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Auction: 317 - The Collector's Series
Lot: 1092

Fur Trade: [American Fur Company: Vanderburgh's Death] An interesting autograph letter signed by John Catron to Robert Campbell in St. Louis. Folio, folded, Lexington, MO, Oct.13, 1832. He explains that "Wm. H. Vanderburg the clerk of the American Fur Co. drew a Bill of Exchange on P[ierre] Chouteau Agt for said Company in favour of George Ennis for the sum of $473.50...for furs my Brother [Minatree Catron] sold to the Am. Fur Copy...with the instructions to pay me the money. Mr. Chouteau has refused payment and the Bill is returned protested...Ennis informs me that you had a draft or Bill...drawn by same Vanderburgh as clerk of Am Fur Co on same Chouteau for a large amount" and wants to know if Chouteau protested that, too. Vanderburgh had become one of the AMF's top men in the Western Department, running its trapping operations with Andrew Drips. They had recently chased Tom Fitzpatrick and his men through Blackfoot country. The day after this letter was written, Vanderburgh and a handful of trappers were ambushed by about a hundred Blackfeet. He and one other man were killed. Vanderburgh's body was never found. Center hole which doesn't interfere with contents, otherwise Very Good.

Sold for
$210