What did William Becknell do for Kansas?
In his venture from Missouri in 1822, Becknell pioneered a new route. After moving south from the Missouri River to the Arkansas, he followed the latter only to around the site of the present Dodge City, Kansas.
Why did William Becknell make the Santa Fe Trail?
The Santa Fe Trail began in 1821 when William Becknell took trade items west and found a ready market in Mexico. He passed through this area before the village of Independence was platted in 1827 as the county seat for newly formed Jackson County.
Who were some famous people who traveled the Santa Fe Trail?
People of the Santa Fe Trail
- Jim Baker, mountain man.
- The Kanza or Kaw Indians.
- George C. Sibley.
How was Becknell received into New Mexico?
He left Franklin, Missouri, with four companions in September 1821 on his first trip to the western US with a load of freight to deliver to Santa Fe, New Mexico. He traveled via what would become known as the Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail.
What did they eat on the Santa Fe Trail?
For Western Indian tribes, food staples included cornmeal, sunflower-seed meal, acorns, and deer, buffalo and dog, he says. Indian delicacies included buffalo hide shavings cooked with chokecherries.
What problems did the travelers face on the Santa Fe Trail?
While some travelers made the trip without incident, the unforgiving climate, illness, mechanical failures, starvation, dehydration, and the potential for violent encounters created an array of challenges to prepare for and overcome. While some struck it rich, others lost their fortunes, their health, or their lives.
What Native nations were impacted by the Santa Fe trail use?
Although Becknell in 1822 encountered only three tribes, some dozen different tribes lived and hunted along the 800-plus miles of the Santa Fe Trail. Besides the Osage, Kansa, and Comanche, others included the Pawnee, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, Kiowa (or Plains) Apache, Ute, Jicarilla Apache, and Pecos Pueblo.
How long did it take William Becknell to sell everything they had in Santa Fe?
They reached Santa Fe in forty-eight days instead of the grueling seventy-seven days experienced on the first trip. There they quickly sold all of their goods and were back in Franklin by October 15, 1822. This time Becknell had hit the jackpot.
Who was William Becknell?
William Becknell was a frontiersman, trader, soldier, and politician who i s credited with opening the Santa Fe Trail in 1821 Becknell was born in Amherst County, Virginia, around 1788 to Micajah and Pheby Landrum Becknell.
What did William Becknell do on the Santa Fe Trail?
William Becknell – Father of the Santa Fe Trail. He left Franklin, Missouri with four companions in September, 1821 on his first trip to the western US with a load of freight to deliver to Santa Fe, New Mexico. He traveled via what would be come known as the Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail.
Where can I find information on Becknell Becknell’s ancestry?
Ancestry Library.com and Ancestory.com provided access to census and other records dating back as far as 1714 and useful to establish Becknell’s name, ancestry and descendents. This site is a subscription site accessed by me at the New Mexico Archives in Santa Fe.
Where can I read more about Becknell’s experience on the trail?
For serious readers who would like an overview of the whole story related to Becknell, his experiences on the Trail can be better appreciated by reading the “Story of the Santa Fe Trail” which is also included in this web site.