Moses Carson was the grandson of Ulster Scot immigrants who initially settled in York County, Pennsylvania. His father Lindsey Carson was an American Revolutionary War veteran born 1754 in Iredell County, North Carolina and his mother was Lucy Bradley of South Carolina. Lindsey Carson and family moved from the Carolinas to Madison County, Kentucky in 1793 and then in the spring of 1811 to Boonslick (Franklin), Howard County, Missouri Territory. In 1821 Missouri became a state, Mexico won her independence from Spain and Franklin, Missouri became the eastern terminus of the Santa Fe Trail.
He was a veteran of the War of 1812 having served as a private in Captain Daniel Morgan Boone's Missouri Mounted Rangers Company. Captain Boone was a son of the frontiersman Daniel Boone.
Early on in life he was a partner (minor) in the Missouri Fur Company and was trading furs on the upper Missouri River by 1819 perhaps even sooner. He received a temporary commission as a lieutenant from Col. Henry Leavenworth (Fort Leavenworth, Kansas named in his honor) during an 1823 military engagement against a group of Arickarees warriors in present day North Dakota. James Kirker from Belfast, Ireland later of New Mexico & Mexico infamy for scalp hunting served in Carson's unit against the Arickarees.
During his lifetime he was associated with the Boggs family, the Boone family, the Bent brothers, William Ashley, Manuel Lisa, James Bridger, Jeddediah Smith, Thomas Fitzpatrick, James Beckworth, William Sublette, Ewing Young & George Yount (Yountville, California named in his honor) to list a few.
He was in Taos & Santa Fe by 1826 which was five years after Mexico had gained independence from Spain. In the spring of 1832 he was in Los Angeles and the next year along with George Yount was selling horses in San Francisco Bay to representatives of the Hudson Bay Company. As an American, in order to remain in California he became a citizen of Mexico.
By 1845 he had taken over from Cyrus Alexander (Alexander Valley, California named in his honor) management of Henry D. Fitch's 49,000 acre Rancho Sotoyoume cattle ranch located on the Russian River near Healdsburg in present day Sonoma County, California.
During the spring 1846 Bear Flag Revolt, he served as a courier-messenger. At Sonoma, on October 30-31,1846 he supplied Lt.Col. John C. Fremont's Volunteer California Brigade with 25 horses and saddles in addition to ammunition during the Mexican-American War. During the sixtieth year anniversary of the 1846 California Independence celebration held at Los Angeles in 1906, California newspapers reported Major Edwin A. Sherman, the keynote speaker had fought with Moses Carson for the independence of California. Apparently Carson's contributions to the conquest of California must have been significant since he was the only man cited in the article published in the California newspapers.
Carson served as a lieutenant under Captain Nathaniel Lyons during the California Indian War. Captain Lyon's would go on to become the first Union general to die during the American Civil War at the battle of Wilson Creek near Springfield, Missouri. Brigadier General Lyon's commanding officer in Missouri was Major General John C. Fremont whom Moses had supported during the Mexican-American War in California.
The Daily National Intelligencer, District of Columbia, reported on 29 January 1849, "Celebrated Kit Carson & Moses, Texas Ranger, will lead wagon train from Independence Missouri to California April next."
Moses is enumerated during the 1850 Federal census on October 22 at Sonoma County. He is reported to have left Sonoma County in late January 1851 and during April a New Orleans newspaper announces Moses was in town having arrived from California. By August 21, 1851 he's traveled to Howard County, Missouri where on this date he married Mary Jane nee Burckhart Jeter at the town of Fayette. Mary Jane's first husband Benjamin F. Jeter had died on August 11, 1849 off the coast of Mexico on-board a ship from Panama bound for California. From New Orleans on January 6, 1850 Mary Jane sent a letter to her attorney in Howard County, Missouri requesting his assistance in settling his deceased husband's estate. Whether Mary Jane was with her husband off the coast of Mexico is unknown. Likely Moses had run into Mary Jane at New Orleans, they fell in love and traveled together back to Howard County to get married. Turns out that shortly after the Carson family arrived in Howard County in 1811 these early settlers of Howard County were forced due to Indian attacks to live within the confines of Fort Hempstead at night. Mary Jane's father Nicholas Burckhart along with Lindsey Carson and his son Moses served as guards to protect the families within the fort. Mary Jane was about 28 years younger than Moses with a 7 year old son named Nicholas from her first marriage. Moses & Mary Jane are reported to have owned & operated a hotel in St. Louis but were unsuccessful in this venture and when their money ran out the couple (or Moses only) pulled up and moved first to southern Colorado and then to Taos, New Mexico. It is unclear whether Mary Jane traveled to southern Colorado with him or stayed behind in St. Louis. She is reported to have died in St. Louis in 1862.
