Stephen Meek (guide)
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Stephen Meek (b. July 4, 1805 - d. January, 1889) was a fur trapper and guide in the American west, most notably a guide on a large wagon train known as St. Joseph's Company. Meek was born in Washington County, Virginia and in his autobiography he claims to be a relative of President James K. Polk. In May, 1845 he married Elizabeth Schoonover, with whom he later had one son, George. He is the older brother of Joseph Meek, who was another fur trapper.
He began working as a laborer for the Rocky Mountain Fur Company in St. Louis, Missouri. Soon, however, he became a trapper for a variety of companies. He joined an expedition with Benjamin Bonneville in 1831 as a trapper, while Bonneville was exploring the Great Salt Lake. He joined the American mountaineers in 1841 for one year. Following this experience, he led several groups of pioneers westward, including the ill-fated group that followed him from the Oregon Trail on the Meek Cutoff in 1845.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Meek, Stephen (1948). The Autobiography of a Mountain Man. Pasadena, CA: G. Dawson.
[edit] External links
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