Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-07-17
FREMONT DEAD.
Death of the Celebrated Pathhnd-
er at Ripe Age.
his END QUITE UNEXPECTED.
His wife Away in California-The Generate
Remarkable Career and Unique
Position I'm American
History.

NEW York, July 14-General John
C. Fremont died at his home in this city
at four o'clock yesterday afternoon
His death was very sudden and was
caused by peritonitis. General Fremont
was out on Friday and appeared to oe
in good health. His son was notified
by telegraph of his fathers death.
Those present at the time of the death
were his son, LieutenantF. c Fremont
Us N. and Dr. Morton. Mrs. General
Fremont and daughter are in Los An
Reles, Cal, and another son, Captain
Fremont, is at Fort Smelling, Mimi At
the house last night we're Colonel Por-
ter and Mrs. Porter, who was the Cen
erals adopted daughter. General FIRE.
mont was seventy-seven years and SIX
months old yesterday.
John Charles Fremont was one OF the
noted characters in later American history
He was born at Savannah, Ga, January Il,
1919 He graduated at Charleston College
and entered the army as Second Lieutenant
For two years he taught mathematics on
board the sloop -of-war Natchez, received
his degree In 1885 and soon after passeu
rigorous examination for the post OF pro-
fessor of mathematics in the navy, and was
aDDOinteQ TO the NS's
resolving to Quit the sea, he turned his at
tention to civil engineering, and was en-
ployed in the Mississippi survey and similar
undertakings In 1910 he received from
President Van Buren, a commission as
Second Lieutenant in the corps OF topo'
graphical engineers, and was ordereu 10
make an examination OF the river Des
Moines upon the Western frontier
He now proposed to penetrate the Rocky
mountains, and his plans being approved
of, he reached and explored the South pass
| in 1872 and he discovered the route TO Call-
fOrnia, since followed by thousands
lofty peak which he ascended, lS, 100 feet
above the sea, is now called Fremont
Peak. His report of the expedition was
| laid before Congress in the winter of 1928
| and attracted great attention both at home
and abroad. He Immediately planned sec
ond exnedition and determined to survey
| the then unknown region lying between the
| Rocky mountains and the Pacific ocean.
He commenced his journey In May, ls4S
| explored the Kansas river, crossed the
South pass, and after 17O0 miles of travel
ing, came, on September 6, in sight OF the
great Salt lake, of which very vague and er-
roneous notions were entertained he Sc
lected a route leading to the upper Col
| orado, through an almost unknown region,
| crossed by rugged mountain ridges After
suffering the greatest hardships he deter
| the United States, and when he could get no
Indian to guide him across the snow-coV-
| cred mountains which lay between him ana
| the valleys of California, he boldly under
| took the passage without a guide. He ac-
complished it in forty days, reaching Sut-
ter's Fort on the Sacramento early in March,
with his men almost reduced to skeletons.
| In consideration of his valuable services
| Fremont was brevette1 Captain in January,
| 1915, and in the spring of the same year set
| ont on a third expedition to explore the
| great basin and the maritime region OF Cal
| ifornia. Ratpok part in the war with Mex i
| CO. and clenTed the north part of California
| from Mexican troops In lS4S he started
| on a fourth expedition, at his own expense,
| trying to fad practicable passage to Call
fornia along the upper waters of the Rio
| Grande. In attempting to cross the great
| Sierra covered with snow, his guide lost his
| way, and FremOnt's party encoun cred hor-
| rible suffering being even driven to canni-
| balism to support life, and osing one-third
| of their numbers. In 1919 he settled in Cali
| fornia.
| He received in 1856 the first nomination
| ever made by the Republican party for
| President In 1861 he was made Il Major
| General, and in 1862 was in action in Ken
| tucky and Virginia In 1878 he was appointed
| Governor of Arizona. lie held the position
| until 1881.
| His later years have been spent in quiet
| retirement during whicl he devoted his
| life TO preparing memoirs of his life.