In 1854 Carson was a candidate for a Presidential appointment as Indian Agent at the Apache Agency, Fort Thorn, New Mexico but he was unable to unseat the incumbent Dr. Michael Steck of Pennsylvania.
By August 1857 Moses was in Tucson, Arizona Territory. The 1860 Federal Census of Tucson lists him residing with Powell "Pauline" Weaver at the Presidio of Tucson. Both men list their occupation as "old mountaineers". Weaver and Carson friendship went back to at least 1831 when they both were part of Ewing Young's group of mountain trapping in the Gila River area.
When Union troops began withdrawing from the southwest at the onset of the American Civil War Apache raids on ranchers in southern Arizona increased. In August 1861 a group of ranchers from the Tubac & Tucson area with Moses as the trail guide fled east to Mesilla for protection & safety. At Cooke's Canyon, 40 miles west of Mesilla, about 100 Mimbres Apache warriors believe lead by Mangus Colorados son Jose Mangus ambushed the wagon train. Carson it is said fought "like hell, brave as a lion and quick as a cat, with his white head dodging around." Even more amazing is he was nearly 69 years of age at the time of the encounter with the Apaches.
Moses was the older (17 years age difference) half brother of frontiersman & scout Kit Carson. During the War between the North & South the Carson brothers Moses of Arizona Territory, Robert and Lindsey of Sonoma, California were reported in the June 15, 1861 issue of the Mesilla Times newspaper as having arrived in Mesilla and were on their way to Texas. These three brothers supported the Confederacy while their brother Kit served as a Colonel in the New Mexico Volunteers supporting the Union cause. Kit is reported to have initially refused his New Mexico commission because he didn't want to end up fighting against his three brothers. During the war Moses served as a civilian scout, spy and courier for the Arizona Confederacy operating out of Mesilla, New Mexico and then later Franklin (El Paso), Texas. Lindsey destination in Texas was Guadalupe County. After delivering the members of his wagon train to Guadalupe, Lindsey ended up in San Antonio where he was involved in trading cotton through Mexico in order to raise money for the Texas Confederacy. He did return to California after the war. The Chicago Tribune reported on 14 June 1875 that Kit Carson's brother Lindsey was a candidate for the California Senate. Robert returned to Missouri and reportedly was involved in some sort of civilian capacity with Confederate Major General Sterling Price's staff.
It would seem reasonable to believe that Carson is likely one of few Americans who have the distinction as having actively participated in three major American conflicts, namely the War of 1812; the Mexican-American War (1846) & the American Civil War.
Over his lifetime he was a mountain man, an explorer,a fur trapper/trader, a prospector, raised and raced horses,a cattle rancher, a merchant,a military officer, Indian interpreter,Indian fighter, western scout and guide.
Moses was literate, about 6'1" in height, over 200 pounds in weight, missing several fingers on his left hand from an 1818 encounter with Indians in Missouri and had at some unknown time during his life ended up with only one good eye. There are conflicting reports as to where he died. One source claims he died at the Eagle Flat mining camp in the mountains southeast of El Paso in late December 1867 and another source claims he died on New Years Day 1868 at El Paso. He was the first mason to be buried at the Masonic Cemetery, El Paso. He later was re-interned to the Masonic section of the Concordia Cemetery at El Paso. Surprisingly there is not even so much as a gravestone marker at Concordia Cemetery to recognize his contributions to the conquest of the American West. El Paso historian and writer Leon Metz in an article published in the El Paso Time on 5 March 1998 stated, "In my opinion, Moses Carson, a half-brother of Kit Carson, still lies somewhere downtown." On 3 April 2000 Leon Metz opined in the El Paso Times, "Moses Carson, a half-brother to Kit Carson, is likely in there (Concordia Cemetery) somewhere."
Kit Carson died on May 23, 1868 at Ft. Lyon, Colorado four months after his brother Moses death. Kit was buried initially at Boggsville in Las Animas County, Colorado and the next year re-interned to Taos, New Mexico. Boggsville was established by Tom Boggs who was Kit's close friend and brother-in-law. Tom Boggs was the son of Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs and Panthea Boone, a granddaughter of frontiersman Daniel Boone. When Tom's parents moved to Sonoma in 1846 he stayed behind working for his uncle Albert G. Boone, a brother of his mother Panthea. Since Moses had been living in California since March 1832 he undoubtedly knew the geography and the best places to live in California. Likely he was influential in the decision of the Boggs family as well as his brothers Lindsey and Robert to settle in Sonoma County. Robert Carson died at Arrow Rock, Howard County, Missouri on Sept. 27, 1873. Lindsey Carson died at Rumley, Lampampas County, Texas on Jan. 26, 1886.
