A few years ago I used to post some history scenarios for folks to peruse and post thier answers. Well, while I was recovering from my bout with the PE tis summer I came up with some short questions for ye.
It don't hurt to have a little knowledge of history to go along with our sport of shooting smokepoles and dressing in period garb.
I'll post the question and then a few days later check your answers and post the correct ones.
So, here's tha first'un:
Who was the first recorded whiteman to ascend the Missouri River, in what year and how far up the river(general area)?
Regards, xfox
The forest is a wilderness only to those that fear it, silent only to those that hear nothing. The forest is a friend to those that dwell within its' nature and it is filled with the sounds of life to those that listen.
Posts: 148 | Location: East Central Alaska | Registered: 23 October 2004
I believe the French have it. Former coureur de bois Etienne Veniard de Bourgmont ascended the Missouri River as far as present day Pierre, SD in 1714. Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette were the first to record the existence of the river, but never explored beyond its mouth.
"Any day you wake up on the right side of the dirt is a good day"
Posts: 314 | Location: Northwestern California | Registered: 05 May 2006
Mitch, I'm pretty sure Charlie was referring to the "1st recorded" part of the post - not the ethnicity. Mike didn't give any specifics or documentation, just a vague reference to French traders. Don't be so quick to judge others.
"Any day you wake up on the right side of the dirt is a good day"
Posts: 314 | Location: Northwestern California | Registered: 05 May 2006
pilgrim i said the 1st record whiteman up the mo was manuel lisa who was a Spanard from New Oleans i guess we are going to wait for CrossFox to post the answer
Posts: 67 | Location: southern new england | Registered: 02 September 2008
Who was the first recorded whiteman to ascend the Missouri River, in what year and how far up the river(general area)?
SO IF HE WAS THE FIRST "recorded" that makes him first????????????????????????????NO he might be the "FIRST RECORDED" but following,not leading.Go figure Pilgrim!!!! Columbus was the first "RECORDED" but say NOW their is evidance,maybe NOT.
Posts: 1233 | Location: La Grange,Maine | Registered: 11 February 2007
Well it's only "following" if the person in question "knew" of the previous trip. Columbus didn't "follow" the Norsemen to America, heck he didn't even think it was there. (Poor math skills)
Of course "recorded" otherwise it's just a claim..., for all we know the Norsemen who appear to have traversed part of the interior of Canada (with their Masonic employers) made it down to what we now call SD..., but since nobody wrote it down,..., it is just a claim. The claim 'first recorded' is alway subject to change, as more and more documents are discovered.
LD
It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
Posts: 1758 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004
Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye(FRENCH)-1738-made it into what is now North Dakota(some speculation as to as far as the 3forks in MT)
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mitch,
Ride the high trail....never tuck your tail
Posts: 581 | Location: Near the 4Corners..along the Escalante Trail | Registered: 26 April 2006
Fort Orleans was estabished in 1723 on the Missouri by the French, they also were up many of the tributaries of the Mississippi, earlier, I don't have the names and dates offhand but the gentleman who posted the question probably has the details of these and the Missouri explorers.
Louis-Joseph de Varennes, Chevalier de la Venedrye, reached the "Gates of the Missouri River", near present day Helena, Montana, January 1, 1743. It is due to his extensive travels on the Missouri River and the journals he kept that history generally considers him the first whiteman to ascend the length of the Missouri River. He is, also, credited to be the first whiteman to see the Rocky Mountains and describe them as "The Shining Mountains".
Ref: Contributions to the Historical Society of Montana; Historical Society of Minnesota; Historical Society of Wisconsin; Historical archives of Canada.
Regards, xfox
The forest is a wilderness only to those that fear it, silent only to those that hear nothing. The forest is a friend to those that dwell within its' nature and it is filled with the sounds of life to those that listen.
Posts: 148 | Location: East Central Alaska | Registered: 23 October 2004
Crossfox, I must respectfully disagree with you on this. Etienne Veniard de Bourgmont ascended the Missouri River in March-June 1714 at least as far as the mouth of the Platte River. He documented this in a paper titled "The Route to Be Taken to Ascend the Missouri River." This predates de Varennes trip by 29 years.
Ref: "Bourgmont: Explorer of the Missouri, 1698-1725 By Frank Norall @1988,University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln"
I don't disagree with you as I had meant to say in the original question "the first recorded whiteman to ascend the length of the Missouri River". Editing is not one of my strong points, but I do try to be accurate.
Bourgmont wrote that tome in late 1714 after his March-June 1714 trip. There is some historical confusion as to when he actually ascended the Misouri River the first time to the Platte, whether in 1711 or 1712, as he was seen in the Illinois country in 1713.
In August 1720, Bourgmont was named "Commandant of the Missouri River" by the Crown. In 1723 he again ascended the Missouri as far as the Kansas River and built Fort Orleans near the Grand River. This fort was deemed unprofitable and abandoned in 1726. Bourgmont did not ascend the length of the Missouri River.
Thanks for participating.
Regards, xfox
The forest is a wilderness only to those that fear it, silent only to those that hear nothing. The forest is a friend to those that dwell within its' nature and it is filled with the sounds of life to those that listen.
Posts: 148 | Location: East Central Alaska | Registered: 23 October 2004
