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Snake Fort[edit]

The overland Astor Expedition are believed to be the first whites to explore the future site of the first Fort Boise (located on the Boise River about seven miles from its mouth) searching for a suitable location for a fur trading post in 1811.

John Reid, an Astorian, and a small party of Pacific Fur Company traders established an outpost near the mouth of the Boise in 1813 and were promptly massacred by Indians. Marie Dorion, the wife of one those killed, and her two children escaped and traveled more than two hundred miles in deep snow toward friendly Walla Walla Indians on the Columbia.^[1] The explorer and mapmaker David Thompson of the North West Company (NWC) called the Boise "Reids River" and his outpost "Reids Fort" on a 1818 map.^[2]

Donald Mackenzie, a former Astorian representing the North West Fur Company, established a post in 1819 at or near the same location as Reid but was was abandoned because of Indian hostilities.

On 3-May-1834, chief factor John McLoughlin informed the Hudson's Bay Company that he had outfitted Thomas Mckay, his stepson, to trade with the American trappers. Archivist of the Hudson's Bay Company believe that the venture was private in nature even though McKay was employed as a clerk for the company.^[3] McKay and his party intended to trade at the Rendezvous at Hams Fork but arrived late. At Soda Springs on 8/July/1834, he encountered Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth whose party was traveleing to the Snake near the Portneuf to establish a trading post. After spending some time with Wyeth during the construction of Fort Hall McKay departed with Jason Lee who was leading a group of missionaries with their cattle to Fort Vancouver on 30/July/1834. The missionaries traveled with McKay as far as Three Island Crossing where on 16/Aug/1834 he informed them that he was traveling to the mountains to trap beaver, trade with the Indians and would remain in that part of the country until March.^[4] Some historians claim McKay was sent by McLoughlin to establish Fort Boise in 1834 in order to challenge the newly built Fort Hall^[5], while others believe McKay established Fort Boise on his own initiative.^[6] In any case, it would be 1837 before the HBC would take control of McKay's establishment called Snake Fort and rename it Fort Boise.^[3]

When McKay established Snake Fort is unknown, but it may have been before Oct/1834 when McLoughlin learned that he was spending the winter on the Boise and sent John Finlay to join him.^[3] McKay would remain on the Boise until 14/April/1835.^[3] The HBO's Snake Brigades of trappers would continue for the next several years led by Ermatinger, Payette, McLeod, and McKay with the latter trading with the Indians and Americans with goods purchased from the HBO and Fort Hall.^[7] It is apparent that the HBO deemed McKays Snake Fort advantageous when McLoughlin wrote on 7-May-1836: "The only reason we allow Mr. McKay to estabilish River Boisse is because Fort Hall draws the trade away from Nez Perces..." ^[3] The most notable persons to visit Snake Fort were the Spalding and Whitman missionary party in 1836. Mckay and John McLeod, a chief trader of the HBC, met the missionaries at the Green River Rendezvous and McLeod agreed to pilot the party to Walla Walla. The Whitman-Spalding Party, which included the first white women to travel over the South Pass, the first wagon to travel over the rockies to Fort Hall (the wagon was damaged near Fort Hall and was converted to a two wheeled cart) and Snake Fort on the Boise, and a number of horned cattle. The party arrived at Snake Fort 12,July,1836 and after resting a few days sans five injured cattle and their cart.

Time Line of Events[edit]

(1) HBC Archievs

(2) Towsend Journal (http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/html/townsend/chap5.html)

(3) Thomas McKay

(4) Wyeth 1834 Journal (http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/html/wyeth2.html)

(5) Wyeth Correspondence (http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/html/wyethltr.html#24)

(6) Letters and Journal of Mrs. Narcissa Prentiss Whitman, 1836 (http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/html/nwhitman.html) (http://books.google.com/books?ct=result&id=REgFAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22snake+fort%22&pg=PA76&lpg=PA76&q=fort+hall#PPA70,M1)

