Joseph Chiles facts for kids
Joseph Ballinger Chiles (born July 16, 1810 – died June 25, 1885) was an important early pioneer and guide in California. He helped many people travel west to settle there.
Joseph Chiles was born in Kentucky. Around 1830, he moved to Missouri. He also served in the United States Army during the Seminole Wars.
Contents
Journey to California
First Trip West
In 1841, Joseph Chiles joined the Bartleson–Bidwell Party. This group was the first to travel to Alta California using wagon trains. A wagon train was a long line of wagons pulled by animals, carrying settlers and their belongings. They crossed the difficult Sierra Nevada mountains to reach California.
Leading More Expeditions
After his first trip, Chiles returned east in 1842. He then led seven more groups of settlers, called wagon trains, into California. These trips were very challenging.
In 1843, at a place called Fort Hall, Chiles met another famous guide, Joseph Rutherford Walker. Chiles convinced Walker to lead some of the settlers. Walker's group traveled with wagons down the Humboldt River to California.
Chiles led the other settlers in a pack train. A pack train used animals like mules to carry supplies on their backs, instead of in wagons. This group traveled up the Malheur River and then south. They followed the Pit River and the Sacramento River to reach California. Walker's group also had to switch to pack trains in 1843 because the terrain was too rough for wagons.
Life in California
New Beginnings
In 1844, Joseph Chiles became a citizen of Mexico. At that time, California was part of Mexico. He was given a large piece of land called Rancho Catacula in the beautiful Napa Valley.
On his land, Chiles built a grist mill. A grist mill is a place where grain, like wheat, is ground into flour. He also operated a ferry boat. This ferry helped people cross the Sacramento River.
Expanding His Land
In 1850, Chiles bought more land. He purchased part of the Rancho Laguna de Santos Calle. Today, this area is where the city of Davis, California is located.
