Glacier County chief., 1939-01-13
Henry Vandenburgh's Death Dramatic Episode
of Early-Day Development of States Fur Trade
By ERIC THANE

BY ERIC THANE
Southern Montana in the fur
trade era, was dominated by the
American Fur Co. and the Rocky
Mountain Fur Co. Intense rivalry
existed between the two-rivalry
that At times flared into open and
intense hatred, undetermined war
fare and dangerous intrigue. Most
stirring incident Of the period, un-
important In its bearing upon flu
ture history but vivid chapter
descriptive Of the times. was the
death of Henry Vanderburgh Of
the Amrican Fur Co.
This occurred in 1882. Previously
southern Montana had been crossed by
the Lewis and Clark expedition, which
confirmed the claim of the United
States to the recently purchased
Louisiana territory. On July q, 1905,
the expedition had reached the Three
trek to the Pacific coast: the following
year Captain Clark, having parted
company with Lewis near the present
site Of Missoula, retraced the trail OF
the year before, across southern Mon
tana, to rejoin Lewis at the confluence
Of the Yellowstone with the missouri
in eastern Montana. Lewis and CLARK:
in addition to being the precursors OF
settlement in Montana, opened the
way for the fur trade.
In the spring of 1910 Pierre Menard
set out for Manuel Lisa's trading post
at the mouth of the Big Horn. Menard
was a brother-in-law Of Pierre Chou
teau, the st. Louis fur king. With him
was Andrew Henry, fur trader prom
inent in the annals Of the fur trade.
Menard and Henry established a post
at the Three Forks, but were SO har-
assed by hostile Indians that they were
compelled to abandon their post.
Menard began the return trip to st.
Louis in May, 1910. Henry did not wish
to leave the country altogether. so he
moved south across the continental d.
vide and established himself on the
North fork Of the Snake river.
Teton Basin Rendezvous
In the summer Of 1882 both the
Rocky Mountain and American Fur
Co.'S had their rendezvous in the up.
per part Of what was then called
IL or is miles from Teton pass. Both
fur companies followed the rendezvous
method Of trading and trapping-pre-
yious to a foray into the wilderness for
furs, their trappers and traders would
select a certain meeting place at which
to collect at the end Of the season,
there to turn in their furs Tor trans,
otherwise taste companionship after
lonely months in the wilderness.
william L. Sublette. name famous
in the annals of the fur trade. arrived
in Pierre's Hole with a party OF about
60 men on July 6. With him was Ma,
thaniel P. Wyeth, who is identified
Henry Vanderburgh and Andrew
Dripps, both employees of the American
Fur Co., were also present, Lucien
Fontenelle of the American Fur Co.,
who was coming from Fort Union, es-
tablished on the Missouri near the
present Montana-North Dakota Dor
der, was still behind In the Big Hole
valley. He brought supplies. Captain
Bonneville, famed as the hero of Wash
ington Irving's epic of the west, THE
Adventures of Captain Bonneville,
was headed for the rendezvous, but
was still in the valley Of the Platte;
In Pierre's Hole, in addition to the
white men, were several hundred IN
Perce tribe, and of the confederated
tribes of the F1athead-the Salish,
Kootenai and Pend O'Reille.
This was the setting for the death
of Henry Vanderburgh of the Amer
lean Fur Co. The company was Still
a comparative stranger in the noun
tains. Jim Bridger and Thomas F1tz-
patrick, experienced leaders of the
Rocky Mountain company; had decid-
headwaters Of the Missouri, where re-
ports indicated a heavy crop OF fur.
Vanderburgh and DrippS, knowing that
Bridger and Fitzpatrick had inside in
formation concerning the Whereabouts
of the best fur, had been following
the pair, and repeated efforts on the
part of Bridger and his partners to
Shake off the pursuers had failed.
Meet in Pierres Hole
Tho four mot fare tn fare in Plerre'S
Hole. Bridger and Fitzpatrick, wanting
no trouble and having no desire to
have their territory cut in on, pro-
posed a division of the fur country
with their rivals. Vanderburgh and
Dripps refused. These two were handi-
capped by lack of supplies. Lucien
Fontenelle having not arrived WIN
desperate straits as concerned the state
of their equipment. Bridger and Fitz-
patrick put their heads together and
decided to take advantage of their
rivals unpreparedness. They collected
their equipment, in secret, and pre-
pared to leave.
Vanderburgh and Dripps, being no
fools, sensed Bridger's aim to give them
the slip, and set out in haste for Green
river to learn what had happened to
Fontenelle and the supplies. They left
Pierre's Hole on Aug. or 2, and ar
rived on Green river the 9th. They
found Fontenelle in camp four miles
above Captain Bonneville. Quickly
headed to overtake Bridger and Fitz-
patrick, whom they believed to be
somewhere on the headwaters OF the
Missouri by now.
Their Quitting took time and it was
not until four days later that they
were on the trail. They passed through