Rocky Mountain Fur Company facts for kids

The Rocky Mountain Fur Company was an important business in the early 1800s. It was started in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1822. The founders were William Henry Ashley and Andrew Henry. This company played a big role in exploring the American West.

Many famous explorers and trappers worked for them. These included Jedediah Smith and Jim Bridger. They were part of a group called "Ashley's Hundred." The company helped map new areas, especially the Green River Valley.

The Rocky Mountain Fur Company faced tough competition from other companies. They also saw fewer beavers, whose fur was very popular. Changes in fashion also affected their business. The company closed in 1834, but its legacy lived on. Its former members helped the U.S. government learn about the West. William Ashley even became a congressman.

The Rocky Mountain Fur Company: Exploring the Wild West

Starting a New Adventure

In the early 1820s, William Ashley was a general in the Missouri militia. He wanted to get involved in state politics. To do this, he needed to earn money. Ashley had faced financial difficulties before. He saw a chance to succeed in the fur trade out West. He partnered with his friend, Major Andrew Henry. Their company was first called Ashley Henry.

The Call for "Mountain Men"

In 1822, Ashley and Henry placed an advertisement in a St. Louis newspaper. They were looking for "One Hundred enterprising young men." These men would travel up the Missouri River to its source. They would work as trappers for one to three years. These brave individuals became known as "mountain men." They needed to be strong, well-armed, and ready for hard work.

Many young men answered the call, about 180 in total. Among them were famous figures like Jedediah Smith and Jim Bridger. Other notable trappers who joined later included William and Milton Sublette, Jim Beckwourth, and Hugh Glass.

In 1826, Smith, Jackson, and William Sublette bought the company. They renamed it Smith, Jackson and William Sublette. Later, in 1830, Bridger, Milton Sublette, and Fitzpatrick bought the business. It was then that they officially named it the Rocky Mountain Fur Company.

Ashley had a unique way of paying his trappers. They kept half of the money from the furs they collected. The other half went to the company. In return, Ashley and Henry provided the tools and supplies needed for trapping.

How the Company Worked

At first, Ashley's trappers worked near the upper Missouri River. They wanted to build trading posts there. However, another company, the Missouri Fur Company, already had posts. So, Ashley and his team moved further west. They went into the Rocky Mountains, which gave the company its name.

The Rocky Mountain Fur Company explored new lands. They also created a new way of doing business. This was called the brigade-rendezvous system. Instead of relying on trading posts, the company trained its own trappers. These trappers were mostly Euro-Americans and Métis people.

The Rendezvous System

The new system meant trappers would meet once a year. These meetings were called rendezvous. They were temporary trade gatherings held in convenient locations. At the rendezvous, trappers would sell their furs. They would also resupply for the next season. This system helped the company operate deep in the wilderness.

The company had both successes and challenges. By the mid-1820s, they knew the Rocky Mountains well. Their main base was in the Green River Valley. Trappers found many places to collect valuable furs. Some of these spots included Horse Creek and Black Fork. Important trading places were Pierre's Hole in Idaho and Fort Bonneville in Wyoming.

However, there were also dangers. Some expeditions lost supplies or even trappers. For example, trappers faced conflicts with some Blackfeet and Arikara First Nations. Major Andrew Henry, an experienced trapper, left the company in 1824. William Ashley also left in 1826 to pursue a political career. He sold his share to his employees. Despite these changes, the Rocky Mountain Fur Company continued for eight more years.

Challenges and Changes

Like many fur companies, the Rocky Mountain Fur Company eventually faced financial problems. Several factors led to its decline. These included strong competition, fewer animals, and changing fashion trends.

Why the Company Ended

The competition among fur companies was very intense. The Rocky Mountain Fur Company often competed with larger rivals. These included the Hudson's Bay Company and John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company. Trappers from different companies sometimes entered each other's territories. This led to conflicts over the best trapping areas.

This fierce competition also meant fewer animals to trap. The populations of beavers, otters, and other fur-bearing animals decreased. It became much harder for trappers to find enough animals. The larger companies had more land and resources. They could offer lower prices, making it tough for smaller companies to compete.

Another big reason for the decline was a change in fashion. Fur hats were once very popular in Europe and America. But in the 1830s, silk hats became fashionable instead. This meant less demand for beaver furs.

By 1834, the Rocky Mountain Fur Company was in serious trouble. The partners decided to sell their business. The American Fur Company, which had been a rival, bought out the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. This marked the end of an important era in Western exploration.

See also

In Spanish: Rocky Mountain Fur Company para niños

• Fur trade in Montana
• Joseph LaBarge – Fur trader and steamboat captain on the Missouri River
• The Revenant (2015 film) - Film based on Hugh Glass's story
• Rocky Mountain Rendezvous