Historians for the most part have been silent about Moses. In 1964 Walt Disney released a three part mini television series, "The Tenderfoot" with Brian Keith as Moses Carson and James Whitmore as Captain Richard S. Ewell, commander of Fort Buchanan, Arizona.
He was a veteran of the War of 1812 having served as a private in Captain Daniel Morgan Boone's Missouri Mounted Rangers Company. Captain Boone was a son of the frontiersman Daniel Boone.
Early on in life he was a partner (minor) in the Missouri Fur Company and was trading furs on the upper Missouri River by 1819 perhaps even sooner. He received a temporary commission as a lieutenant from Col. Henry Leavenworth (Fort Leavenworth, Kansas named in his honor) during an 1823 military engagement against a group of Arickarees warriors in present day North Dakota. James Kirker from Belfast, Ireland later of New Mexico & Mexico infamy for scalp hunting served in Carson's unit against the Arickarees.
During his lifetime he was associated with the Boggs family, the Boone family, the Bent brothers, William Ashley, Manuel Lisa, James Bridger, Jeddediah Smith, Thomas Fitzpatrick, James Beckworth, William Sublette, Ewing Young & George Yount (Yountville, California named in his honor) to list a few.
He was in Taos & Santa Fe by 1826 which was five years after Mexico had gained independence from Spain. In the spring of 1832 he was in Los Angeles and the next year along with George Yount was selling horses in San Francisco Bay to representatives of the Hudson Bay Company. As an American, in order to remain in California he became a citizen of Mexico.
By 1845 he had taken over from Cyrus Alexander (Alexander Valley, California named in his honor) management of Henry D. Fitch's 49,000 acre Rancho Sotoyoume cattle ranch located on the Russian River near Healdsburg in present day Sonoma County, California.
During the spring 1846 Bear Flag Revolt, he served as a courier-messenger. At Sonoma, on October 30-31,1846 he supplied Lt.Col. John C. Fremont's Volunteer California Brigade with 25 horses and saddles in addition to ammunition during the Mexican-American War. During the sixtieth year anniversary of the 1846 California Independence celebration held at Los Angeles in 1906, California newspapers reported Major Edwin A. Sherman, the keynote speaker had fought with Moses Carson for the independence of California. Apparently Carson's contributions to the conquest of California must have been significant since he was the only man cited in the article published in the California newspapers.
Carson served as a lieutenant under Captain Nathaniel Lyons during the California Indian War. Captain Lyon's would go on to become the first Union general to die during the American Civil War at the battle of Wilson Creek near Springfield, Missouri. Brigadier General Lyon's commanding officer in Missouri was Major General John C. Fremont whom Moses had supported during the Mexican-American War in California.
The Daily National Intelligencer, District of Columbia, reported on 29 January 1849, "Celebrated Kit Carson & Moses, Texas Ranger, will lead wagon train from Independence Missouri to California April next."
Moses is enumerated during the 1850 Federal census on October 22 at Sonoma County. He is reported to have left Sonoma County in late January 1851 and during April a New Orleans newspaper announces Moses was in town having arrived from California. By August 21, 1851 he's traveled to Howard County, Missouri where on this date he married Mary Jane nee Burckhart Jeter at the town of Fayette. Mary Jane's first husband Benjamin F. Jeter had died on August 11, 1849 off the coast of Mexico on-board a ship from Panama bound for California. From New Orleans on January 6, 1850 Mary Jane sent a letter to her attorney in Howard County, Missouri requesting his assistance in settling his deceased husband's estate. Whether Mary Jane was with her husband off the coast of Mexico is unknown. Likely Moses had run into Mary Jane at New Orleans, they fell in love and traveled together back to Howard County to get married. Turns out that shortly after the Carson family arrived in Howard County in 1811 these early settlers of Howard County were forced due to Indian attacks to live within the confines of Fort Hempstead at night. Mary Jane's father Nicholas Burckhart along with Lindsey Carson and his son Moses served as guards to protect the families within the fort. Mary Jane was about 28 years younger than Moses with a 7 year old son named Nicholas from her first marriage. Moses & Mary Jane are reported to have owned & operated a hotel in St. Louis but were unsuccessful in this venture and when their money ran out the couple (or Moses only) pulled up and moved first to southern Colorado and then to Taos, New Mexico. It is unclear whether Mary Jane traveled to southern Colorado with him or stayed behind in St. Louis. She is reported to have died in St. Louis in 1862.
In 1854 Carson was a candidate for a Presidential appointment as Indian Agent at the Apache Agency, Fort Thorn, New Mexico but he was unable to unseat the incumbent Dr. Michael Steck of Pennsylvania.
