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{{Short description|American explorer and author}}
{{Infobox Writer
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see ] -->
| name = Thomas Jefferson Farnham | name = Thomas Jefferson Farnham
| image = | image = Thomas Jefferson Farnham (1804-1848) 1941 1118.jpeg
| imagesize = | imagesize =
| caption = | caption =
| pseudonym = | pseudonym =
| birth_date = 1804 | birth_date = 1804
| birth_place = ] or ] | birth_place = ] or ]
| death_date = ] ] | death_date = September 13, 1848
| death_place = ] | death_place = San Francisco, California
| occupation = Explorer, writer | occupation = Explorer, writer
| nationality = ] | nationality = American
| period = Mid 19th Century | period = Mid-19th century
| genre = American West | genre = American West
| subject = | subject =
| movement = | movement =
| debut_works = | influences =
| influences = | influenced =
| influenced = | signature =
| signature = | website =
| website =
| footnotes =
}} }}
'''Thomas Jefferson Farnham''' (1804-1848) was an explorer and author of the American West in the first half of the 19th Century. His travels included interaction with missionary ], and later led a wagon train on the ]. While in ] he wrote a petition to federal authorities that requested federal protection of the region from the ] government, which was signed by many of the local settlers who had come from the United States. '''Thomas Jefferson Farnham''' (1804–1848) was an explorer and author of the American West in the first half of the 19th century. His travels included interaction with missionary ], and he later led a wagon train on the ]. While in ] he wrote a petition to federal authorities that requested federal protection of the region from the United States government, which was signed by many of the local settlers who had come from the United States.


==Early life== ==Early/Middle life==
In 1804 Thomas Farnham was born in ], in either ] or what would become the state of ].<ref name=Oregon>Corning, Howard M. ''Dictionary of Oregon History''. Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956.</ref> He would then receive an education and moved to ] where became a lawyer.<ref name=Oregon/> Farnham was married in 1836 to Eliza Woodson Burhams, and they would have three children.<ref name=Oregon/> In 1839 he heard a lecture by Jason Lee on ] where Lee had set up a ] to preach to the Native Americans in the ].<ref name=Oregon/> At the time Lee was recruiting more people for the mission.<ref></ref> After this lecture Farnham joined the ] that was headed for Oregon, and became the captain of the group of 19.<ref name=Oregon/> In 1804 Thomas Farnham was born in ], in either ] or what later became the state of ].<ref name=Oregon>Corning, Howard M. (1989). ''Dictionary of Oregon History''. Binfords & Mort Publishing. p. 83.</ref> He then received an education at ] and moved to ], where he became a lawyer.<ref name=Oregon/> Farnham was married in 1836 to ], and they had three children.<ref name=Oregon/> In 1839 he heard a lecture by Jason Lee on ] where Lee had set up a ] to preach to the Native Americans in the ].<ref name=Oregon/> At the time Lee was recruiting more people for the mission.<ref> End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Retrieved on March 2, 2008.</ref> After this lecture Farnham joined the ] that was headed for Oregon and became the captain of the group of 19.<ref name=Oregon/>
The Peoria men called themselves the Oregon Dragoons and carried with them a flag, a gift from Mrs. Farnham, emblazoned with their motto "OREGON or the GRAVE".{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}


==Travels== ==Travels==
Farnham and the Peoria Party traveled the Oregon Trail and arrived at ] along the ] with only five people of the 19 that began the journey.<ref name=Oregon/> The other members of the party deserted the group along the way.<ref name=Oregon/> Farnham wrote a petition for the American settlers while in the region.<ref name=Oregon/> This document was signed by many of the U.S. pioneers, and called on the federal government to extend its jurisdiction over the area in order to protect Americans and their interests.<ref name=Oregon/> At the time the region was uncontrolled by any country, though both the British and Americans had economic interests and citizens in the region.<ref></ref> Captain Farnham and the Oregon Dragoons traveled the Oregon Trail and arrived at ] along the ] with only five people of the 19 that began the journey.<ref name=Oregon/> The other members of the party deserted the group along the way.<ref name=Oregon/> Farnham wrote a petition for the American settlers while in the region.<ref name=Oregon/> This document was signed by many of the U.S. pioneers, and called on the federal government to extend its jurisdiction over the area in order to protect Americans and their interests.<ref name=Oregon/> At the time, the region was uncontrolled by any country, though both the British and Americans had economic interests and citizens in the region.<ref> ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Retrieved on March 2, 2008.</ref>


Thomas Farnham then left the settlements of the Willamette Valley and sailed for the ].<ref name=Oregon/> He then continued his journey of the West and sailed to ].<ref name=Oregon/> In ] he helped to secure the release of some American and English citizens that had been imprisoned by ] government officials, namely by ].<ref name=bio></ref> These citizens involved in the ] of 1840 (around 100 people arrested) had been accused by the Mexican officials of planning a revolt against the Mexican government similar to what had occurred in ].<ref>Charles B. Churchill, Thomas Jefferson Farnham: An Exponent of American Empire in Mexican California. ''The Pacific Historical Review'', Vol. 60, No. 4 (Nov., 1991), pp. 517-537</ref> In 1843 Farnham published his travels and studies of the West in, .<ref name=Oregon/> He also wrote ''Travels in Oregon Territory'', ''Memoir of the Northwest Boundary Line'', ''Travels in California'', and ''Scenes in the Pacific, and Mexico, its Geography, People, and Institutions''.<ref name=bio/> Thomas Jefferson Farnham died in ] on ] ].<ref name=Oregon/> Thomas Farnham then left the settlements of the ] and sailed for the ].<ref name=Oregon/> Returning to the mainland, he landed at ], capital of ].<ref name=Oregon/> While there, Farnham helped to secure the release (in 1841) of a group of Americans, British and ], arrested in Alta California in 1840 and sent by ship to ], then overland to a prison in ]. Governor ], assisted by military commander ],<ref name=early>Thwaites, Reuben Gold. 1906. ''Early western travels, 1748-1846''. Cleveland, Ohio: A.H. Clark Co. Vol. XXVIII, p 13-14.</ref> accused the men, involved in what became known as the ], of plotting a revolt against the Mexican government.<ref>Charles B. Churchill, Thomas Jefferson Farnham: An Exponent of American Empire in Mexican California. ''The Pacific Historical Review'', Vol. 60, No. 4 (Nov., 1991), pp. 517-537.</ref>

