Peter Weiser

The Weiser Museum, home to the Snake River Heritage Center.   

Even though Peter Weiser was a member of the permanent party of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, not a lot is known about Weiser since he is rarely mentioned in the journals.

We do know he served as a cook, quartermaster, and hunter, and was a part of the court martial that tried John Newman for mutiny in October 1804. Weiser was also confined to his quarters for 10 days during the winter at Camp River Dubois, when he and three other men defied Sergeant John Ordway’s order to mount guard duty and instead headed to a local whiskey shop to get drunk.

Born in Tulpehocken, Pennsylvania, on October 3, 1781, to John Philip and Barbara Weiser, he officially enlisted in the Corps on January 1, 1804 at Camp Dubois.

Following his discharge from the Corps, Weiser went to work as a fur trader for Manuel Lisa. He was recorded as being at Fort Raymond in July 1808 and known to be in the Three Forks of the Missouri area between 1808-1810. The exact date and place of his death is unknown, but one theory states he was part of the group, including George Drouillard, that was killed by Blackfeet at Lisa’s trading post in 1810.

Weiser, about 75 miles northwest of Boise, is a rural community of approximately 5,500 located in western Idaho and is home to the National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest and Festival. Located at the confluence of the Weiser and Snake Rivers, it enjoys a mild climate, with farm, orchard, and livestock endeavors in the vicinity.

Alt Text: A three-story white stone building with a red roof. In the center of the building is a taller clock and bell tower. Steps lead to the building’s entrance, within the center section.