THE PATHFINDER
Cobblestone American History Magazine for Kids|October 2023
One man in particular provided information about the route to Oregon Country. He was explorer, soldier, and politician John Charles Frémont.
Elizabeth Howard
THE PATHFINDER

Frémont was born on January 21, 1813, in Georgia. He was only a boy when his father died. His family then moved to Charleston, South Carolina. There, he attended the College of Charleston and developed a talent for mathematics.

Frémont was aided by people who were well connected. Prominent South Carolina politician Joel R. Poinsett helped him get a position as a mathematics teacher aboard a U.S. Navy ship. Frémont then worked on a railroad survey between South Carolina and Ohio.

By 1838, Poinsett was the U.S. secretary of War. He arranged for Frémont to get an army commission as second lieutenant in the U.S. Topographical Corps. Frémont joined an expedition led by French scientist Joseph Nicolas Nicollet. They were sent to survey and map the upper Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Nicollet was skilled in the fields of geology, topography, and astronomy. He shared his knowledge with Frémont, who discovered he enjoyed wilderness surveying.

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