Entry into the fur trade William Henry Ashley

in 1822, william henry ashley , business partner, andrew henry, bullet maker, whom met through gunpowder business—posted famous advertisements in st. louis newspapers seeking 1 hundred enterprising young men . . . ascend river missouri source, there employed one, two, or 3 years. men responded call became known ashley s hundred. between 1822 , 1825, ashley , henry s rocky mountain fur company, did several large scale fur trapping expeditions in mountain west. ashley s men officially credited american discovery of south pass in winter of 1824. ashley devised rendezvous system in trappers, indians , traders meet annually in predetermined location exchange furs, goods , money. innovations in fur trade earned ashley great deal of money , recognition, , helped open western part of continent american expansion.

in 1825, led expedition salt lake valley. south of great salt lake, discovered utah lake, named lake ashley. established fort ashley on banks trade indians. on next 3 years, fort collected on one-hundred-and-eighty thousand dollars worth of furs . in late 1824 explored present-day northern colorado, ascending south platte river base of front range, ascending cache la poudre river laramie plains , onward green river.

on june 2, 1823, general ashley beaten arikara indians @ villages near grand river. ashley reported twelve men killed , eleven wounded, of whom 2 died.