Thomas James (1782–1847) was a trapper and hunter who took part in the expedition with the
Missouri Fur Company that was contracted by
Meriwether Lewis to safeguard the
Mandan
The Mandan are a Native American tribe of the Great Plains who have lived for centuries primarily in what is now North Dakota. They are enrolled in the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation. About half of the Mandan still re ...
Chief Shehaka back to his tribe up the Missouri River. During the expedition he traded with Indians and hunted Beaver in the Rocky Mountains. James was also enlisted with the Illinois militia and held command over the spy battalion during the
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans led by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis (Fox), and Kickapoos, known as the " British Band", cros ...
.
Early life and career
Thomas James was of
Welsh descent, born in Maryland in 1782. His father was Joseph Austin James and his mother was Elizabeth Hosten. In 1803, the family went in search of a new home in the West, living in various locations at
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
, and
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
, until reaching
Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
in 1807 near
Florissant.
During this time,
Lewis and Clark returned from their expedition, bringing with them the
Mandan
The Mandan are a Native American tribe of the Great Plains who have lived for centuries primarily in what is now North Dakota. They are enrolled in the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation. About half of the Mandan still re ...
Indian
Chief Shehaka
Sheheke, Sheheke-shote, translated as White Coyote, and also known as Coyote or Big White (1766–1812), was a Mandan chief.
His names is also at times spelled Shahaka.
Sheheke was at the time of the arrival of Merriweather Lewis and William C ...
from the
Upper Missouri to visit the "Great Father" at
Washington City. When Lewis was appointed Governor of
Missouri Territory
The Territory of Missouri was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 4, 1812, until August 10, 1821. In 1819, the Territory of Arkansas was created from a portion of its southern area. In 1821, a southea ...
, he sent Chief Shehaka up the Missouri with an escort of about 40 United States troops under the command of
Captain Prior. On their arrival to the country of
Rickarees, a warlike Indian tribe attacked the Mandans and killed eight or ten soldiers while the rest retreated with Shehaka to St. Louis. With the formation of the
Missouri Fur Company, an expedition was proposed to head up the Missouri and into the
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico ...
during Spring of 1809. Governor Lewis contracted with the company to convey the Mandan Chief back to his tribe for the sum of $10,000. Thomas James enlisted in this expedition and the money was raised for trading with the Indians and
trapping
Animal trapping, or simply trapping or gin, is the use of a device to remotely catch an animal. Animals may be trapped for a variety of purposes, including food, the fur trade, hunting, pest control, and wildlife management.
History
Neolithi ...
Beaver along the headwaters of the Missouri and Columbia rivers. The total party consisted of 350 men.
After the expedition, he started a career in
milling. He purchased Kinney's Mill near the village of New Design in
Monroe County, Illinois. This location was known for a time as
"James' Mill." and later became known as
Monroe City, Illinois.
[Combined History of Randolph, Monroe and Perry Counties, Illinois, J. L. McDonough & Co., Philadelphia, 1883]
In 1825, he was elected as a general in the Illinois militia, becoming also a member of the Illinois legislature, where he served between 1826 and 1828. In 1827 he was also appointed
postmaster at the town of James' Mills and kept the position for many years.
Black Hawk War
James served as a
major in the
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans led by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis (Fox), and Kickapoos, known as the " British Band", cros ...
, having a "spy battalion" under his command that was composed of three companies. They were led by Captain Daniel Price, Peter Warren, and Thomas Harrison.
Albert Sidney Johnson signed orders designating Thomas James as a
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
during the war.
Death
At the close of the war, James returned to his former employments and died at Monroe City in December 1847.
Works
A year before his death, he published the work ''Three Years Among the Indians and Mexicans'' as a memoir of expeditions as a hunter and trapper, wherein he details the a literary illustration of the character and customs of the Indians and Mexicans, accounting too of the battles he found himself in.
Further reading
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Thomas
1782 births
1847 deaths
People from Illinois