By August 1857 Moses was in Tucson, Arizona Territory. The 1860 Federal Census of Tucson lists him residing with Powell "Pauline" Weaver at the Presidio of Tucson. Both men list their occupation as "old mountaineers". Weaver and Carson friendship went back to at least 1831 when they both were part of Ewing Young's group of mountain trapping in the Gila River area.
When Union troops began withdrawing from the southwest at the onset of the American Civil War Apache raids on ranchers in southern Arizona increased. In August 1861 a group of ranchers from the Tubac & Tucson area with Moses as the trail guide fled east to Mesilla for protection & safety. At Cooke's Canyon, 40 miles west of Mesilla, about 100 Mimbres Apache warriors believe lead by Mangus Colorados son Jose Mangus ambushed the wagon train. Carson it is said fought "like hell, brave as a lion and quick as a cat, with his white head dodging around." Even more amazing is he was nearly 69 years of age at the time of the encounter with the Apaches.
Moses was the older (17 years age difference) half brother of frontiersman & scout Kit Carson. During the War between the North & South the Carson brothers Moses of Arizona Territory, Robert and Lindsey of Sonoma, California were reported in the June 15, 1861 issue of the Mesilla Times newspaper as having arrived in Mesilla and were on their way to Texas. These three brothers supported the Confederacy while their brother Kit served as a Colonel in the New Mexico Volunteers supporting the Union cause. Kit is reported to have initially refused his New Mexico commission because he didn't want to end up fighting against his three brothers. During the war Moses served as a civilian scout, spy and courier for the Arizona Confederacy operating out of Mesilla, New Mexico and then later Franklin (El Paso), Texas. Lindsey destination in Texas was Guadalupe County. After delivering the members of his wagon train to Guadalupe, Lindsey ended up in San Antonio where he was involved in trading cotton through Mexico in order to raise money for the Texas Confederacy. He did return to California after the war. The Chicago Tribune reported on 14 June 1875 that Kit Carson's brother Lindsey was a candidate for the California Senate. Robert returned to Missouri and reportedly was involved in some sort of civilian capacity with Confederate Major General Sterling Price's staff.
It would seem reasonable to believe that Carson is likely one of few Americans who have the distinction as having actively participated in three major American conflicts, namely the War of 1812; the Mexican-American War (1846) & the American Civil War.
Over his lifetime he was a mountain man, an explorer,a fur trapper/trader, a prospector, raised and raced horses,a cattle rancher, a merchant,a military officer, Indian interpreter,Indian fighter, western scout and guide.
Moses was literate, about 6'1" in height, over 200 pounds in weight, missing several fingers on his left hand from an 1818 encounter with Indians in Missouri and had at some unknown time during his life ended up with only one good eye. There are conflicting reports as to where he died. One source claims he died at the Eagle Flat mining camp in the mountains southeast of El Paso in late December 1867 and another source claims he died on New Years Day 1868 at El Paso. He was the first mason to be buried at the Masonic Cemetery, El Paso. He later was re-interned to the Masonic section of the Concordia Cemetery at El Paso. Surprisingly there is not even so much as a gravestone marker at Concordia Cemetery to recognize his contributions to the conquest of the American West. El Paso historian and writer Leon Metz in an article published in the El Paso Time on 5 March 1998 stated, "In my opinion, Moses Carson, a half-brother of Kit Carson, still lies somewhere downtown." On 3 April 2000 Leon Metz opined in the El Paso Times, "Moses Carson, a half-brother to Kit Carson, is likely in there (Concordia Cemetery) somewhere."
Kit Carson died on May 23, 1868 at Ft. Lyon, Colorado four months after his brother Moses death. Kit was buried initially at Boggsville in Las Animas County, Colorado and the next year re-interned to Taos, New Mexico. Boggsville was established by Tom Boggs who was Kit's close friend and brother-in-law. Tom Boggs was the son of Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs and Panthea Boone, a granddaughter of frontiersman Daniel Boone. When Tom's parents moved to Sonoma in 1846 he stayed behind working for his uncle Albert G. Boone, a brother of his mother Panthea. Since Moses had been living in California since March 1832 he undoubtedly knew the geography and the best places to live in California. Likely he was influential in the decision of the Boggs family as well as his brothers Lindsey and Robert to settle in Sonoma County. Robert Carson died at Arrow Rock, Howard County, Missouri on Sept. 27, 1873. Lindsey Carson died at Rumley, Lampampas County, Texas on Jan. 26, 1886.
Historians for the most part have been silent about Moses. In 1964 Walt Disney released a three part mini television series, "The Tenderfoot" with Brian Keith as Moses Carson and James Whitmore as Captain Richard S. Ewell, commander of Fort Buchanan, Arizona.
