John David Albert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John David Albert
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John David Albert, circa 1895
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| Born | May 24, 1810 |
| Died | April 24, 1899 (aged 88) |
| Occupation | Frontiersman, hunter, fur trapper |
John David Albert (born May 24, 1810 – died April 24, 1899) was a famous American mountain man. Mountain men were brave explorers and trappers who lived in the wilderness of the American West during the 1800s. They were known for their survival skills and knowledge of the frontier.
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John Albert's Early Life
John David Albert was born in Hagerstown, Maryland. When he was only about two years old, he faced a tough time. His father died during the War of 1812, and his mother passed away shortly after. This meant John became an orphan. He then went to live with his sister in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Adventures as a Frontiersman
John David Albert loved adventure. In 1833, he worked on a Mississippi keelboat, which was a flat-bottomed boat used for carrying goods. The next year, in 1834, he headed west with about sixty other hunters. Their goal was to trap animals for their fur.
Joining the Fur Trade
John soon became part of the Western department of the American Fur Company. This was a big company that traded furs. He worked at Fort Laramie, an important trading post. In 1836, he was sent to the South Platte River area. The winter weather was very harsh, and he got stuck on the Cache la Poudre River.
When spring arrived, John traveled to Fort William, which later became known as Bent's Fort. This fort was on the Arkansas River. From March to October 1838, he worked at Fort James Jackson.
Surviving the Taos Revolt
In 1847, John David Albert worked at Simeon Turley's Mill and Distillery. This place was about 12 miles north of Taos, New Mexico. During the Taos Revolt, a large group of about 500 Mexicans and Native Americans attacked the mill. John was one of only eight to ten mountain men defending it.
One of his friends, Charles Autobees, rode to Santa Fe to get help. The small group of mountain men fought bravely into the night. In the confusion, John Albert and Thomas Tate Tobin, who was Charles Autobees' half-brother, managed to escape separately on foot.
John and Thomas were the only two men to survive the attack on Turley's Mill. John walked an amazing 140 miles to a trading post in Pueblo, Colorado. He made this journey in winter, without a coat, carrying only his weapons. Thomas walked all the way to Santa Fe.
Life in the Taos Valley
After his incredible escape, John David Albert settled down in the Taos Valley. He married Julia Pope, who was the daughter of William Pope.
John continued his adventurous life. He carried mail from the post office at Cuchara station. He also trapped animals along the Purgatory and Cucharas rivers. People also say he built a fort at La Plaza de la Leones.
John was a close friend of another famous frontiersman, Jim Baker. In 1895, they even led the parade together at Denver's Festival of Mountain and Plain.
John Albert's Later Years and Death
John David Albert lived a long life. He outlived three wives, all of whom were partly or fully Mexican. He also had 21 children. He passed away in Montana on April 24, 1899. John David Albert is buried in the old Catholic Cemetery in Walsenburg, Colorado.
