Jim_Bridger

Jim Bridger Jim Bridger was a legendary frontiersman. He was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1804. From 1824 until the late 1860’s he was the premier Indian fighter, beaver trapper, fur trader and guide to the Wild West. With an almost photographic memory for terrain, he guided more wagon trains than all the other scouts put together on the westward trek. He was also a storekeeper, scout, explorer, and discoverer with the ability to speak English, French, Spanish, and six Indian tongues as well. He was, in fact, the most interesting character in our western history. In the winter of 1822, at the age of 18, Bridger signed on with General William Ashley’s Rocky Mountain Fur Trading Company to trap beaver on the upper Missouri River. Bridger spent his first year with the company on the upper Missouri until Blackfoot Indian hostilities forced the expedition back down the river in the spring of 1823. After working for Ashley, Bridger trapped the Rocky Mountains with various companies and partnerships. Renowned by his peers, Bridger was an able brigade leader and a excellent trapper. Year after year he was able to avoid Indian attack and turn a profit from his trappings. One particular discovery early on in Bridger’s bridger, bridger’s, year, river, rendezvous, indian, fort, trapper, trading, trade, salt, mountain, mormons, missouri, men, later, guide, first, emigrants, beaver, after, years, wyoming, winter, wagon, upper, until, unlike, trapping, trappers, three, territory, summer, rocky, returned, party