Jackson County, Missouri - Chapter 4: The Santa Fe Trade, 1881

Chapter 4: The Santa Fe Trade

Its Origin and Character - Its Real Beginning - The Effect of Steamboats - It Locates at Independence - Changing to Westport - Character and Methods of the Trade - Statistics to 1838.

While this extensive French-Indian and fur trade was being conducted at the French settlement, and while this near-by Indian trade was being developed and conducted at Westport, another interest was being developed, which, in after years, gave the third recognition of the advantages of this angle in the river, for an extensive distributive trade, and contributed largely to the development of Kansas City. This was the once great overland trade with northern Mexico, popularly known as the Santa Fe trade. This trade was for many years of great magnitude and importance, and attracted much attention in all parts of the country. The arrival and departure of the caravans were watched for with as much interest, and were as regularly and scrupulously chronicled by the press, as are the arrivals and departures of steamers at great commercial ports.

Origin Of The Trade

This trade seems to have originated with the Indian traders, or rather they were the first to discover its possibility; and others, mostly American frontiersmen, inaugurated and conducted it until the Mexicans themselves became interested, and formed a considerable portion of those engaged in it. Though popularly known as "The Santa Fe Trade," it was in reality a trade with all the northern provinces of Mexico, Santa Fe being merely the port of entry from the United States.

These northern provinces were of very early settlement. Dr. Gregg, who resided in the country for nine years, and had unusual facilities for historical and statistical research, informs us in his " Commerce of the Prairies," that while the settlements so far north as New Mexico are of traditional and doubtful date, the country was certainly known and inhabited by Spaniards as early as 1550. He found historical statements, though of questionable authenticity, that the country even so far north as Santa Fe, was penetrated and conquered soon after the capture of the City of Mexico by Cortez, and he found a well authenticated record of colonization in the valley of the Rio del Norte, near Santa Fe, or on that ground, as early as 1595.

Whatever may have been the date of the first settlement. New Mexico, Chihuahua and California were defined provinces, setded and populous at the beginning of the present century. The interior, New Mexico, Chihuahua, Durango, Zacaticas and Sonora, were then receiving their supplies of foreign merchandise from the sea coast at Mazatlan, Matamoras, Vera Cruz, Tampico and Guaymas. About this time, the courriers des bois in the employ of the fur companies and Indian traders, pushed westward by the advance of civilization, penetrated far beyond the wooded country from whence they took their name, and traversing the illimitable plains of the West, discovered these settlements, and on their return, reported the fact, and their isolated situation. The prospect of a rich trade with an isolated people, who were then nearer the frontiers of the United States than the existing sources of supply, was too tempting to the adventurous and commercial spirit of the Indian traders and frontiersmen, not to be improved.

Capt. Pike, in his narrative of his explorations in search of the head-waters of Red River, to have been in 1804, when a merchant of Kaskaskia, named Morrison, sent out a French Creole by the name of La Land with a pack of goods on his back, with instructions to traverse the Platte Valley, and if possible penetrate to Santa EjS. The expedition was entirely successful, and La Land reached Santa Fe in safety, but was so well pleased with his success and the county that he never returned, but took up his residence among the Mexicans, and went into business on his employer's capital. Capt. Pike also speaks of a James Pursley who, after wandering for some time, perhaps years, in the unexplored regions of the Northwest fell in with some Indians on the Platte River near the mountains, who told him of New Mexico, and he with a party of the Indians went down to Santa Fe in 1805.

In 1806 Capt. Pike, afterward General Pike, killed at the victory of York, in Upper Canada, in 18 13, was sent to explore the country on Upper Red River, and if possible discover the sources of that stream. Capt. Pike passed around the head of Red River, and crossed the Rio del Norte, which he mistook for the Red River. Believing himself in the territory pf the United States, he went into winter quarters and built a small fortress for the protection of his little party until spring, when he proposed to descend the river to Natchitoches. However, he was in Mexican territory, and not over eighty miles from Sante Fe ; hence the Mexicans soon became aware of his presence, and the governor at Santa Fe sent a party to bring him in. The commandant of this party assured him that the Governor had heard of his presence and his objects, and, learning that he had missed his way, had sent an escort to guide him, and animals to convey his men to a navigable point on the Red River, and would be pleased to see him at Santa Fe, which might be taken in on the way. Trusting to the friendship of the Mexicans, Capt. Pike went with them ; but no sooner had he reached Santa Fe than a different line of treatment was adopted. He was sent with an escort to the commandant-general at Chihuahua, where his papers were seized and he and his men sent under escort to the United States by the way of San Antonio de Bexar.

