Wilson Price Hunt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wilson Price Hunt
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| Born | March 20, 1783 Asbury, New Jersey
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| Died | April 13, 1842 (aged 59) Saint Louis, Missouri
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| Occupation | Explorer, pioneer, farmer, postmaster |
Wilson Price Hunt (born March 20, 1783 – died April 13, 1842) was an early American pioneer and explorer. He explored the Oregon Country in the Pacific Northwest of North America. Hunt worked for John Jacob Astor in the fur trade business. He led a group of about 60 men on a long journey by land. Their goal was to set up a fur trading post at the mouth of the Columbia River. This group, called the Astorians, was the first big group to cross to the Pacific after the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition.
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Early Life and the Fur Trade
Historical records sometimes call Hunt "William" or "Wilson." He was born in Asbury, New Jersey. In 1804, Hunt moved to St. Louis, Missouri. There, he worked for several years selling different goods.
Joining John Jacob Astor
In 1810, Wilson Price Hunt started working with John Jacob Astor. Astor was a very rich businessman. He wanted to control the fur trade on the Northwest coast. He also wanted to trade furs with China. To do this, Astor created the Pacific Fur Company.
Hunt was a very important part of this company. He was the only American partner. The other six partners were all Canadians. Hunt was second in command to Astor himself. He acted as Astor's main representative when Astor was not there.
The Overland Expedition
The Pacific Fur Company planned two trips at the same time. One trip went by sea directly to the mouth of the Columbia River. The other trip went by land. This land trip was meant to show that the route could be used to bring supplies.
Leading the Journey West
Hunt was put in charge of the overland expedition. He had never traveled deep into the western lands before. But he knew about the fur trade from his time in St. Louis. He supplied traders with goods and equipment.
Donald McKenzie, another partner, joined Hunt. McKenzie had a lot of experience in the wilderness. He had worked for ten years in the interior as a clerk. Astor had high hopes for the expedition with these two leaders.
Starting the Adventure
On July 5, 1810, Hunt and McKenzie left Montreal. They were heading for St. Louis. They recruited more men for the expedition along the way. Hunt found it hard to find good men. Other fur companies were also trying to hire people.
Finally, Hunt gathered his party. They arrived at Nodaway, Missouri, on November 16, 1810. They stayed there for the winter. The group then set off on April 22, 1811.
Changing Plans
As they traveled up the Missouri River, Hunt met some former fur traders. These men told him that the Blackfoot tribe on the upper Missouri River was hostile. This made Hunt change his original plan.
He had planned to go up the Missouri and then the Yellowstone River. Instead, he decided to cross the land to the Columbia River. This was a big change in their journey.
Difficult Trek West
Hunt bought horses from the Arikara tribe. This was near what is now Pierre, South Dakota. Then, the long journey westward began. The party traveled near the Black Hills and Bighorn Mountains.
They crossed the Wind River Range mountains. They went through Union Pass into the Green River valley. From there, they went down the Hoback River to the Snake River. They crossed Teton Pass to an abandoned fort. This was Fort Henry, and they arrived on October 18, 1811.
A Fateful Decision
The group thought their hardest struggles were over. They knew they were at the start of the Columbia River system. Hunt let his men convince him to leave the horses. They wanted to travel downstream by canoe.
This was a bad decision. The Snake River turned out to be impossible to travel by canoe. They lost a man and two canoes in the rapids. This forced the party to travel on foot. They faced severe hardship.
After nine days, they gave up on the river. They split into four groups. Each group took a different route to reach the mouth of the Columbia. Hunt's group arrived on February 15, 1812.
Journey's End
The trip from Missouri to the future site of Astoria, Oregon, took 340 days. Hunt said he traveled about 2,073 miles. This was from the Arikara village in South Dakota to the end of his journey.
Later, a return trip overland was led by Robert Stuart. He discovered South Pass. This pass became a very important part of the Oregon Trail.
Life After the Expedition
On August 4, 1812, Hunt sailed on a new ship called the Beaver. This ship was sent by Astor. Hunt's goal was to trade with the Russian settlement at New Archangel in Alaska. He left Duncan McDougall in charge of the fort.
Challenges and Return
Hunt was away from Astoria longer than he planned. He had to wait for payment in New Archangel. Then, the Beaver was damaged in a storm. He had to go to the Hawaiian Islands for repairs.
While in Hawaii, he learned about the War of 1812 between the US and Britain. He hired another ship, the Albatros, to take him back to Astoria.
Meanwhile, McDougall had sold the fort to the Northwest Company. He felt it was the best choice for Astoria. When Hunt returned, he was unhappy with this decision. But he had to accept it.
Soon after, Hunt left the fort again on the Albatros. He went to the Marquesas Islands and the Hawaiian Islands. He wanted to sell furs and get supplies. He also wanted to take Hawaiian workers back home.
In Hawaii, Hunt bought a ship called the Pedlar. He sailed it to Astoria to help with the fort's transfer to the British. The Pedlar then traveled to New Archangel and Kamchatka. In August 1814, the Spanish captured it. They held it for two months in California.
After being released, the Pedlar went back to Hawaii. Finally, it sailed to China to get Chinese goods. These goods were for trade in New York. Hunt arrived in New York with his cargo in October 1816.
Later Years
Hunt returned to St. Louis in 1817. He bought a large piece of land southwest of the city. He farmed there and improved the land until he died in 1842.
In 1822, President Monroe appointed him postmaster of St. Louis. He held this job until 1840.
Hunt's expedition is shown on the Astoria Column. His name is also carved into a frieze in the Oregon State Senate chamber. This is inside the Oregon State Capitol building.
Images for kids
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Wilson Price Hunt
See also
In Spanish: W. Price Hunt para niños
