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How did Bidwell travel to California?
After returning to Ashtabula to accept a teaching position, Bidwell moved west, settling temporarily in Missouri before joining the first emigrant group to travel by wagon train from the town of Independence to California.
What happened to the pioneer John Bidwell who settled in California?
Bidwell died at Rancho Chico on April 4, 1900. His widow later donated 1,900 acres of the estate as a natural park for the state.
How did John Bidwell make his money?
Acting as both miner and merchant, Bidwell used the Gold Rush to build his financial resources. He used this money to further his new state in the agricultural and public service arenas. From 1865 to 1866, Bidwell served California as its representative in the United States Congress.
What happened to the Bidwell party?
The remainder of the Bartleson-Bidwell party determined to continue to California and headed west along the north shore of the Great Salt Lake. The route was entirely unknown and water sources were scarce. Finally crossing the desert west of the lake near Wendover, Nevada, they were forced to abandon their wagons.
Who is Bidwell Chico?
John Bidwell (August 5, 1819 – April 4, 1900), known in Spanish as Don Juan Bidwell, was a Californian pioneer, politician, and soldier. Bidwell is known as the founder the city of Chico, California.
What is Bidwell famous for?
Bidwell is known as the founder the city of Chico, California. Born in New York, he emigrated at the age of 22 to Alta California (then a part of Mexico) as part of the Bartleson–Bidwell Party, one of the first expeditions of American emigrants along the California Trail.
Which Valley did the Bidwell Party first enter in California?
Intending to rest in Cache Valley while several men sought directions at Fort Hall, the party mistakenly crossed the low range just north of the Gates of the Bear to arrive in the Great Salt Lake Valley near present Fielding.
What was important about the Bidwell party?
In 1841, the Bartleson–Bidwell Party, led by Captain John Bartleson and John Bidwell, became the first American emigrants to attempt a wagon crossing from Missouri to California.
Where does the name Bidwell come from?
The name is derived from their residence in Bidwell, Hertfordshire. This place name derives from the Old English words “byde,” meaning “tub,” and “well,” meaning a “spring,” or “stream.” As such, Bidwell is classed as a habitational name.