The First Expeditions

On his return to the United States he published a description of the northern provinces of Mexico and their situation, which proved of the most exciting character. Soon afterward, in 1812, an expedition was fitted out by some parties about Franklin, in Howard county, opposite Boonville. From Dr. Gregg's account it appears that this party, like many that followed in the early years of the trade, conveyed their goods on pack animals. The names of the party are not all known, but among them were Messrs. McKnight. Beard and Chambers. They followed Capt. Pike's route as near as possible, and reached Santa Fe in safety, but here they received treatment which they were little expecting, and for which they were little prepared. Previous to the Declaration of Independence by Hidalgo, in i8io, all trade with Mexico was prohibited, except by permission granted by Spain. These adventurous men, relying upon that declaration believed all restrictions removed until they reached Santa Fe, when they learned to their sorrow that Hidalgo had been captured and executed, and that the royalists, with all their restrictions on trade, were again in power. The party were immediately arrested as spies and sent to Chihuahua, where they were imprisoned for nine years. Their goods were all confiscated. Two of the party escaped in 1821, and made their way back to the United States, and the next year the republican forces under Iturbide having gained the ascendant, the others were all released.

The removal of the restrictions on trade incident to the success of Iturbide encouraged others to launch into it, and in 182 i a Mr. Gillam, who had a trading house at the mouth of the Verdigris River, sent through a small party in perfect safety. The same year Captain Beckwith, with four companions from the vicinity of Franklin, went out to trade with the Indians, but falling in with a party of Mexican rangers, and learning from them of the removal of the restrictions on trade, they pushed their way through to Santa Fe, arriving also in 182 1.

Real Beginning Of The Trade

The profits of those early trading parties were so great, and their reports so flattering and exciting, that the next year, 1822, a large number of parties, with large amounts of merchandise, went out. The isolated situation of the northern provinces at the time caused prices of all imported merchandise to range very high. Common calico sold as hgh as two and three dollars per vara, the Spanish yard of thirty-three inches, and everything else in proportion. In 1822 Col. Cooper and sons, from the vicinity of Franklin, Captain Beckwith and others, conducted expeditions across the unexplored prairies with the greatest hardships and with much suffering. The trade may be said to have been fairly inaugurated that year, and the route so far determined that substantially the same trail was followed for many subsequent years.

Steamboats And Their Effects On The Trade

Steamboats had then just begun to run on the Missouri River. The first boat to arrive at St. Louis was the General Pike, August 2d, 181 7. The first boat on the Missouri River was the " Independence," which ascended the stream in 1819, probably as far as Council Bluffs. She passed Franklin May 28, where a dinner was given to the officers, but we have no record of her dates at points higher up. In August and September of the same year the steamers " Western Engineer," "Expedition" and " R. M. Johnson," ascended the stream with Major Long's scientific party, bound for the Yellowstone.

The Missouri River trade appears to have been attractive to steam-boatmen, but the difficulties of navigation appear to have been quite a restriction. However, this new method of water transportation soon had its effect on the Santa Fe trade, as the traders were only too ready to avail themselves of it to escape the longer transit overland. As their stocks began to be enlarged and their number increased, the boats became valuable in dehvering them at points higher up than Franklin.

