Wednesday, June 4, 2014

The Journal Of Jacob Fowler





Major Jacob Fowler's great-granddaughter (on her maternal side) was Mrs. Ida Symmes Coates (of Louisville, Kentucky), daughter of Americus Symmes, who was named in the introduction to the diary.  Her mother was Frances Scott [daughter of Major Chasteen Scott] and Ida's grandmother was Abigail Fowler, Jacob Fowler's only daughter.

Major Fowler was born in New York [or New Jersey in 1764] in 1765, and came to Kentucky early in life.  He was an accomplished surveyor.

About 1821 Fowler went further west from the Fort Smith, Arkansas, area.

...we arrive at the following approximately correct roster of the party : 
1. Colonel Hugh Glenn, in command. 
2. Major Jacob Fowler, the journalist, second in command. 
3. Robert Fowler, brother of Jacob Fowler. 
4. Baptiste Roy, interpreter. 
5. Baptiste Peno. (French name, no doubt misspelled.) 
6. George Douglas. 
8. Bono. (French name, no doubt misspelled, possibly Bonhomme.) 
9. Barbo. (French name, no doubt misspelled, possibly Barbu.) 
10. Lewis Dawson. (Fatally injured by a bear, Nov. 13, 1831; died Nov. 16.)
11. Taylor. 
12. Richard Walters. 
13. Eli Ward. 
14. Jesse Van Bieer. 
15. Slover. 
16. Simpson. 
17. Dudley Maxwell. 
18. Findley. 
19. Baptiste Moran. 
20. Paul, a negro belonging to Jacob Fowler.

The most interesting of the above names is that of Nathaniel Pryor, of whose identity with the sergeant of Lewis and Clark I have no doubt: see L. and C, ed. of 1893, p. 254, delete the query there, and add: Nathaniel Pryor of Kentucky became an Ensign of the U. S. Army Feb. 27, 1807; Second Lieutenant May 3, 1808; resigned April 1, 1810 ; was appointed First Lieutenant of the 44th Inf. Aug. 30, 1813; promoted to be Captain Oct. 1, 1814; and honorably discharged June 15, 1815. 


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