First White Men

Ewing Young Expedition hunting band

Permission obtained from Alan Brodnax Jr. Southwest Desert Images. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9rrm5tuE-8

The Ewing Young Expedition in Tonto Basin

Ewing Young's 1827-28 expedition into the Gila area faced severe challenges when Apaches ambushed the group, resulting in the death of 18 out of 24 trappers. Despite this setback, Young decided to organize another expedition in 1828-29, which featured Kit Carson, a young and talented trapper. To avoid trouble with Mexican authorities monitoring him since a previous smuggling incident, Young moved north from Taos toward U. S. Territories before turning back to the pueblo of Zuni, then into the White Mountains and up the Salt River. Seeking revenge against the Apaches from the previous year, Young successfully attacked them and then trapped up the Verde River before splitting his group. He sent some team members back to Taos with furs before taking 17 men, including Carson, to explore California.

The expedition faced difficulties crossing the Mohave Desert but reached Mission San Gabriel in early 1830. Young was impressed by California, noting the abundance of beavers in the San Joaquin Valley and superior horses and mules in the Central Valley. Instead of risking transporting furs back to New Mexico, Young sold them to a sea captain and bought a large herd of horses and mules to take back. On their return trip, the trappers stopped in Los Angeles and celebrated with a drunken spree. The local Californios were not pleased with the increasing presence of American trappers, but many were captivated by the local women, described as lively and dressed in eye-catching attire, who participated in dances and smoked cigarillos.

The Hispanic men of the area were also noted for their stylish clothing, with distinctive features like sombreros, decorative jackets, and colorful sashes. Meanwhile, the local militia was wary of the trappers, and tensions escalated when a fight broke out between two trappers, leading to one being shot dead by the other. Fearing further violence, the authorities considered their options carefully.

 

Kit Carson

NPS Images

The group eventually returned to Arizona, trapping along the Gila River, where they stored their furs at the Santa Rita Cobre Mine. Young and Carson then headed to Santa Fe to acquire a trading license for dealing with Indians. They returned to pick up 2,000 pounds of beaver pelts and sold them in Santa Fe, earning a significant profit, leading to rumors about the promising opportunities in California. Family conflicts with Comanches, Apaches, and Mohaves drove Young to relocate his operations permanently to California in Fall 1831, partly due to issues with authorities in New Mexico who wanted him gone.

Young eventually settled in the Oregon Territory, becoming a respected figure before his death in 1841. His challenges in Arizona highlighted the ongoing hostilities from local tribes, pushing many trappers to seek safer areas in California. They often bypassed hazardous regions entirely by using the Old Spanish Trail, becoming symbols of freedom and rebellion against societal constraints. Many trappers later served as guides for immigrant trains heading west in the 1840s and 1850s. Today, super-highways trace the paths they once traveled. Ironically, those who sought refuge in the West ended up guiding the very society they distanced themselves from into their new home.

References:
Trimble, Marshall. "Ewing Young: The Southwest's Premier Mountain Man" in Arizona Adventure: Action-Packed True Tales of Early Arizona. Golden West Publishers, 1982.