This is his biography written by Stanley Vestal. The photo above appears on Wikipedia and inside this book. It contains a bibliography, chapter notes and index, filling 33 pages in the paperback I read from the public library.
His parents died young leaving him and little sister. She went to live with an uncle and aunt. He was 18 and felt responsible for providing for her expenses.
He became a mountain-man man and explorer. It was a dangerous profession, constantly facing waring Indians from several tribes. As a beaver hunter he also met with opposing groups of tough men doing the same work. He became so successful when he created his own group of beaver hunters that his competitors followed him around to learn what he knew.
He had grown a lot from his experiences as a shy and cautious youngster while learning the trade from his superiors. “He had learned the hardest way that a man’s wisest plan is to follow duty, not selfish interest; for every man knows where his duty lies.”
All his life he looked out for the men who depended on him, as well as his young sister. His nickname, “Old Gabe”, came to symbolize courage, unselfishness and generosity. This was the result of his guilt over his failure to watch out for a fellow worker when he was injured by a grizzly bear.
He loved the earth and its creatures, including respect for the “pesky Injun” because they lived so close to it.
As an explorer, he discovered the South Pass and opened an easy road over the Continental Divide. This trail was well-used by hosts of immigrants who made their way west.
After a few years of beaver harvesting, the interest in their hides diminished and were replaced by silk for hats. He had to find another way to earn a living and provide for his sister’s future college needs.
He built Fort Bridger and a ferry to accommodate immigrants.
The ideals of Bridger and Brigham were at odds. The Mormons had developed a distrust of others after their life-taking experiences. Brigham was teaching his people to be self-sufficient and Jim shared what he had with one and all. Brigham was suspicious.
While Jim and other mountain men flaunted their wealth, Brigham taught his followers to beware of wealth.
They both tried to befriend the Indians. Rumors started that Jim was leading the Indians to attack the Mormons. It was all-round confusion.
It seems like the author wanted to present an unbiased description of their conflicts. On the one hand he claims Brigham wanted to be the “big buck at the lick”. At the same time he reports “The Missourians had run them out – and Bridger was a Missourian and had a farm than might well have been Mormon Land.”
After being in the wilderness all his life, he became handicapped by rheumatism and then the loss of sight. He said, “I wish I war back thar among the mountains agin. A man kin see so much farther in that country.” By 1875 he was totally blind. He had to be led around by his daughter, Virginia.
She often saddled his horse Ruff so he could ride around the farm. His faithful dog, Sultan, went along. Sometimes Bridger would give the wrong signal to Ruff and they would get lost. Sultan raced home to sound the alarm and the family would go looking for Jim and his horse.
Jim left this world in 1881, about 77 years old, after enjoying most of it in his loved mountains.
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