Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-07-01

/ this, my friends, feel myself under
great obligations to you. Many Of you
have served with me personally, and
| | shall always be proud TO testify to
the fidelity with which you have stood
| by me through all danger, and the
friendly and brotherly feeling which
| you have ever, one and all, evlnced
toward me. For these faithful and de-
| voted services I wish you TO accept
my thanks; the gratitude that ex-
press to you springs from my heart
and will ever retain n lively hold on
my feelings.
My friends! am now about to leave
you, to take up my abode In st. Louis.
Whenever any OF you return thither,
your first duty must be to call at my
house, to talk over the scenes OF peril
we have encountered, and partake OF
the best cheer my table can afford.
now wash my hands of the tolls of
the Rocky mountains. Farewell noun
taineers and friends! May God bless
you allw
on September %, 1926 there APP
peared In the Missouri Republican the
following news item: General Ash
ley and his party have arrived at
st. Louis from the Rocky mountains
with 125 packs Of beaver valued Mt
100000" This was the valedictOry OF
Ashley. the adventurer and fur trader.
At this point his career as one Of
MssourI's most distinguished citizens
began. He became large land owner
by the purchase of q tract OF 10000
arpens ian old French land measure
which varied widely, according TO the
locality, an area ten miles long and
six miles wide This was the famous
"ChouteauLamlne" claim, given orig
inally by the Usage Indians in 1892
to Maj. Pierre Chouteau, brother Of
Auguste Chouteau, one OF the founders
OF st. Louis. Chouteau's title was
confirmed by the Spanish lieutenant
governor Of Upper Louisiana, Charles
DeHaulte Delassus, In 1899. but when
this country came under the flag Of
the United States by the Louisiana
purchase there was some dispute as
to whether or not the new rulers
would recognize the title. Ashley was
then member Of congress and through
his efforts the title was confirmed by
an act Of congress on July 4, 1895.
ChOuteau later sold the entire tract
to Ashley for s1.25 an acre.
Ashley made HIS home on this grant
on high blum overlooking the Mis-
souri, and Lamine rivers, surrounded
by a number Of Indian mounds. He
was married three times but at the
time Of his death In 1898 he left no
According to tradition,
when he felt that death was near, he
walked along the river bluffs looking
FOR a site for his last resting place.
His selection was the top of one OF
he Indian mounds in a bend OF the
liver, overlooking the wide sweep OF
he Missouri against whose muddy
stream he had set forth upon his
adventure" and down
which had come the boatloads Of furs
o bring him his vast fortune. There
re was buried.
Although the school histories have
neglected him, Ashley's deeds have
)een recorded In Capt. Hiram Chitten-
lens monumental "History Of the
american Fur Trade Of the Far
Vest" In Professor Dale's scholarly
'tudy, In J. Cecil Alters fine bIog-
Apply James Brldger," in Nelhardts
'agas and In the writings Of that
lppreclatiye historian Of. the Old West,
Emerson Hough. Missouri now pro
,oses to erect In his honor a more
'nduring memorial than the printed
,age and 1t Is project in which all
can have a sympathetic
interest