John fremont then gained famed a the pathfinder to the west in the name of manifest destiny. How jessie and john fremont mapped the west, invented celebrity and helped cause the civil war, touches on parallels to u. He was a military officer and the first presidential candidate for the republican party. The career of john charles fremont 1890 celebrates and ties together the full breadth of american. Steve inskeep profiles a pioneer power couple with. But in the 1856 election, as in the vast wild territories of the stillyoung american nation that he explored, john c.
A series of seven maps produced from his findings, published by the senate in 1846, served as a guide for thousands of american emigrants. Fremont and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. John fremont, through his maps, scientific data and published journals, was responsible more than any other single person for preparing the way for western. Throughout the nineteenth century, the most celebrated explorer in america. The most renowned early explorer to visit the area was john c.
Fremonts tokens tokens were used extensively in the 19th century political campaigns to raise interest and promote candidates and their causes. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Kit carson john c fremont between 1842 and 1854 john c. The county is named after explorer and presidential candidate john c. He was the first candidate of the new republican party, and the campaign stressed his legacy as. Inskeep is a cohost of morning edition on npr and the author of a book about john c. Explorer, presidential candidate, civil war general.
How jessie and john fremont mapped the west, invented celebrity, and helped cause. The two fell in love and hoped to be married, but her parents resisted because of her age. Ferol egan originally published it in 1977, but it deserves more play than its received. He established several routes to the west and his wife jessie, an excellent writer, helped to turn his government reports into well received books which established fremont s reputation. While fremont did little original exploring as he mostly followed trails that had already been established, he did publish narratives and maps based on. Nprs steve inskeep, discussing his book imperfect union. Create an account track order order history wishlist 0 search by title, author, or isbn. Fremont, whose name is on locations all of over the nation, including our own fremont valley, various mountain peaks, streets, and towns including one near san jose, was an inveterate explorer who visited the west several times and on one expedition traveled.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading imperfect union. John fremont, politician, explorer and abolitionist. The series would conclude with the amazing story of the discovery of the. John charles fremont or fremont january 21, 18 july, 1890 was an american explorer. Roy chapman andrews, naturalist, explorer, and author, who led many important scientific expeditions for which he obtained financial support through his public lectures and books, particularly on central asia and eastern asia. John charles fremont, the pathfinder mineral county independent.
Opinion its 1856 all over again the new york times. John charles fremont or fremont january 21, 18 july, 1890 was an american explorer, military officer, and politician. Fremont american explorer, military officer, and politician. John charles fremont 181890 explorer, surveyor, military man and politician, fremont was born on january 21, 18, in savannah, georgia. Full online access to this resource is only available at the library of congress. Analysis of fremonts role as an explorer is effectively summarized in william h. Encyclopedia britannica john charles fremonts life was a series of ups. Fremont the pathfinder for a vast inland empire stretching from the mississippi valley to the pacific ocean. His haphazard education was largely due to his distaste for routine and discipline, qualities that would help him to excel as an explorer later in life. He explored various territories out west that would eventually. The robinson library united states 18451861 biography, az. Fremont, in full john charles fremont, born january 21, 18, savannah, georgia, u. John charles fremont 181890 was an explorer, california senator, republican presidential candidate, civil war general, and territorial.
Fremont january 21, 18july, 1890 held a controversial and unusual place in mid19th century america. Fremont became a senator, governor, general, and ran for president. 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. He was the first republican candidate to run for president of the united states in 1856 and later a famous union civil war general. Jessie acts as fremont s promotor in the press and in the halls of congress as john explores the west from st. American explorer and statesman major general john charles fremont, general for the union army during the u. War between proslavery and antislavery settlers raged in kansas. A look back egotistical general was put in his place. He was a white american soldier, politician and abolitionist.
Fremont surveyor, presidential candidate, governor, senator, alsoran fremont placed a distant second both as a. He studied civil engineering at charleston south carolina college, but was expelled before graduation. One of my favorite characters in nevada history is john c. Fremont and the violent election of 1856 hardcover. John charles fremont and the course of american empire. Gold rush era politician yesteryear once more says. John and jessie fremont and their impact on california.
Published in report of the exploring expedition to the rocky mountains in the year 1842 and to oregon and north california in the years 184344. 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. From savannah, georgia, educated at charleston college, he taught mathematics before joining the army topographical engineers corps in 1838. The career of john charles fremont 1890 ties together the full breadth of american. Civil war, poses in his uniform with his sword, circa 1861. How jessie and john fremont mapped the west, invented celebrity, and helped cause the civil war kindle edition by inskeep, steve. The western explorer john fremont then 29 married jesse benton, then 17, the daughter of the powerful missouri senator thomas hart benton. She and her husband begin writing bestselling stories of western.
Jessie benton fremont 18241902 find a grave memorial. Explorer for a restless nation by ferol egan online at alibris. The private diaries of charles preuss, cartographer for john c. John charles fremont was born in savannah, georgia, in 18. The life and legacy of the legendary american explorer known as the pathfinder. The 1856 presidential race was the most violent peacetime election in american history. The exploring expedition to the rocky mountains by john c. Map, available online, 1840 to 1849, fremont, john charles. Politically savvy after years of sitting at her fathers desk, articulate, charming and a great writer who helped draft johns explorer journals into popular books, jessie benton was a critical. The amazing life of the explorer who first mapped the west and forever c.
Fremont, american military officer and an early explorer and mapmaker of. The oncedominant whigs, enervated by a series of defeats and internecine. John charles fremont 1890 was an american explorer and. 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. However, hed done well in math and got a teaching job on a warship. One of the most famous streets in nevada is named for a war criminal, a las vegas writer says.