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Register of the Jedediah Smith Society Collection, 1943-
Mss18  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Administrative Information
  • Access Points
  • Biography
  • Scope and Content

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: Jedediah Smith Society Collection,
    Date (inclusive): 1943-
    Collection number: Mss18
    Creator: Jedediah Smith Society
    Extent: 6.25 linear ft.
    Repository: University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections
    Stockton, CA 95211
    Shelf location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
    Language: English.

    Administrative Information

    Access

    Collection is open for research.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item], Jedediah Smith Society Collection, Mss18, Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library

    Access Points

    Personal Names

    Smith, Jedediah Strong (1799-1831)
    Smith family
    Ashley, William Henry (1778-1838)
    Henry, Andrew
    Sublette, William L.
    Jackson, David E.

    Corporate Names

    Rocky Mountain Fur Company
    Jedediah Smith Society

    Subjects

    Fur trade -West (U.S.)
    Explorers -West (U.S.)
    California -History -To 1846
    Oregon -History -To 1859
    West (U.S.) -History

    Biography

    Jedediah Strong Smith (1799-1831) was the first American citizen to enter California by an overland route. His travels (1821-1831) demonstrated feasible routes across the West to California. Smith trapped first along the Missouri River under William Ashley and Andrew Henry. He rediscovered South Pass, Wyo. (1824), a passageway from the High Plains into the Pacific Northwest. After forming a partnership to trap in the Pacific Coast region with David Jackson and William Sublette, Smith trapped and explored in Central California and Oregon (1827-1828). The partners sold out to the Rocky Mountain Fur Company in 1830 and turned to the Santa Fe trade. Smith was killed by Indians on the Southern Plains the following year.
    The Jedediah Smith Society was formed (1957) to promote the reputation of Smith as an important historical figure. It holds regular meetings, publishes a newsletter and promotes publications devoted to the education of the public on this theme.

    Scope and Content

    The Jed Smith Society Collection contains two types of materials: Series 1 consisting of items pertaining to the life of Smith; and, series 2 containing items describing activities of the Society. In the first category are: manuscripts of writings on Jed Smith; biographical and genealogical materials; articles on Smith's explorations; and, correspondence between Society members regarding various aspects of Smith's life. In the second category are: Society minutes; programs; speeches; publications; and, business correspondence.