Nathaniel J. Wyeth 1802-1856
An American inventor and businessman who led early expeditions to the Oregon Country and established Fort Hall in present-day Idaho to facilitate the fur trade.
Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth was born near Cambridge, Massachusetts, on January 29, 1802, the son of Jacob Wyeth and Elizabeth Jarvis. He had at least three siblings, including Jacob and Leonard. The elder Jacob Wyeth operated the Fresh Pond Hotel. Nathaniel joined him in managing the hotel in the mid-1820s and married Elizabeth Jarvis Stone, a cousin, in 1824. During the winters, he collected ice from a nearby pond, which led to his invention of a horse-drawn ice cutter; he sold the patent in 1832. In 1831, he organized an expedition to Oregon with his brother Jacob and his cousin, John Bound Wyeth, with the intention of exploring trade possibilities. After several unsuccessful attempts to enter the fur and salmon trades, Nathaniel finally returned east in 1836, living in Cambridge and working in the ice and shipping industries for the remainder of his life. Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth died on August 31, 1856.
Biographical Overview
- Lived from 1802 to 1856
- Born: Jan 29, 1802, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Died: Aug 31, 1856, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Historical Events
- No referenced events linked
Bibliography for Nathaniel J. Wyeth
A listing of books related by subject
Obstinate hope the Western Expedition of Nathaniel J. Wyeth by Jim Hardee, Nathaniel J. Wyeth
Obstinate Hope studies Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth who is not numbered among America’s greatest heroes. The successful Boston ice merchant is considered a failure in the fur trade. Yet Wyeth was a practical businessman with an adventurous Yankee spirit that led him twice across the continent and back, in 1832 and again in 1834, prior to the development of reliable maps or emigrant trails. Wyeth’s contributions to westward expansion have been largely overlooked by historians. Obstinate Hope is part one of a two part examination of the life of Nathaniel J. Wyeth. The book begins with a look at Wyeth's pre-fur trade life including his heritage, operation of the family's Fresh Pond Hotel and his early career in the ice industry. The bulk of the book details his first expedition to the west (1832-1833) using his letters and journals as its base. The narrative follows Wyeth on his trip to the fur trade rendezvous in Pierre's Hole, on to the Pacific Northw...est and then back to the East coast. Each of Wyeth's journal entries are accompanied by the author's commentary, providing insight into Wyeth's experiences. The story is supplemented with information from the journals and letters of other people who were with him for all or part of the trip. The commentary also compares what Wyeth encountered in the west with events and occurrences from other trapper diaries. Ten maps and more than three dozen images illustrate the text. Jim Hardee is the editor of the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade Journal, published by the Sublette County Historical Society and the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale, Wyoming. Jim is the author of Pierre’s The Fur Trade History of Teton Valley, Idaho. He is also the director of the Fur Trade Research Center and is a presenter for many conferences and symposiums. He has published numerous articles on various fur trade topics, and lives in Pierre's Hole, Idaho.
v. : ill., maps ; 24 cm.
Non-circulating [ 1 ]
The correspondence and journals of Captain Nathaniel J. Wyeth, 1831-6 a record of two expeditions for the occupation of the Oregon Country, with maps, introduction and index by F.G. Young, Nathaniel J. Wyeth
Describes the famous Battle of Pierre's Hole of that year between the Blackfeet and the trappers and their Indian allies (including the Flatheads). The second section covers Wyeth's observations camping with a Flathead camp during April and May 1833
xix, 262 pages, 3 unnumbered leaves of plates (2 folded) : maps ; 25 cm
ONLINE Circulation [ 1 ]
Entry Details
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Last updated: 2026-09-29