Description
John Charles Fremont (1813-1890) was an American military officer during the Civil War, explorer of the Western United States,
United States presidential candidate and an opponent of slavery. Fremont's wife, Jessie Benton Fremont (1824-1902) was an
American writer and daughter of Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton. Their firstborn daughter Elizabeth (Lily) Benton Fremont
(1842-1919) participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles in 1912. This collection of
papers was compiled from donations from Elizabeth B. Fremont, as well as Southwest Museum curatorial and library staff, with
documents spanning from 1836-1919. Materials include correspondence, etchings, certificates, manuscripts, maps, and newspaper
clippings by and about members of the John C. Fremont family.
Background
John Charles Fremont, born January 12, 1813 in Savannah, Georgia, was an American military officer, explorer, United States
presidential candidate, and an opponent of slavery. In 1838, Fremont was appointed Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Topographical
Engineers, and he led expeditions through the western part of the United States. From 1842 to 1846, Fremont led expeditions
through the Oregon Trail and the Sierra Nevada mountain range, leading to the San Joaquin Valley. His journals of these expeditions,
especially the second, were wildly popular. The accounts of the two expeditions were printed together for the Congress as
Report of the Exploring Expedition in the Rocky Mountains in the year 1842, and to Oregon and North California in the years
1843-1844. Fremont was also involved in gold mining in California but this venture eventually foundered. Fremont's most notable political
accomplishments include serving as one of California's first two U. S. senators from 1850-1851 and being governor of the Arizona
Territory from 1878-1881. Fremont died July 13, 1890 at the age of 77. Fremont married United States senator Thomas Hart Benton's
daughter Jessie in 1841. Jessie B. Fremont, born May 31, 1824, was an American writer who supplemented the family income as
a freelance writer. Some of Jessie's most popular publications were memoirs of her time accompanying her husband on his expeditions
in the American West. Jessie Benton Fremont died December 27, 1902. Their daughter Elizabeth (Lily) Benton Fremont was born
November 15, 1842 and died May 28, 1919.
Extent
3.6 Linear Feet
(3 boxes)
Restrictions
Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is
given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include
or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Availability
Appointments to view materials are required. To make an appointment please visit https://theautry.org/research-collections/library-and-archives
and fill out the Researcher Application Form.