Moses Carson was the grandson of Ulster Scot immigrants who initially settled in York County, Pennsylvania. His father Lindsey Carson was an American Revolutionary War veteran born 1754 in Iredell County, North Carolina and his mother was Lucy Bradley of South Carolina. Lindsey Carson and family moved from the Carolinas to Madison County, Kentucky in 1793 and then in the spring of 1811 to Boonslick (Franklin), Howard County, Missouri Territory. In 1821 Missouri became a state, Mexico won her independence from Spain and Franklin, Missouri became the eastern terminus of the Santa Fe Trail.
He was a veteran of the War of 1812 having served as a private in Captain Daniel Morgan Boone's Missouri Mounted Rangers Company. Captain Boone was a son of the frontiersman Daniel Boone.
Early on in life he was a partner (minor) in the Missouri Fur Company and was trading furs on the upper Missouri River by 1819 perhaps even sooner. He received a temporary commission as a lieutenant from Col. Henry Leavenworth (Fort Leavenworth, Kansas named in his honor) during an 1823 military engagement against a group of Arickarees warriors in present day North Dakota. James Kirker from Belfast, Ireland later of New Mexico & Mexico infamy for scalp hunting served in Carson's unit against the Arickarees.
During his lifetime he was associated with the Boggs family, the Boone family, the Bent brothers, William Ashley, Manuel Lisa, James Bridger, Jeddediah Smith, Thomas Fitzpatrick, James Beckworth, William Sublette, Ewing Young & George Yount (Yountville, California named in his honor) to list a few.
He was in Taos & Santa Fe by 1826 which was five years after Mexico had gained independence from Spain. In the spring of 1832 he was in Los Angeles and the next year along with George Yount was selling horses in San Francisco Bay to representatives of the Hudson Bay Company. As an American, in order to remain in California he became a citizen of Mexico.
By 1845 he had taken over from Cyrus Alexander (Alexander Valley, California named in his honor) management of Henry D. Fitch's 49,000 acre Rancho Sotoyoume cattle ranch located on the Russian River near Healdsburg in present day Sonoma County, California.
During the spring 1846 Bear Flag Revolt, he served as a courier-messenger. At Sonoma, on October 30-31,1846 he supplied Lt.Col. John C. Fremont's Volunteer California Brigade with 25 horses and saddles in addition to ammunition during the Mexican-American War. During the sixtieth year anniversary of the 1846 California Independence celebration held at Los Angeles in 1906, California newspapers reported Major Edwin A. Sherman, the keynote speaker had fought with Moses Carson for the independence of California. Apparently Carson's contributions to the conquest of California must have been significant since he was the only man cited in the article published in the California newspapers.
Carson served as a lieutenant under Captain Nathaniel Lyons during the California Indian War. Captain Lyon's would go on to become the first Union general to die during the American Civil War at the battle of Wilson Creek near Springfield, Missouri. Brigadier General Lyon's commanding officer in Missouri was Major General John C. Fremont whom Moses had supported during the Mexican-American War in California.
The Daily National Intelligencer, District of Columbia, reported on 29 January 1849, "Celebrated Kit Carson & Moses, Texas Ranger, will lead wagon train from Independence Missouri to California April next."
Moses is enumerated during the 1850 Federal census on October 22 at Sonoma County. He is reported to have left Sonoma County in late January 1851 and during April a New Orleans newspaper announces Moses was in town having arrived from California. By August 21, 1851 he's traveled to Howard County, Missouri where on this date he married Mary Jane nee Burckhart Jeter at the town of Fayette. Mary Jane's first husband Benjamin F. Jeter had died on August 11, 1849 off the coast of Mexico on-board a ship from Panama bound for California. From New Orleans on January 6, 1850 Mary Jane sent a letter to her attorney in Howard County, Missouri requesting his assistance in settling his deceased husband's estate. Whether Mary Jane was with her husband off the coast of Mexico is unknown. Likely Moses had run into Mary Jane at New Orleans, they fell in love and traveled together back to Howard County to get married. Turns out that shortly after the Carson family arrived in Howard County in 1811 these early settlers of Howard County were forced due to Indian attacks to live within the confines of Fort Hempstead at night. Mary Jane's father Nicholas Burckhart along with Lindsey Carson and his son Moses served as guards to protect the families within the fort. Mary Jane was about 28 years younger than Moses with a 7 year old son named Nicholas from her first marriage. Moses & Mary Jane are reported to have owned & operated a hotel in St. Louis but were unsuccessful in this venture and when their money ran out the couple (or Moses only) pulled up and moved first to southern Colorado and then to Taos, New Mexico. It is unclear whether Mary Jane traveled to southern Colorado with him or stayed behind in St. Louis. She is reported to have died in St. Louis in 1862.
