California goldrush and western migration.

More recently, I delved into “Jim Bridger – Trailblazer of the American West” by Jerry Enzler. This work is very detailed and added so much to my understanding of the tension between Bridger and Brigham Young. Both books are full of interesting facts that helped color my story.

In the previous blog, I left you all hanging with Bridger finding himself in a delicate situation.  Before I get there, here’s a little background on Jim Bridger.

He and his younger sister were orphaned when Bridger was twelve, so he learned early how to survive by his wits. He had worked several apprenticeships in both flatboat ferries and a famous gunsmith named Philip Creamer in Illinois. He witnessed Creamer working with the Potawatomis Indians and knew what kind of problems were caused when traders brought illegal alcohol to trading posts.  He also learned how the white authorities took advantage of the native peoples. After five years of apprenticeship, Bridger was ready for a new life and was drawn back to the Mississippi River.

In 1822, he answered the call for enterprising young men interested in following the Missouri River in pursuit of beaver hides. Answering that call gave Bridger the chance to explore the western wilderness and the fierce competition of fur trapping. After working and surviving in the mountains for twelve years, he married a woman of the Flathead tribe he called Cora. They had two children together, Mary Ann and Felix. Bridger had many adventures with the fur trappers and Indians, eventually learning their languages and signs.

By the early 1840s, it was becoming clear that beavers were not as plentiful. Bridger saw his future in trading and after a trip to California, Bridger began construction of his own trading post located on the west bank of the Green River a few miles below the Big Sandy. Many of his fellow fur trappers had become guides for emigrants and they all needed supplies. Bridger, too, became a guide to whomever paid his price.

Fort Bridger drawn by William Henry Jackson

In the spring of 1847, Bridger encountered the advance party of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Brigham Young approaching the mouth of the Little Sandy River. Young desired a conversation with Bridger as the map they were using had an error and Bridger was well known enough to be a geographical expert. During their conversation, Bridger warned the Mormons that the Ute Indians around the Great Salt Lake were hardly trustworthy and to watch after their children as thieving children for slaves was common practice. Young considered hiring Bridger to guide them through the Wasatch Range, but Bridger had other responsibilities and declined. The Mormons went ahead and when they finally arrived and looked out across the vast valley of the Great Salt Lake, they were sorely disheartened calling it, “an interminable waste of sagebrush.”

They chose to stay and make it their home, despite their original misgivings. The winter of 1847-48 was difficult for everyone in that area but in the spring the Mormons planted wheat only to have large, black crickets descend on it until seagulls arrived to eat the crickets and the crop was partially saved. 

Here is where the delicacy comes: In 1846, the Mormons were fleeing persecution in the United States but in 1848, President James K. Polk signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hildalgo which ceded almost all the land west of the Rocky Mountains to the US from Mexico in exchange for $15 million dollars. So now, Bridger’s Fort and the Mormon lands were now part of the United States. Pretty frustrating, no?

The Mormons dreamed of creating an empire unique to their beliefs and now that would be impossible. And Young wanted to pin some of the blame for their misfortune on Bridger. Indian attacks had started to happen, and it was the perfect opportunity to point the finger of blame at Bridger. After living there for a year, Young charged Bridger with encouraging the Indians to attack the new settlers. 

Bridger was surprised that his “neighbor” would make such an accusation especially after Bridger had given Young fair warning about the Indians’ tendencies. Here’s where things get tricky. There’s a lot of confusion, misinformation and agendas being thrown around at a time when communication was limited, especially quick communication. There were individuals who figured out that they could be benefited by taking Bridger’s side in this and others who chose to back Young. As the tensions built, one thing became clear – Young and Bridger had a trust problem.

And then the American government sent in a survey party…

(to be continued)