James Beckwourth Research Paper

James Beckwourth passed away October 29, 1866 of mysterious causes along the Bighorn River. He was born in Virginia on April 6, 1798. He was the third child of thirteen children. His mother was an African American slave and his father was English. James was born into slavery and became free when he was an adult. During his younger years he was a blacksmith and later in life he went to work for the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. James married two different women, they were both Blackfoot Indian women, with no children. James loved being in the outdoors. He started trapping in 1824, in the Rocky Mountains. One day, while James was trapping, he was captured by Crow Indians. He stayed with the Indians for six years. The Crows made him a chieftain and called him “Bulls Robe.”James became an important warrior. …show more content…
When he left and returned to civilization, he opened two trading posts. James also helped found the town of Pueblo, Colorado. In 1842 he fought in the Seminole War and in 1846 he fought in the California Revolution. While traveling he discovered a trail called the Beckwourth’s Pass. It was mostly used for wagons in 1855. He discovered the trail when he was on his expedition to California that helped pioneers and gold seekers through the pass safer. He loved to tell stories about his adventures. He published his stories in 1855 about his adventures that took him from the everglades of Florida to the Pacific Ocean and from Southern California to Northern Mexico. His book was called “The Life and Adventures of James P. Beckwourth”. James last adventure was in 1866 when he fought in the Cheyenne