In 1854 Carson was a candidate for a Presidential appointment as Indian Agent at the Apache Agency, Fort Thorn, New Mexico but he was unable to unseat the incumbent Dr. Michael Steck of Pennsylvania.
By August 1857 Moses was in Tucson, Arizona Territory. The 1860 Federal Census of Tucson lists him residing with Powell "Pauline" Weaver at the Presidio of Tucson. Both men list their occupation as "old mountaineers". Weaver and Carson friendship went back to at least 1831 when they both were part of Ewing Young's group of mountain trapping in the Gila River area.
When Union troops began withdrawing from the southwest at the onset of the American Civil War Apache raids on ranchers in southern Arizona increased. In August 1861 a group of ranchers from the Tubac & Tucson area with Moses as the trail guide fled east to Mesilla for protection & safety. At Cooke's Canyon, 40 miles west of Mesilla, about 100 Mimbres Apache warriors believe lead by Mangus Colorados son Jose Mangus ambushed the wagon train. Carson it is said fought "like hell, brave as a lion and quick as a cat, with his white head dodging around." Even more amazing is he was nearly 69 years of age at the time of the encounter with the Apaches.
Moses was the older (17 years age difference) half brother of frontiersman & scout Kit Carson. During the War between the North & South the Carson brothers Moses of Arizona Territory, Robert and Lindsey of Sonoma, California were reported in the June 15, 1861 issue of the Mesilla Times newspaper as having arrived in Mesilla and were on their way to Texas. These three brothers supported the Confederacy while their brother Kit served as a Colonel in the New Mexico Volunteers supporting the Union cause. Kit is reported to have initially refused his New Mexico commission because he didn't want to end up fighting against his three brothers. During the war Moses served as a civilian scout, spy and courier for the Arizona Confederacy operating out of Mesilla, New Mexico and then later Franklin (El Paso), Texas. Lindsey destination in Texas was Guadalupe County. After delivering the members of his wagon train to Guadalupe, Lindsey ended up in San Antonio where he was involved in trading cotton through Mexico in order to raise money for the Texas Confederacy. He did return to California after the war. The Chicago Tribune reported on 14 June 1875 that Kit Carson's brother Lindsey was a candidate for the California Senate. Robert returned to Missouri and reportedly was involved in some sort of civilian capacity with Confederate Major General Sterling Price's staff.
It would seem reasonable to believe that Carson is likely one of few Americans who have the distinction as having actively participated in three major American conflicts, namely the War of 1812; the Mexican-American War (1846) & the American Civil War.
Over his lifetime he was a mountain man, an explorer,a fur trapper/trader, a prospector, raised and raced horses,a cattle rancher, a merchant,a military officer, Indian interpreter,Indian fighter, western scout and guide.
Moses was literate, about 6'1" in height, over 200 pounds in weight, missing several fingers on his left hand from an 1818 encounter with Indians in Missouri and had at some unknown time during his life ended up with only one good eye. There are conflicting reports as to where he died. One source claims he died at the Eagle Flat mining camp in the mountains southeast of El Paso in late December 1867 and another source claims he died on New Years Day 1868 at El Paso. He was the first mason to be buried at the Masonic Cemetery, El Paso. He later was re-interned to the Masonic section of the Concordia Cemetery at El Paso. Surprisingly there is not even so much as a gravestone marker at Concordia Cemetery to recognize his contributions to the conquest of the American West. El Paso historian and writer Leon Metz in an article published in the El Paso Time on 5 March 1998 stated, "In my opinion, Moses Carson, a half-brother of Kit Carson, still lies somewhere downtown." On 3 April 2000 Leon Metz opined in the El Paso Times, "Moses Carson, a half-brother to Kit Carson, is likely in there (Concordia Cemetery) somewhere."
Kit Carson died on May 23, 1868 at Ft. Lyon, Colorado four months after his brother Moses death. Kit was buried initially at Boggsville in Las Animas County, Colorado and the next year re-interned to Taos, New Mexico. Boggsville was established by Tom Boggs who was Kit's close friend and brother-in-law. Tom Boggs was the son of Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs and Panthea Boone, a granddaughter of frontiersman Daniel Boone. When Tom's parents moved to Sonoma in 1846 he stayed behind working for his uncle Albert G. Boone, a brother of his mother Panthea. Since Moses had been living in California since March 1832 he undoubtedly knew the geography and the best places to live in California. Likely he was influential in the decision of the Boggs family as well as his brothers Lindsey and Robert to settle in Sonoma County. Robert Carson died at Arrow Rock, Howard County, Missouri on Sept. 27, 1873. Lindsey Carson died at Rumley, Lampampas County, Texas on Jan. 26, 1886.
