The Lambertville record., 1912-12-13
SKETCH OF LIFE OF
GEN. ZEBUL0N M. PIKE
For Whom Local Chapter U. S. Daughters
Of 1912 Is Named.

| hht ShaHttfl LOO iIuHt iidHONtE street.,
| Trenton.
The life of the noted general and ex.
plorer, General Zebuou Montgomery
Pike, should be most interesting to
| Trentonians, as he began his life in
that part of the city formerly known
as Lamberton, January 5, 1910. While
yet child his parents moved to Lum.
berton, Bucks county, Pa, aud after.
wards to Easton. He had only com
mon school education, but as his di-
AIRY kept through all his campaigns
and his comrades testify. he was q
close student and observer all his life.
His father, Zebulon Pike, of the
regular army, was captain of in
fantry during the Revolution, and his
grandfather was famous Indian
fighter.
AT fifteen years our hero entered as
cadet, his fathers regiment, station
ed in the territory of Indiana, aud re-
ceived his first promotion as ensign,
March 0, 1897, at the age of 90, He is
| described at this time to be about 1--WE
feet, eight inches tall, sturdy and ro-
bust. His appearance was military
and his manner even polished, agree
able, but reserved, commanding and
tactful. He was strict discipline
rian and his rapid decisions in emer.
gencies frequently forestalled tedious
courtmsrtials. He was married to
Miss Clarissa Brown, daughter of
General John Brown, of kentucky,
by whom he had three daughters and
sou, who died while child. Only
one daughter lived to womanhood and
she married John Cleve Symmes Har.
rison, son of President William II.
Harrison. She died while still young.
but her mother, Mrs. Pike, is remem.
bered rs a tall, dignified, rather aus.
tere woman, very accomplished, keep
ing her diary in French and always
wearing in company black Canton
crepe shawl and turbau
40 III NJ tiCuttbHhi " tnt FIfHL. III
fantry, Pike was detailed for detached
service and was sent out from st,
Louis in 1875 for the exploration of
the Mississippi river, a mission of
great responsibility, AS there was no
definite knowledge of the newly nc.
quired Louisiana territory in the
n at Il IL La.
sent 10 the far west and Pixies expe.
dition was AZ important, yet its his
tory is not 80 generally known. In
the execution of this expedition he
war expected to perform the duties of
astronomer, surveyor, official clerk,
hunter aud guide and to keep COM
pete history in his diary, which he did
to the letter aud il is very interesting
reading. He travelled up the river,
enduring with fortitude the cold and
privations of the nncivili2ed country
until he reached Leech Lake, very
near Lake Ilaska. On his way he
camped at Picture Rocks on the Iowa
side, opposite Prairie der Chien, Wis,
and the lofty bluff nearby is called
Pixies Tent. While there he held
powwow with the Sioux Indians.
Lieutenant Pike was then ordered to
explore the sources of the Arkansas
and Red Rivers In what is now Colo
rado, the country Of the Osegos, and
nj IN ..nnntltatn "A EnIi.r,
arrange peace between warning tribes.
While there he noted and wrote Of
the lofty peak of the Rockies, now
named Pixies Peak. At Colorado
Springs there is "A monument erected
TO his honor. In each of these expe-
ditions he suffered distressing hard
ships, yet he bore them heroically y with
the faithfnlness Of true soldier TO his
duty.
While on his latter mission, Lieu
tenant Pike aud party were taken
prisoners by the Spaniards, who held
the territory west Of the Rockies, aud
were marched down through Mexico,
with many adventures. He was liber-
ated on reaching Louisiana.
He was also suspected by the Span.
iards of connection with the Aaron
Burr conspiracy to form western re-
public. From the knowledge Of the
Spanish language and the people, ac'
quired while being escorted through
their possessions, Pike now captain
felt his experience would fit him for
service in the event that Spain should
look TO the United States for aid il
she should be overpowered by France
under Napoleon, who was now terror
izing Europe, but these visions. o
usefulness and military distinction
were not TO be realized in that quartz
and he was called npon to fight th,
British in the War Of 1919 az Briga
dier General, 18th Regular u. S
Army.
Early in the conflict, General Pix,
was ordered TO take command Of th,
infantry at Sackett's Harbor, New
| iOTk Dthlbp WulCu HlHut Hu hilhCh VI
Toronto, as narrated in a previous ar
ticle, together with the circumstance
OF his untimely death.
In recognition OF the appreciation
of this hero, besides two monuments
to his memory, one at Colorado
Springs, Col, and the other at hii
tomb at Sackett's Harbor, N. Y, there
are mountain peaks, forts, ships, eoun
ties and towns named for him: Pike'i
Peak, in Colorado, Pixies Tent, 1
high bluff along the: :Mississippi river
in Iowa, Pixies Island at the moutl
OF the Minnesota river and in our ant
his own city, TO bear out the quotation
"a prophet is not without honor saw
in his own country" a narrow thor
oughfare in central location, bn
with degrading appellatIon. A peti
ton has been presented to the CITY
Commission to make change TO "Pik'