The next expedition to be noticed came also from Santa Fé under the command of David E. Jackson, formerly a partner of Sublette, but now associated with Young and Waldo. He left Santa Fé in September 1831, with nine hired men and a negro slave. His purpose was to purchase mules in California for the Louisiana market, and he brought, besides letters from Young and Hook to Cooper, a large amount of silver for that purpose. Coming by way of Santa Rita, Tucson, and the Gila, he reached San Diego in November, starting on his return in February 1832. I have several of his letters to Captain Cooper. The only member of Jackson's party who is known to have remained in California was J. J. Warner.[1] It should be noted that some members of all these early parties, after returning to New Mexico, came back to live in California in later years; and these men are accustomed to date their pioneership from the year of their first visit, as I would gladly do if it were possible to ascertain the names and dates.
Ewing Young started on his second trip to California from Taos in September 1831, but as he trapped the Gila and other streams on the way, he did not reach Los Angeles until April 1832. He had with him thirty men, most of whom, with Jackson's party, were soon sent back to New Mexico in charge of the mules and horses purchased, not so many as the partners had hoped to obtain, and part of which were lost in fording the Colorado. Owing to defective traps, Young's beaver catch had not been large, and he resolved to retrieve his fortunes by a hunt in California,
- ↑ Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxx. 237, 241, 280; xxxi. 4; Warner's Remin., MS., 11-15, 42-3 There are 2 or 3 men in the arrivals of 1831, not otherwise accounted for, who may have come with Jackson or Wolfskill. Such are Braun, Gibson, Cebet, Romero, and Pardo. There are many newspaper items in which Warner's arrival this year is mentioned, with no details. Dye, Recollections, MS., also relates from memory the fitting-out of Jackson's party.
nia, were Samuel Shields, Francis Z. Branch, John Rhea, Zacarias Ham, François le Fourri, Baptiste St Germain, Bautista Guerra, and Juan Lobar. Eight of the 11 are mentioned under date of April 1831, in Dept. Rec., MS., ix. 95. A Mr Cooper is named in the Story, etc., as one of the company. Which of the Coopers is not apparent.