Historians for the most part have been silent about Moses. In 1964 Walt Disney released a three part mini television series, "The Tenderfoot" with Brian Keith as Moses Carson and James Whitmore as Captain Richard S. Ewell, commander of Fort Buchanan, Arizona.
He was a veteran of the War of 1812 having served as a private in Captain Daniel Morgan Boone's Missouri Mounted Rangers Company. Captain Boone was a son of the frontiersman Daniel Boone.
Early on in life he was a partner (minor) in the Missouri Fur Company and was trading furs on the upper Missouri River by 1819 perhaps even sooner. He received a temporary commission as a lieutenant from Col. Henry Leavenworth (Fort Leavenworth, Kansas named in his honor) during an 1823 military engagement against a group of Arickarees warriors in present day North Dakota. James Kirker from Belfast, Ireland later of New Mexico & Mexico infamy for scalp hunting served in Carson's unit against the Arickarees.
During his lifetime he was associated with the Boggs family, the Boone family, the Bent brothers, William Ashley, Manuel Lisa, James Bridger, Jeddediah Smith, Thomas Fitzpatrick, James Beckworth, William Sublette, Ewing Young & George Yount (Yountville, California named in his honor) to list a few.
He was in Taos & Santa Fe by 1826 which was five years after Mexico had gained independence from Spain. In the spring of 1832 he was in Los Angeles and the next year along with George Yount was selling horses in San Francisco Bay to representatives of the Hudson Bay Company. As an American, in order to remain in California he became a citizen of Mexico.
By 1845 he had taken over from Cyrus Alexander (Alexander Valley, California named in his honor) management of Henry D. Fitch's 49,000 acre Rancho Sotoyoume cattle ranch located on the Russian River near Healdsburg in present day Sonoma County, California.
During the spring 1846 Bear Flag Revolt, he served as a courier-messenger. At Sonoma, on October 30-31,1846 he supplied Lt.Col. John C. Fremont's Volunteer California Brigade with 25 horses and saddles in addition to ammunition during the Mexican-American War. During the sixtieth year anniversary of the 1846 California Independence celebration held at Los Angeles in 1906, California newspapers reported Major Edwin A. Sherman, the keynote speaker had fought with Moses Carson for the independence of California. Apparently Carson's contributions to the conquest of California must have been significant since he was the only man cited in the article published in the California newspapers.
Carson served as a lieutenant under Captain Nathaniel Lyons during the California Indian War. Captain Lyon's would go on to become the first Union general to die during the American Civil War at the battle of Wilson Creek near Springfield, Missouri. Brigadier General Lyon's commanding officer in Missouri was Major General John C. Fremont whom Moses had supported during the Mexican-American War in California.
The Daily National Intelligencer, District of Columbia, reported on 29 January 1849, "Celebrated Kit Carson & Moses, Texas Ranger, will lead wagon train from Independence Missouri to California April next."
Moses is enumerated during the 1850 Federal census on October 22 at Sonoma County. He is reported to have left Sonoma County in late January 1851 and during April a New Orleans newspaper announces Moses was in town having arrived from California. By August 21, 1851 he's traveled to Howard County, Missouri where on this date he married Mary Jane nee Burckhart Jeter at the town of Fayette. Mary Jane's first husband Benjamin F. Jeter had died on August 11, 1849 off the coast of Mexico on-board a ship from Panama bound for California. From New Orleans on January 6, 1850 Mary Jane sent a letter to her attorney in Howard County, Missouri requesting his assistance in settling his deceased husband's estate. Whether Mary Jane was with her husband off the coast of Mexico is unknown. Likely Moses had run into Mary Jane at New Orleans, they fell in love and traveled together back to Howard County to get married. Turns out that shortly after the Carson family arrived in Howard County in 1811 these early settlers of Howard County were forced due to Indian attacks to live within the confines of Fort Hempstead at night. Mary Jane's father Nicholas Burckhart along with Lindsey Carson and his son Moses served as guards to protect the families within the fort. Mary Jane was about 28 years younger than Moses with a 7 year old son named Nicholas from her first marriage. Moses & Mary Jane are reported to have owned & operated a hotel in St. Louis but were unsuccessful in this venture and when their money ran out the couple (or Moses only) pulled up and moved first to southern Colorado and then to Taos, New Mexico. It is unclear whether Mary Jane traveled to southern Colorado with him or stayed behind in St. Louis. She is reported to have died in St. Louis in 1862.
In 1854 Carson was a candidate for a Presidential appointment as Indian Agent at the Apache Agency, Fort Thorn, New Mexico but he was unable to unseat the incumbent Dr. Michael Steck of Pennsylvania.
