English Immigrant 1200-1500 » James Felix "Jim" (James Felix "Jim") Bridger (1804-1881)

Sources

1. Powell Web Site, Elaine Hatfield Powell, via https://www.myheritage.com/person-301322...

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   Family site: Powell Web Site

   Family tree: 127633701-3

2. Scherck Web Site, Tami Scherck, via https://www.myheritage.com/person-200055...

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   Family site: Scherck Web Site

   Family tree: 234938161-2

3. FamilySearch Family Tree

   James Felix Bridger<br>Gender: Male<br>Birth: Mar 17 1804 - Richmond, Henrico, Virginia, United States<br>Marriage: Spouse: Cora Insala - 1835 - Green River Rendevous<br>Marriage: Spouse: Ute Native Woman - Sep 1848<br>Marriage: Spouse: Mary Washakie - 1849 - Fort Bridger, Uinta, Wyoming, USA<br>Residence: 1850 - Weber, Utah Territory, United States<br>Residence: 1870 - Westport, Jackson, Missouri, United States<br>Residence: 1880 - Washington Township, Jackson, Missouri, United States<br>Death: July 17 1881 - Kansas City, Platte, Missouri, United States<br>Death: July 28 1881 - Utah, United States<br>Burial: 1904 - Mount Washington Cemetery, Independence, Jackson, Missouri, United States<br>Parents: James Bridger, Chloe Tyler<br>Spouses: Cora Bridger (born Insala), Ute Native Woman Bridger, Mary Bridger (born Washakie)<br>Children: Mary Ann Bridger, John Bridger, Felix Bridger, Mary Josephine Bridger, Virginia Rosalie Knott Bridger, John Little Fawn Bridger, Maryann Elizabeth Carroll (born Bridger), William Bridger<br>Siblings: May Bridger, Elder son Bridger, Virgina Bridger, Reverend Moses Ballou, Chloe Tyler Barber (born Ballou), Chloe Ballou, John Ballou, Mercy Harris Walcott (born Ballou)<br>  Additional information:
   