During the Graham Affair, Farnham traveled to San Blas, arriving on May 16, 1840, then went on to Tepic to meet with the prisoners. Following the prisoners' release, Farnham continued across Mexico to ].<ref name=early/> In 1841, he moved on to New York City, then to ] for a brief time.<ref name=early/> Farnham later moved to ], before moving back to California in 1846.<ref name=early/> He died in San Francisco, California on September 13, 1848.<ref name=Oregon/> Farnham's widow Eliza moved to ] and went on to become a leading abolitionist, novelist and early feminist.

==Works==
]
* ''Travels in Oregon Territory'' (1842)
* (1843)
* ''Travels in the Californias and Scenes in the Pacific'' (1844)
* ''A Memoir of the Northwest Boundary-Line'' (1845)
* ''Mexico, its Geography, People, and Institutions'' (1846)

==Further reading==
* {{Cite Appletons'|wstitle=Farnham, Thomas Jefferson|year=1900}} For list of works.


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}

==External links==
*

{{Authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 07:00, 9 December 2024

American explorer and author
Thomas Jefferson Farnham
Born1804
Vermont or Maine
DiedSeptember 13, 1848
San Francisco, California
OccupationExplorer, writer
NationalityAmerican
PeriodMid-19th century
GenreAmerican West

Thomas Jefferson Farnham (1804–1848) was an explorer and author of the American West in the first half of the 19th century. His travels included interaction with missionary Jason Lee, and he later led a wagon train on the Oregon Trail. While in Oregon Country he wrote a petition to federal authorities that requested federal protection of the region from the United States government, which was signed by many of the local settlers who had come from the United States.

Early/Middle life

In 1804 Thomas Farnham was born in New England, in either Vermont or what later became the state of Maine. He then received an education at Phillips Academy, Andover and moved to Peoria, Illinois, where he became a lawyer. Farnham was married in 1836 to Eliza Woodson Burhams, and they had three children. In 1839 he heard a lecture by Jason Lee on Oregon where Lee had set up a mission to preach to the Native Americans in the Willamette Valley. At the time Lee was recruiting more people for the mission. After this lecture Farnham joined the Peoria Party that was headed for Oregon and became the captain of the group of 19. The Peoria men called themselves the Oregon Dragoons and carried with them a flag, a gift from Mrs. Farnham, emblazoned with their motto "OREGON or the GRAVE".

Travels

Captain Farnham and the Oregon Dragoons traveled the Oregon Trail and arrived at Fort Vancouver along the Columbia River with only five people of the 19 that began the journey. The other members of the party deserted the group along the way. Farnham wrote a petition for the American settlers while in the region. This document was signed by many of the U.S. pioneers, and called on the federal government to extend its jurisdiction over the area in order to protect Americans and their interests. At the time, the region was uncontrolled by any country, though both the British and Americans had economic interests and citizens in the region.

Thomas Farnham then left the settlements of the Willamette Valley and sailed for the Sandwich Islands. Returning to the mainland, he landed at Monterey, capital of Alta California. While there, Farnham helped to secure the release (in 1841) of a group of Americans, British and Californios, arrested in Alta California in 1840 and sent by ship to San Blas, then overland to a prison in Tepic. Governor Juan Alvarado, assisted by military commander Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, accused the men, involved in what became known as the Graham Affair, of plotting a revolt against the Mexican government.

During the Graham Affair, Farnham traveled to San Blas, arriving on May 16, 1840, then went on to Tepic to meet with the prisoners. Following the prisoners' release, Farnham continued across Mexico to New Orleans. In 1841, he moved on to New York City, then to Wisconsin for a brief time. Farnham later moved to Alton, Illinois, before moving back to California in 1846. He died in San Francisco, California on September 13, 1848. Farnham's widow Eliza moved to Santa Cruz, California and went on to become a leading abolitionist, novelist and early feminist.

Works

Travels in the Californias and Scenes in the Pacific (1844)
  • Travels in Oregon Territory (1842)
  • Travels in the Great Western Prairies (1843)
  • Travels in the Californias and Scenes in the Pacific (1844)
  • A Memoir of the Northwest Boundary-Line (1845)
  • Mexico, its Geography, People, and Institutions (1846)

Further reading

References

  1. ^ Corning, Howard M. (1989). Dictionary of Oregon History. Binfords & Mort Publishing. p. 83.
  2. Jason Lee. End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Retrieved on March 2, 2008.
  3. Oregon Question. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved on March 2, 2008.
  4. ^ Thwaites, Reuben Gold. 1906. Early western travels, 1748-1846. Cleveland, Ohio: A.H. Clark Co. Vol. XXVIII, p 13-14.
  5. Charles B. Churchill, Thomas Jefferson Farnham: An Exponent of American Empire in Mexican California. The Pacific Historical Review, Vol. 60, No. 4 (Nov., 1991), pp. 517-537.

External links

Categories: