Jessie and Her Pathfinder, part 1

Jessie was not yet 15 years old and had blossomed into a beautiful young woman with a classic oval face, dark sassy eyes, and a slim build. Now Jessie stepped in and performed the duties of hostess for her father since her mother was ill and her older sister was gone from home. Jessie was bright, intelligent, and adroit at entertaining what ever prominent people arrived at the Benton home.

It was at one of these occasions that a young, though eleven years senior to Jessie, darkly handsome lieutenant was a guest in the Benton home. John Charles Fremont, born in Savannah, Georgia, January 21, 1813, strongly shared Senator Benton’s belief that the western frontier should be extended. This ambitious, illegitimate son of a lovely Southern woman and a French émigré later wrote of Jessie Benton, whom he instantly fell in love with:

”She was only 15, but the bloom of her girlish beauty captivated me. Her qualities were all womanly. . . There had been no experience of life to brush away the bloom. She had inherited from her father his grasp of mind, comprehending with a tenacious memory. . .”

Senator Benton greatly admired Fremont for his adventurous spirit and his knowledge of the West. However, Fremont had no outstanding family name, lacked funds, and his future held little promise at that time. These circumstances, plus the difference in age between Fremont and Jessie gave credence to the Senator’s believe that Fremont was not the man for his darling Jessie. Jessie Benton and John Charles Fremont had fallen in love.

Time passed and in spite of his numerous objections to the union between the two young people, Senator Benton well knew his strong-willed daughter. In concession he made the couple promise to wait one year before considering marriage. Jessie would then be 17.

To learn more on the Internet about John Charles and Jessie Benton Fremont please see:

John Charles Fremont http://www.longcamp.com/

Jessie Benton Fremont http://www.kclibrary.org/resources/sc/li...

Here’s the link to Jessie and Her Pathfinder, part 2: http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/1379...

The sources for this article will be listed at the end of part 3.

THE WILD WILD WEST HAS ARRIVED AT SUITE 101 UNIVERSITY

To get in on the action check out these two courses: THE GREAT AMERICAN WEST, 1861 to 1876, http://www.suite101.com/course.cfm/17161...

BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIGHORN, 1872 to 1876 http://www.suite101.com/course.cfm/17638...

Go To Page: 1 2