Frémont, John Charles (1813-1890)

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Allen S. Landon to Jane Addams, November 26, 1910

Theodore Roosevelt to Amos Pinchot, December 5, 1912

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Birth Date

1813-01-21

Death Date

1890-07-13

Birthplace

Savannah, GA

Biographical Text

John C. Frémont was an army officer and politician. In 1833, with the help of South Carolina politician Joel R. Poinsett, he became a teacher aboard the sloop USS Natchez, which sailed through South America. His next adventure was being appointed second lieutenant in the United States Topographical Corps and surveying a route for the Charleston, Louisville, and Cincinnati railroad. Frémont then became interested in being an explorer, and Poinsett arranged for Frémont to aid French explorer and scientist Joseph Nicollet in exploring the lands between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. In 1842, he began the first of five expeditions to the American West, publishing maps, scientific documents, and articles that detailed these expeditions. During the Mexican-American War he was a major in the army, and in 1846 he took control over California, which resulted in him being convicted in court martial for mutiny and insubordination. During the Gold Rush, Frémont became wealthy due to gold on his Mariposa ranch, but he faced many lawsuits and land claims as well. In 1850 he was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming one of the first Senators from California, and in 1856 he was the first presidential candidate of the new Republican Party, though he lost the election. During the Civil War, Frémont was given command of Department of the West by President Abraham Lincoln, but he faced controversy for ruling autocratically. He led his force in many victories, and in 1864 he retired from the army. That same year, he was a presidential candidate for the Radical Democracy Party, but he resigned before the election. In 1866, Frémont invested in the Pacific Railroad, but this endeavor was unsuccessful and he lost most of his wealth. From 1878 to 1881 he served as Governor of Arizona, resigning after facing anger for not spending enough time in Arizona.

Frémont eloped with Jessie Benton in 1841.The couple had five children together. By the end of Frémont's political career, his family was destitute and survived on Jessie's publication earnings. Frémont died unexpectedly in 1890 of peritonitis.

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Edited By

DeLora, Renee

Lichon, Sara Catherine

Rights

Public domain

Gender

Male

First appears

1910

Bibliography and Links

SNAC

Utah History to Go

Wikipedia

Citation

“Frémont, John Charles (1813-1890),” Jane Addams Digital Edition, accessed October 13, 2024, https://mail.digital.janeaddams.ramapo.edu/items/show/4073.