   LifeSketch: Western Frontiersman and Explorer. He is remembered for his exploits as an adventurer and trapper in the Western US from the 1820s until the late 1860s. He spoke several Native American languages, as well as being able to converse in French and Spanish, and was often called upon to negotiate disputes between the Native Americans and encroaching white settlers. Born James Bridger in Richmond, Virginia, he attained very little education during his early years. In 1822 he joined up with William Henry Ashley's Upper Missouri Expedition as part of a fur-trading venture and was one of the first white men to see the natural wonders of the Yellowstone region. In 1830 he and several other trappers bought out Ashley and established the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. In 1843 he and fellow trapper Pierre Louis Vasquez built a trading post (later named Fort Bridger) on the west bank of the Blacks Fork of the Green River in present-day Wyoming that served American pioneers who travelled the Oregon Trail on their way to the American Northwest. In 1850 he found an alternate route to the South Pass in present-day Wyoming that shortened the Oregon Train route by 61 miles and in 1864 he established the Bridger Trail that took settlers and prospectors over a safer route to the gold fields in Montana Territory. A year later, he served as a guide and US Army scout during the Powder River Expedition against the Native American Sioux and Cheyenne tribes. Suffering from arthritis and other health problems, he was then discharged from his services at Fort Laramie, Wyoming Territory and relocated to Westport, Missouri in 1868, spending the remainder of his life on his farm where he died at the age of 77. Originally interred in an unmarked grave at a small private cemetery near his home, his remains were moved to Mount Washington Cemetery at Independence, Missouri in 1904. On the Silver Screen, he was portrayed by Raymond Hatton in "Kit Carson" (1940), Van Heflin in "Tomahawk" (1951), and Dennis Morgan in "The Gun Than Won the West" (1955). He was also immortalized in the Johnny Horton song "Jim Bridger" that was recorded in the late 1950s. A statue in his honor, along with Pony Express founder Alexander Majors and Kansas City founder John Calvin McCoy, resides at Pioneer Square in the Westport neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri. Bio by: William Bjornstad From Wikipedia: James Bridger, known as Jim Bridger (March 17, 1804 – July 17, 1881), was among the foremost mountain men, trappers, scouts and guides who explored and trapped the Western United States during the decades of 1820–1850, as well as mediating between native tribes and encroaching whites. He was of English ancestry, and his family had been in North America since the early colonial period.[1] Jim Bridger had a strong constitution that allowed him to survive the extreme conditions he encountered walking the Rocky Mountains from what would become southern Colorado to the Canadian border. He had conversational knowledge of French, Spanish and several native languages. He would come to know many of the major figures of the early west, including Kit Carson, George Armstrong Custer, John Fremont, Joseph Meek, and John Sutter. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Census enumerations: Note: census enumerations frequently are contradictory and in conflict with personal information known from other sources. The following transcribes names, ages, birthplaces (abbreviated here), etc., as they are on the original document. A few have thought these 1830 and 1840 census enumerations are "our" James Bridger; they are not. 1830 census Isle of Wight County, VA enumerates a James Bridger Jr., age 20-29 [b.1801-1810], female age 20-29, female age 5-9, male age 0-4 1840 census Isle of Wight County, VA enumerates a James Bridger Jr., age 30-39 [b.1801-1810], female age 30-39, male age 5-9, female age 5-9, male age 0-4, two females age 0-4 NOTE: these 1830 and 1840 enumerations are NOT "our" James Bridger. They are probably James [1801-1877] and Sarah Elizabeth (Corbitt) [1805-1850] Bridger, who both were born and died in Isle of Wight County, VA. 1850 census [1851 Fort Bridger (now in Uinta County, Wyoming) was enumerated in 1851 and included in the 1850 census of Utah Territory that was created 9/09/1850]. Weber, Weber County, Utah Territory Green River Precinct (11 houses, 46 persons), enumerated by E.D. Rich. Page(s) 160 (2 sheets) / 319-320 / 25-26 (three forms of pagination written on the pages) Dwelling/Family No. 8 Bridger, James 41 VA, White, Indian Trader Mary 20 UT, Indian Felix 8 UT, Indian Elizabeth 4 UT, Indian Jane 3 UT, Indian Carson, James 24 UT, White Note: Mary is Mary Washakie (LTQS-SQ9) a daughter of the well-known Shoshone leader/"chief" Washakie 'Pina Quanah' Note: Bridger's business partner, Pierre Louis Vasquez and family were enumerated at Dwelling/Family No. 9 (Vasques (sic), Lewis (sic) and Narcissa, and children Hyram (sic), Lewis (sic), and Mary. Note: 1851 Green River Precinct = 46 persons, 11 houses. Some of the children of James Bridger: 1860 Division Thirty Five, Jackson County, MO; P.O. New Santa Fe enumerated 7/31/1860 Scaggs, Ruth 46 [1813-1814] VA, house keeper Andrew 17 [1842-1843] IN John 12 [1847-1848] MO Brudger (sic; with a u rather than an i ), Felix 17 [1842-1843] Utah Terr., Indian Virginia 12 [1847-1848] Utah Terr., Indian Eliza 10 [1849-1850] MO, Indian Bettie (sic) 4 [1855-1856] MO, male, Indian [probably meant to be Billie] Note: Ruth Scaggs was the widow of Michael Scaggs who died 1851. Ruth died 1860. The Scaggs family was enumerated 1850 in Carrol (sic) township, Platte County, MO James Bridger in household of his married daughter Virginia K. and Albert F. Wachman (sic): 1870 Westport Ward 2, Jackson County, MO; P.O. Independence enumerated 8/03/1870 Wachman, Albert F. 35 [1834-1835] Sondershausen [Germany], white, Keeping B Saloon Virginia K. 21 [1848-1849] WY, white, keeping house Bridger, James 69 [1800-1801] VA, white, boarding Mary E. 17 [1852-1853] MO, white, at home William 13 [1856-1857] Dakotah, white, attended school within the year Dulkewety, Charles 34 [1835-1836] Poland, white, domestic servant [see 1880 census] Washman, Charles 13 [1856-1857] MO, black, attended school within the year Albert F. Wachman: Value of Personal Estate 300. James Bridger: Value of Real Estate 6000. Value of Personal Estate 300. 1880 Washington township, Jackson County, MO enumerated 6/17/1880 dwelling 55, family 61 Bridger, James 76 [1803-1804] VA VA VA, Widowed, white, cannot read, cannot write, too old to work, disabled Mary E. 26 [1853-1854] MO VA Cal.(sic), single, 1/2 Indian, at home William 23 [1856-1857] NE VA Cal.(sic), single, 1/2 Indian, farmer McGinnis, Peter 33 [1846-1847] NY Ireland Ireland, single, white, farm laborer Also in the dwelling (dwelling 55, family 62) are: Andrew age 20 farmer and wife M. Nettie age 27 Donahue, both born KY; married within the census year. The next dwelling/family is the household of his married daughter Virginia K. and Albert Wachsman (sic): dwelling 56, family 63 Wachsman, A. 45 [1834-1835] Sondershausen Sond. Sond., white, farmer V.K. 30 [1849-1850] WY Terr. VA Cal.(sic), 1/2 Indian, keeping house Louise 5 [1874-1875] MO Sond. WY Terr., white, at home Dulkeroitz, Chas. 44 [1835-1836] Ru.Poland R.Poland R.Poland, divorced, white, farm laborer [see 1870 census] Note: the three places are the person's birthplace, father's birthplace, mother's birthplace .

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Historical events

• Birthday March 17, 1804
• Day of death July 17, 1881

Same birth/death day

• Also born on March 17
• Also died on July 17

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