William Bent
Born in St. Louis in 1809 to a Missouri Supreme Court Justice, William Bent was one of eleven children who enjoyed a refined and educated upbringing. From an early age, Bent had an ear for foreign languages, learning to speak French, Sioux, Indian Sign Language and Spanish. This skill was instrumental for Bent and his brothers to learn the fur and merchandise trades, and for him to follow his older brother, Charles, into the fur trading business.
In 1829, William helped his brother take a wagon train of trade goods down the Santa Fe Trail. The Bent brothers, along with their friend Ceran St. Vrain, journeyed to the Arkansas Valley where they discovered booming trade between Santa Fe and St. Louis. As a result, the Bents and St. Vrain formed a partnership and built a fort to trade with the Indians and westward-bound travelers. It was there the Bents met Yellow Wolf, a Cheyenne Chief, and other Indian leaders who helped them choose a location for a new fort. In 1853, Bent supervised the construction of the new fort, now known as Bent’s Old Fort, which was a trading spot for trappers, Indians and traders along the Santa Fe Trail. It was said to be “…the largest and most popular fort of the Rocky Mountain fur stations. From here great trading operations were launched, not only with many Indian tribes, but also with the Mexicans, French, and American trappers…It was a rendezvous for every type of humanity.”
Bent’s Fort provided shelter and sanctuary for emigrants, trappers, miners, explorers, soldiers and adventurers. During this time, Bent developed a deep insight into the Indian character and became a liaison to the Cheyenne Indians, continuously negotiating relationships with other tribes in order to maintain peace. He was a respected and trusted member of their community, and because of his efforts earned him the privilege of marrying Owl Woman, the daughter of the Cheyenne leader, with whom he raised four children until her death.
On November 29, 1864, Colonel John Chivington planned to destroy the Cheyenne’s Sand Creek Reservation, an Indian encampment led by Chief Black Kettle. Chivington prevented Bent from warning the Cheyenne leader and forced his son to guide him to the site. It was this massacre of more than two hundred men, women and children that turned William Bent’s world upside down. Not only had his son been an unwilling accomplice to the tragedy, but Bent’s three other children had been living in the encampment and were killed. His heart broken, Bent moved to Westport, Kansas where he died in 1869.
William Bent helped shape American culture, contributing to the development of trails for railroads, highways and cities. He was said to be, “…more than a symbol. He was a peacemaker, a builder, a trapper, an explorer, a merchant, an entrepreneur, a harbinger of empire, and a cultural bridge between people.” His countless efforts to develop and maintain peace between the Indians and the white people earned him the reputation of being a man of fair character.
Today, Bent’s Fort is a popular tourist attraction in Southern Colorado.
In 1829, William helped his brother take a wagon train of trade goods down the Santa Fe Trail. The Bent brothers, along with their friend Ceran St. Vrain, journeyed to the Arkansas Valley where they discovered booming trade between Santa Fe and St. Louis. As a result, the Bents and St. Vrain formed a partnership and built a fort to trade with the Indians and westward-bound travelers. It was there the Bents met Yellow Wolf, a Cheyenne Chief, and other Indian leaders who helped them choose a location for a new fort. In 1853, Bent supervised the construction of the new fort, now known as Bent’s Old Fort, which was a trading spot for trappers, Indians and traders along the Santa Fe Trail. It was said to be “…the largest and most popular fort of the Rocky Mountain fur stations. From here great trading operations were launched, not only with many Indian tribes, but also with the Mexicans, French, and American trappers…It was a rendezvous for every type of humanity.”
Bent’s Fort provided shelter and sanctuary for emigrants, trappers, miners, explorers, soldiers and adventurers. During this time, Bent developed a deep insight into the Indian character and became a liaison to the Cheyenne Indians, continuously negotiating relationships with other tribes in order to maintain peace. He was a respected and trusted member of their community, and because of his efforts earned him the privilege of marrying Owl Woman, the daughter of the Cheyenne leader, with whom he raised four children until her death.
On November 29, 1864, Colonel John Chivington planned to destroy the Cheyenne’s Sand Creek Reservation, an Indian encampment led by Chief Black Kettle. Chivington prevented Bent from warning the Cheyenne leader and forced his son to guide him to the site. It was this massacre of more than two hundred men, women and children that turned William Bent’s world upside down. Not only had his son been an unwilling accomplice to the tragedy, but Bent’s three other children had been living in the encampment and were killed. His heart broken, Bent moved to Westport, Kansas where he died in 1869.
William Bent helped shape American culture, contributing to the development of trails for railroads, highways and cities. He was said to be, “…more than a symbol. He was a peacemaker, a builder, a trapper, an explorer, a merchant, an entrepreneur, a harbinger of empire, and a cultural bridge between people.” His countless efforts to develop and maintain peace between the Indians and the white people earned him the reputation of being a man of fair character.
Today, Bent’s Fort is a popular tourist attraction in Southern Colorado.
