Jedediah Smith

Jedediah Strong Smith (January 6, 1799 - May 27, 1831) was a trapper and explorer of the Rocky Mountains, the American West Coast and the Southwest during the 19th century. His explorations were significant in opening the American West to expansion by white settlers.

Related Topics:
January 6 - 1799 - May 27 - 1831 - Rocky Mountains - American - West Coast - Southwest

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Smith was born in Bainbridge, New York. He was named after Solomon's religious nickname in the Bible, Jedidiah, but he was not very good at spelling. Smith is best known for rediscovering South Pass , which shortened the time needed to get to the west slope of the Rocky Mountains. He also discovered what is now called the Jedediah Smith Redwood Forest and River. He was celebrated for killing an attacking bear with his bare hands and a knife. Smith, a committed Methodist Christian, carried a Bible wherever he went. He was one of the few mountain men who regularly shaved.

Related Topics:
Bainbridge, New York - Solomon - Bible - South Pass - Rocky Mountains - Bear - Methodist - Christian - Mountain men

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In 1831, Comanche Indians surrounded Smith at a water hole near the Cimarron River and killed him.

Related Topics:
Comanche - Cimarron River

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In his lifetime, Smith would travel more extensively in unknown territory than any other single mountain man. Most of the western slope of Wyoming's famous Teton Range is named the Jedediah Smith Wilderness after the great mountain man. The Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail runs between Folsom and Sacramento, California, through the former gold-dredging fields that are now the American River Parkway.

Related Topics:
Teton Range - Jedediah Smith Wilderness - Folsom - Sacramento, California - Gold-dredging - American River Parkway

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For more detail and an image of Jedediah Smith:

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• http://klesinger.com/jbp/jsmith.html
 
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