By August 1857 Moses was in Tucson, Arizona Territory. The 1860 Federal Census of Tucson lists him residing with Powell "Pauline" Weaver at the Presidio of Tucson. Both men list their occupation as "old mountaineers". Weaver and Carson friendship went back to at least 1831 when they both were part of Ewing Young's group of mountain trapping in the Gila River area.
When Union troops began withdrawing from the southwest at the onset of the American Civil War Apache raids on ranchers in southern Arizona increased. In August 1861 a group of ranchers from the Tubac & Tucson area with Moses as the trail guide fled east to Mesilla for protection & safety. At Cooke's Canyon, 40 miles west of Mesilla, about 100 Mimbres Apache warriors believe lead by Mangus Colorados son Jose Mangus ambushed the wagon train. Carson it is said fought "like hell, brave as a lion and quick as a cat, with his white head dodging around." Even more amazing is he was nearly 69 years of age at the time of the encounter with the Apaches.
Moses was the older (17 years age difference) half brother of frontiersman & scout Kit Carson. During the War between the North & South the Carson brothers Moses of Arizona Territory, Robert and Lindsey of Sonoma, California were reported in the June 15, 1861 issue of the Mesilla Times newspaper as having arrived in Mesilla and were on their way to Texas. These three brothers supported the Confederacy while their brother Kit served as a Colonel in the New Mexico Volunteers supporting the Union cause. Kit is reported to have initially refused his New Mexico commission because he didn't want to end up fighting against his three brothers. During the war Moses served as a civilian scout, spy and courier for the Arizona Confederacy operating out of Mesilla, New Mexico and then later Franklin (El Paso), Texas. Lindsey destination in Texas was Guadalupe County. After delivering the members of his wagon train to Guadalupe, Lindsey ended up in San Antonio where he was involved in trading cotton through Mexico in order to raise money for the Texas Confederacy. He did return to California after the war. The Chicago Tribune reported on 14 June 1875 that Kit Carson's brother Lindsey was a candidate for the California Senate. Robert returned to Missouri and reportedly was involved in some sort of civilian capacity with Confederate Major General Sterling Price's staff.
It would seem reasonable to believe that Carson is likely one of few Americans who have the distinction as having actively participated in three major American conflicts, namely the War of 1812; the Mexican-American War (1846) & the American Civil War.
Over his lifetime he was a mountain man, an explorer,a fur trapper/trader, a prospector, raised and raced horses,a cattle rancher, a merchant,a military officer, Indian interpreter,Indian fighter, western scout and guide.
Moses was literate, about 6'1" in height, over 200 pounds in weight, missing several fingers on his left hand from an 1818 encounter with Indians in Missouri and had at some unknown time during his life ended up with only one good eye. There are conflicting reports as to where he died. One source claims he died at the Eagle Flat mining camp in the mountains southeast of El Paso in late December 1867 and another source claims he died on New Years Day 1868 at El Paso. He was the first mason to be buried at the Masonic Cemetery, El Paso. He later was re-interned to the Masonic section of the Concordia Cemetery at El Paso. Surprisingly there is not even so much as a gravestone marker at Concordia Cemetery to recognize his contributions to the conquest of the American West. El Paso historian and writer Leon Metz in an article published in the El Paso Time on 5 March 1998 stated, "In my opinion, Moses Carson, a half-brother of Kit Carson, still lies somewhere downtown." On 3 April 2000 Leon Metz opined in the El Paso Times, "Moses Carson, a half-brother to Kit Carson, is likely in there (Concordia Cemetery) somewhere."
Kit Carson died on May 23, 1868 at Ft. Lyon, Colorado four months after his brother Moses death. Kit was buried initially at Boggsville in Las Animas County, Colorado and the next year re-interned to Taos, New Mexico. Boggsville was established by Tom Boggs who was Kit's close friend and brother-in-law. Tom Boggs was the son of Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs and Panthea Boone, a granddaughter of frontiersman Daniel Boone. When Tom's parents moved to Sonoma in 1846 he stayed behind working for his uncle Albert G. Boone, a brother of his mother Panthea. Since Moses had been living in California since March 1832 he undoubtedly knew the geography and the best places to live in California. Likely he was influential in the decision of the Boggs family as well as his brothers Lindsey and Robert to settle in Sonoma County. Robert Carson died at Arrow Rock, Howard County, Missouri on Sept. 27, 1873. Lindsey Carson died at Rumley, Lampampas County, Texas on Jan. 26, 1886.
Historians for the most part have been silent about Moses. In 1964 Walt Disney released a three part mini television series, "The Tenderfoot" with Brian Keith as Moses Carson and James Whitmore as Captain Richard S. Ewell, commander of Fort Buchanan, Arizona.
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