It Locates At In Depend F.Nce

The points that at first competed for this trade at this angle of the river were Blue Mills, Fort Osage and Independence. Blue Mills, which was situated about six miles below Independence, soan became the favorite landing point, and the exchange between wagons and boats settled there and defied all efforts to remove it. Independence, being the county seat, was the larger and more important place, and became the American headquarters of the trade and the outfitting point as early as 1832. It continued so until the trade was temporarily suppressed in 1843. Independence preferred Wayne City as a landing point, and made great efforts to secure its adoption. The river front was paved with stone ; still, however, the landing point continued to be at Blue Mills, and the headquarters and outfitting at Independence, which, under the rapidly growing trade, experienced an era of rapid development and great prosperity.

Another Change Of Base

However, Independence was not to be allowed to enjoy a monopoly of the trade for any great length of time. The Mexican traders finding accommodations for themselves at Westport, so much nearer the prairies, where they could herd their teams while awaiting the arrival of their goods at Blue Mills, soon took advantage of that fact. The large numbers of them that stopped there, and the trade they naturally caused, added an additional element to the prosperity of Westport, and there began to be some outfitting done there, but in a smaller way than at Independence. Among the first to avail themselves of the advantages afforded by Westport were such of the old Indian traders as had become engaged in the Mexican trade. Understanding the river and the country, as well as the methods of conducting a frontier trade, better than others engaged in it, they were quick to perceive the advantages to this new trade of a landing nearer to their new headquarters than that at Blue Mills. Knowing the character of the landing at Chouteau's warehouse, and perceiving the advantage of the superior pasturage for their teams on the prairies, and the saving of the eighteen miles haul over wooded roads, they began to land their goods at Chouteau's warehouse. As early as 1834, Messrs. Bent and St. Vrain landed a cargo of goods at this point for the Mexican trade, and for their Indian posts on the plains. Others followed their example, and then a tendency to make headquarters at Westport and use Chouteau's warehouse as a landing place arose and gradually increased, adding the Santa Fe business to that of the Indian and fur trade already done at this place and Westport. It was this tendency more than anything else that suggested the idea of a town where Kansas City now is, and led to the organization of a company for that purpose in 1838, at which time the trade had assumed very large proportions.

Character And Methods Of The Trade

In the earlier years of this great trade, pack animals were largely used for conveyance. The first expeditions, prior to 1822, appear to have been conducted on foot with packs on the backs of the traders, after the fashion of a peddler. In 1822 and 1823, pack animals were mostly used, and in 1824 and 1825, the caravans were composed partly of pack animals and partly of wagons. From 1826 on, only wagons were used. For many years no party started from the border strong enough to feel it safe to attempt the passage alone, hence they adopted the custom of rendezvousing at Council Grove, in what is now the State of Kansas. Here they united in such numbers as to feel safe in attempting the passage, and organized, electing a captain and such minor officers as they deemed requisite. The men engaged in the trade were of the most hardy and courageous class ; and it was well, for their life on the plains was one of peculiar dangers and hardships. From Council Grove to within a few miles of Santa Fe, they were beset with hostile savages. The caravans marched four wagons abreast with guards all round, and were so corralled at night as to form a barricade, which was well guarded. Affrays with the Indians were of frequent occurrence, and many oi the earlier parties lost some of their men, and some were nearly annihilated. Some were compelled to cache their goods, that is, bury them in the earth to keep them ' from falling into the hands of the Indians, and escaped themselves only with the utmost hardships and suffering. Others again were lost for days on the prairie, without water, and nearly famished. One instance is recorded by Dr. Gregg of a party that were saved only by finding a buffalo fresh from a stream to them undiscovered, with stomach full of water, which, after killing the animal, they eagerly drank, and esteemed it the most delicious draught they had ever tasted. Although opening and developing a trade of such vast importance to the United States, and although constantly beset with hostile savages, the government furnished but three military escorts, and these only so far as to the American line, then the Arkansas River/ These escorts were in 1829, 1834 and 1843.

Statistics

Dr. Gregg, in his "Commerce of the Prairies," gives the statistics of this trade from the beginning down to 1843, from which the following table is taken, to show its growth to the close of the year 1837 and its magnitude at that time :

Of the fur and Indians conducted from this center, no statistics were evei preserved; but at the close of 1837, when the Santa Fe trade had reached such proportions as are above given, these others were almost, if not quite, as promi nent.