John Charles  FREEMONT

JOHN CHARLES FREMONT. the first Republican candidate for president, was born in Savannah, Georgia, January 21, 1813. He graduated from Charleston College (South Carolina) in 1830, and turned his attention to civil engineering. He was shortly afterward employed in the department of government surveys on the Mississippi, and constructing maps of that region. He was made lieutenant of engineers, and laid before the war department a plan for penetrating the Rocky Mountain regions, which was accepted, and in 1842 he set out upon his first famous exploring expedition and explored the South Pass. He also planned an expedition to Oregon by a new route further south, but afterward joined his expedition with that of Wilkes in the region of the Great Salt Lake. He made a later expedition which penetrated the Sierra Nevadas, and the San Joaquin and Sacramento river valleys, making maps of all regions explored.

In 1845 he conducted the great expedition which resulted in the acquisition of

John C. Freemont in 1842 led the first expedition of exploration into the Rocky Mountains and by his actions won the sobriquet of 'Pathfinder.' He was born in 1813. He was the first candidate of the republican party for president, in 1856.