3/may/1834: Mcloughlin notifies Ermatinger that he has outfitted mcKay to trade with Americans. HBC says it is a private venture.(1)
8/July/1834: Mckay meets Wyeth. Late for rendezvous at Hams Fork.(2)
30/July/1834 McKay, Lee with missionaries, and cattle leave Fort Hall.(2)
16/Aug/1834 At Three Islands Crossing, Mckay departs missionaries, supplying them with flour and venison.(3)
6/Aug/1834 With Fort Hall complete, Wyeth begins travel to Fort Vancouver.(4)
2/Sept/1834 Wyeth overtakes Lee & party at Fort Walla Walla. Is informed that McKay remained in the mountains.(4)
20/Sept/1834 Wyeth receives fresh horses from McKay's foreman at McKays farm.(4)
23/Sept/1834 Wyeth arrives at Fort Vancouver & made arrangements in regard to trade.(4)
13/Oct/1834 McLoughin advises P.C. Pambrum that McKay and his men expect to winter at River Boise and that John Finlay was to join him.(1)
15/April/1835 McKay returns to Fort Vancouver. Tells McLoughlin that he had established a place on the Racine amese (bitterroots in Eastern ID)(3)
29/Aug/1835 McKay returns to Snake Country. Payette to join McKay and take the place of Finlay.(1)
30/Sept/1835 McKay will spend the winter at Fort Hall.(1)
2/March/1836 Payette letter to Mcloughlin from the River Boise: returns are very good, McKay towards the Blackfoot River, had not heard from him since Oct/1835.(1)
5/May/1836 Wyeth offers to work the Rocky Mountains and Mexico for the HBC using Fort Hall as the center of the operation.(5)
7/May/1836 McLoughin instructs Chief Trader John McLeod to travel to Snake Fort and receive McKay's returns. McKay is to proceed to the American Rendezvous and dispose of his goods.(1)
10/May/1836 McLoughin tells McLeod that McKay can charge his goods either to his own account or to the HBC. (1)
25/June/1836 Simpson wrote to McLoughin informing him that all future parties sent to the Snake Country were to be equiped with on the Companies account{HBC} only. These instructions were passed on to McKay. (1)
12/July/1836 The Whitman-Spalding Party, which includes the first white women to travel over the South Pass, meet McLeod and McKay of the HBC at the Green River Rendezvous. McLeod offers to pilot the Party to Walla Walla.(6)
30/July/1836 Mcleod, McKay and Party arrive at Fort Hall where they are treated with a meal with vegetables (turnips) grown in the Fort garden. The front axle of their small wagon broke shortly before arrival and it was made into a two wheeled cart.(6)
19/Aug/1836 Arrive at Snake Fort after having numerous mishaps involving their cart. The party rest a few days with Spalding giving a sermon on Sunday.(6)
22/Aug/1836 McLeod and party depart Snake Fort for Walla Walla sans five injured cattle and their troublesome cart. McKay remais at Snake Fort.(6)
14/April/1837 The HBC takes control of McKay's Snake Fort and refer to it as Fort Boise. McLoughin orders McLeod to the American Rendezvous and instructs him to remind McKay that he is prohibited to outfit on his own account. If Wyeth presents an order, it will be honored if he agrees to hunt outside of the HBC limits.(1)
June/1837 The Northern Department Council of the HBC appointed John McLeod in charge of the Snake Expedition and Donald McLean Postmaster of Fort Boise.(1)

References[edit]

Bird, Annie Laurie (1975), Boise, The Peace Valley, Parma, Idaho: Caxton Printers LTD
Bird, Annie Laurie (1990), Old Fort Boise, Parma, Idaho: Old Fort Boise Historical Society, OCLC 962624
Bird, Annie Laurie (1972), Thomas McKay, Parma, Idaho: Old Fort Boise Historical Society, OCLC 962624
Eells, Myron (1909), Marcus Whitman, Pathfinder and Patriot, The Alice Harriman Company
Fisher, Vardis; Federal Writers' Project (1938), Idaho Encyclopedia, Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers, Ltd, OCLC 962624
Beal, Merrill D. (1953), History of Idaho, New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co, OCLC 6565869 {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
Hudson's Bay Company Archives (1934), Notes on material relating to Francois Payette and Fort Boise, Boise, Idaho: Idaho Historical Library micro film # MF51 {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)