Bidwell-Bartleason Party, The

Book

-

St. Joseph Museums

Name/Title

Bidwell-Bartleason Party, The

Entry/Object ID

L2019.13.139

Description

Bidwell-Bartleason Party, The. 1841 California Emigrant Adventure. In 1841 the Bidwell-Bartleson party made the first planned overland emigration west to California- with one contigent splitting off for Pregon. Utilizing the central route to the Pacific cost, in 1841 the Bridwell-Bartleson party blazed a trail that subsequently became the American highway to Eldorado. Hugh Lewis research notation: Page 79: Robert H. Thomas. "When May came, I was the only man that [was] ready to go of all who signed the pledge. In Weston, however, there was a man who had never signed the pledge but who had said from the beginning that he would go to California when May came. This was Robert H. Thomas, a wagon maker at the time. As the time approached, I became very anxious about the expedition but supposed a few would go with me. Finally I could not find a single member of the company who was sure to go. I went forward with my preparations, however, and to the extend I could, I purchased an outfit which consisted of a wagon and some provisions, a rifle, and ammunition." Page 101: Roubideaux. "In November or December of 1840, while still teaching school in Platte County, I cam across a Frenchman named Roubideaux, who said he had been to California. He had been a trader in New Mexico, and had followed the road traveled by traders from the frontier of Missouri to Santa Fe. He had probably gone through what is now New Mexico and Arizona into California by the Gila River trail used by the Mexicans. His description of California was in the superlative degree favorable, so much so that I resolved if possible to see that wonderful land, and with others helped to get up a meeting at Weston and invited him to make a statement before it in regard to the country. At that time when a man moved out West, as soon as he was fairly settled he wanted to move again, and naturally every question imaginable was asked in regard to this wonderful country. Roubideaux described it as one of perennial spring and boundless fertility, and laid stress on the countless thousands of wild horses and cattle. He told about oranges, and hence must have been at Los Angeles, or the mission of San Gabriel, a few miles from it. Every conceivable question that we could ask him was answered favorably. Generally the first question which a Missourian asked about a country was whether there was any fever and ague. I remember his answer distinctly. He said there was but one man in California that had ever had a chill there, and it was a matter of so much wonderment to the people of Monterey that they went eighteen miles into the country to see him shake. Nothing could have been more satisfactory on the score of health. He said that the Spanish authorities were most friendly, and that the people were the most hospitable on the globe; that you could travel all over California and it would cost you nothing for horses or food. Even the Indians were friendly. His description of the country made it seem like a Paradise." Page 103: Roubideaux. " When I went to California in 1841 all the foreigners- and all were foreigners except Indians and Mexicans- did not, I think, exceed one hundred; nor was the character of all of them the most prepossessing. Some had been trappers in the Rocky Mountains who had not seen civilization for a quarter of a century; others were men who had found their way into California, as Roubideaux had done, by way of Mexico; others still had gone down the Columbia River to Oregon and joined trapping parties in the service of the Hudson Bay Company going from Oregon to California." 294/Hardcover/Blue/Jacket pictures men on horseback riding along a body of water/Illustrations/Maps/Photographs/Tables

Collection

Robidoux Collection by Hugh Lewis

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Book

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Other Documents

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Search Terms

American Fur Company, Fort Laramie, Fort Leavenworth, Fur Trading, Blackfeet, Robidoux Family

Book Details

Author

Nunis, Dr. Doyce B. Jr., Editor

Place Published

City

Santa Cruz

State/Province

California

Date Published

1991

Call No.

Robidoux NU

ISBN

0-0934136-32-7

Notes

Copy No.: 2

Condition

Overall Condition

Fair

Maintenance

Maintenance History

Date

Jun 21, 2019

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

John Bidwel

Person or Organization

Eliza M. Bowers

Person or Organization

J. B. Chiles

Person or Organization

Nicholas Dawson

Person or Organization

Charles Hopper

Person or Organization

James John

Person or Organization

Nancy Kelsey

Person or Organization

James P. Springer

Person or Organization

Robert H. Thomes

Person or Organization

Oierre Jean De Smet

Person or Organization

Father Gregory Mengarini

Person or Organization

Father Nicholas Point

Person or Organization

Joseph Williams

Person or Organization

John Bartleson

Person or Organization

Josiah Belden

Person or Organization

Thomas F. Fitzpatrick

Person or Organization

Benjamin Kelsey

Person or Organization

John Marsh

Person or Organization

Michael Nye

Person or Organization

John Augustus Sutter

Person or Organization

Williams, Richard

Person or Organization

Antoine Robidoux