Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-07-14
TN UNKNOWN PATHS
The Great "Pathfinder" Will
Hereafter Wander.
JOHN @. FREMONT PASSES AWAY.

4 oplden Illness Calls Him to the Undis-
covered Country Whence Men Return
No More-His Public Career Briefly
sketched-How He Won His Wife-His
Expeditions to the Unexplored West
Mexican Treachery Met by Defiance
War Record.
NEW YORK, July l4-Gen. John Charles
Fremont died at his residence 40 West
Twenty street at o'clock yesterday
afternoon. His death was sudden and I'M
expected and resulted from peritonitis.
| DIR. Martin attended him, but was unable
| to afford relief. The general was out on
| Friday, in apparently good health. His
son, who lives at Sing Sing, was notified
of his fathers illness and was able to
reach New York before death occurred
His Career in the West.
Gen Fremont was born Jan. 81, 1913, at
Savannah, Ga, his father being French
immigrant. He was graduated at Charles
ton college, taught mathematics, became
an engineer in the government employ in
the west, received commission as lieu
| tenant of engineers, explored the Rocky
| mountain region and gained great fame
by his successful penetration to the Pa
cific coast through almost incredible
hardships. He took prominent part in
the conquest of California, was elected as
one of the first United States senators
| from that state QS49-5l).
Later Public Services.
| He was the first Republican candidate
| for president, in 1856, served in the Union
army as major general QS61-1S62l; was
nominated for the presidency by the Cleve-
land convention of 1864 but declined the
nomination, and has not since taken an
active part in politics, though he was APP
pointed governor of Arizona in 1873. OF
| late years he has been engaged in promot-
ing southern railroad enterprises. His
wife, formerly Jessie Benton, daughter of
the famous Thomas Benton, of Missouri,
| survives him.
Romance of His Marriage.
1t was while in Washington City max
ing out report of one of his expeditions
that he met Miss Jessie Benton, daughter
of Senator Thomas Benton. An engage
ment followed, but much opposition was
manifested by the girls father on account
of the girl being only Is years of age at
the time, and he secured a peremptory Or
der for Fremont to go into the interior of
the country on an expedition that would
necessitate his remaing away for long
period But the young people were not to
be thwarted, and returning when his work
was finished they were secretly married.
Benton soon forgave them. Mrs Fremont
was very pretty. and now is 50 years old.
Where He Won His Name.
A little more than forty years ago Ere
mont started out with thirty -nine men,
pioneered by Kit Carson, the rover of the
plains. He assembled the mountains to
the headwaters of the Colorado, Travelled
100 miles to Salt Lake City, which had
never before been accurately described
and his descriptions of that region had
their influence over the Mormon settle
ment. He then struck the source of the
Colorado river and went down to the
mouth of the Columbia, and then crossed
over to the Colorado region again and
nearly froze to death in midwinter To
avoid starvation he made his way, with
out guide, it is said, wholly by astro-
nomical observations, to Capt. Suffers
fort on the Sacramento. Half his horses
were dead. He returned to Kansas after
an absence of fourteen months and he
was breveted captain In 1s45.
His Defiance of Mexico.
| The next expedition was to explore the
Sierra Nevada smountains. which were al
most utterly unknown California was then
Mexico, and Monterey was the capital.
Fremont, finding that it was necessary for
him to explore a portion of the Mexican
states in order to get his topography of
the San Francisco basin complete, went to
Monterey and asked permission. The
Mexicans gave it, but with characteristic
suspicion and treachery Immediately re-
voked II and ordered him out of the coun-
try Fremont built fort on a mountain
thirty miles from Monterey, hoisted his
flag, and notified our consul at Monterey,
saying: I'VE have in no wise done wrong
to the people or the authorities of the
country, and if we are harassed and as
saulted here, we will die, every man of us,
under the flag of our country" He subse-
quently marched leisurely into Oregon,
which was our possession.
The Father of Emancipation.
Soon after the breaking out of the war
Fremont became q major general and was
ssigned to the western district. On Aug.
81, 1861, he issued an order emaneipating
the slaves in his district owned by those
| who were in arms against the United
States, which was annulled by the presi-
dent as unauthorized and premature, and
he was relieved o. his command Nov. =,
and three months later he was appointed
commander of the mountain district of
Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee June
s, 1862, he fought an indecisive battle
against Gen. jackson at Cross Keys
When Pope was appointed to the com
mand of the Army of Virginia Fremont
refused to serve under an officer whom he
ranked, and resigned his command and
| took no further part in the war,
| Fought on a Roof and Rolled or