Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Kindred Spirits





Jig Jum reminds me of my uncle Louis Savage. It would be great if they could meet but I don't think that day will ever come, except right here on this blog.

My grandfather commented that Jig Jum also reminds him of his Great Great Uncle Joe Walker.  According to Guv, back in the 1840s Old Joe was what was called a Mountain Man of the Rocky Mountains, which were then remote obviously. They mostly trapped beavers. When they had enough skins they would come down out of the mountains to sell them, spend all their money, and then go back to trapping.  They were fond of the Indians but wary of them stealing their pelts, guns, and knives.  Some of their friends married Indian women.  Old Joe was respected by all of his compatriots and he guided emigrant parties from time to time on both the Santa Fe Trail and the Oregon Trail.  The book The Oregon Trail, by David Dary, describes Old Joe Walker guiding a party of emigrants from Kansas to California, blazing a new trail through the Sierra Nevada Mountains using a newly found pass which is still called Walker Pass.  It is at about 5,250 feet elevation, south of Owens Peak in modern Kern County, California.  The book also describes Old Joe's encounter with Peg Leg Smith at his trading post in Idaho.  Old Joe held his foot while it was cut off after he had been shot by an Indian.

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