Frémont, John C

Frémont, John C(harles)

(born Jan. 21, 1813, Savannah, Ga., U.S.—died July 13, 1890, New York, N.Y.) U.S. explorer. In 1838 he helped Joseph Nicholas Nicollet (1786–1843) survey and map the upper Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Aided by Thomas Hart Benton, who became his sponsor and, in 1841, his father-in-law, he led government expeditions to map much of the area between the Mississippi River valley and the Pacific Ocean. In 1845, on an expedition to California (on which he may have carried secret instructions for action in case of war), he supported the Bear Flag Revolt. In the Mexican War he was appointed a major and with Robert F. Stockton helped conquer California; Stockton later appointed him military governor of the territory. In a dispute with Gen. Stephen Kearny he was arrested and court-martialed; though his sentence of dismissal from the army was set aside by Pres. James K. Polk, he resigned. He became wealthy in the gold rush and was elected one of California's first U.S. senators (1850–51). As the new Republican Party's presidential candidate in 1856, he was defeated by James Buchanan. In the 1870s he embarked on railroad ventures and lost his fortune. He later served as governor of Arizona Territory (1878–83).