Caleb Greenwood facts for kids

Caleb Greenwood (born around 1783, died around 1850) was an important American fur trapper and guide. He helped people explore and settle the western parts of the United States. He is best known for finding a shorter route on the California Trail. This route helped many people travel faster during the California Gold Rush.

Early Adventures as a Trapper

Caleb Greenwood was born in Virginia. He began his adventures in the American West very early. In 1810, he joined trapping trips led by people connected to John Jacob Astor. Astor was a famous businessman in the fur trade.

Later, in 1812 and 1813, Greenwood also trapped with groups led by Manuel Lisa. Lisa was another well-known fur trader. By 1815, Caleb was trapping on his own near the Arkansas River. He also traveled up the Missouri River with other trappers.

Exploring the West

In 1824, Caleb Greenwood joined a group of trappers led by John Henry Weber. This group included another famous frontiersman, Jim Bridger. They crossed a mountain pass called South Pass. This pass led them to trap on the eastern side of the Wind River Mountains.

Weber's group traveled to what is now Soda Springs, Idaho. They set up a winter camp near a river that flows into the Bear River. In May 1825, Greenwood's group met with trappers led by Jedediah Smith. They had a disagreement with trappers from the Hudson's Bay Company.

In July 1825, Greenwood joined a large gathering of trappers and traders. This was William H. Ashley's first big "rendezvous" on the Green River. These rendezvous were like big outdoor markets and social events for trappers.

Family Life

In the 1820s, Caleb Greenwood married Batchicka Youngcau. She was part French and part Crow Indian. They had seven children together. Their children included John, Britton Bailey, Governor Boggs, William Sublette, James Case, Angeline, and Sarah Mojave.

After 1834, Caleb and his growing family lived on a small farm. This farm was in northern Missouri. After his wife passed away in 1843, Caleb decided to head west again. He passed away in California around 1849 or 1850.

A history book from 1898 mentions Caleb's family in Coloma, California. It talks about a disagreement between Native Americans and white settlers. This book also names another son, David Crockett Greenwood.

The Sublette-Greenwood Cutoff

In 1844, Caleb Greenwood became a guide for a very important group. This was the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party. He helped them cross the difficult Sierra Nevada mountains. When they reached Sutter's Fort in California, they had completed one of the first wagon trips overland to California.

Creating a New Trail

The next year, Caleb returned east with two of his sons. On this trip, he found a new, shorter path. This path avoided the long Truckee River Canyon. This new route later became a major part of the California Trail.

Hundreds of thousands of people used this trail. They followed it during the California Gold Rush of 1849. This was when many people rushed to California to find gold.

While guiding the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy party, Caleb suggested a shortcut. Instead of following the main Emigrant Trail south to Fort Bridger, he proposed a new path. This path would leave the main trail near the Little Sandy River. It would then go west across the Wyoming high desert. The group would rejoin the main trail in the Bear River valley.

This new route saved about 85 miles and 7 days of travel. However, it was risky because about 45 miles of the path had no water.

The Trail's Popularity

The shortcut became very popular after 1849. A guide book by Joseph Ware described it in detail. Ware mistakenly called it the Sublette Cutoff. He named it after Solomon Sublette, who had told him about the trail.

The route was most popular during the California Gold Rush. At that time, people wanted to get to California as fast as possible. The need for speed was more important than the risk.

Today, historians call this route the Sublette-Greenwood Cutoff. This name honors Caleb Greenwood for his important discovery.

Places Named After Greenwood

Several places are named after Caleb Greenwood and his family.

• The Caleb Greenwood K–8 School in Sacramento City Unified School District is named after him. It opened in 1950.
• The town of Elk, Mendocino County, California, was once called Greenwood. It was named after two of Caleb Greenwood's sons who lived there.
• Greenwood, California, is a town in northern El Dorado County. It is near the towns of Cool and Georgetown. This town was named after Caleb and his family who lived there. The town in Mendocino County had to change its name to Elk because the El Dorado County town already existed.

A local historian wrote that Caleb's son John Greenwood opened a trading post in Long Valley. This was around 1848 or 1849. By the time the Greenwoods left in 1850, the town had changed its name from Long Valley to Greenwood.