Isaac Graham
American pioneer / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Isaac Graham (April 15, 1800 ā November 8, 1863) was a fur trader, mountain man, and land grant owner in 19th century California.[1][2]
Isaac Graham | |
---|---|
Born | (1800-04-15)April 15, 1800. |
Died | November 8, 1863(1863-11-08) (aged 63) |
Burial place | Evergreen Cemetery |
Nationality | American |
Occupation(s) | Fur trader, mountain man, and land grant owner |
In 1830, he joined a hunting and trapping party at Fort Smith, Arkansas that included George Nidever. Graham attended the Rendezvous at Pierre's Hole and took part in the battle of Pierre's Hole, in present-day Idaho.
From there, Graham's path to California is unclear. He may have joined Joseph R. Walker's party,[3] or joined one of the groups led by Ewing Young. His son later claimed that Graham came by way of Oregon, while his daughter said he took a southern route through Chihuahua.
The next positive evidence finds him at Natividad on the Rancho La Natividad, northeast of present-day Salinas, in Mexican Alta California. With partners Henry Naile and William Ware, Graham established a distillery to supplement declining incomes from fur trading, owing to dwindling numbers of sea otters from the Central Coast.[4][5]