Southern Idaho has some confusing fort history, mostly because both Fort Boise and Fort Hall were trading posts that were called forts long before the military showed up and built new forts in different locations, using the original names. Today, we’ll look at what was sometimes called Fort Smith, probably because Mr. Smith, a Kentuckian by birth, always enjoyed exaggeration.
The trading post amounted to no more than a cluster of cabins and Indian lodges along the Oregon Trail near present-day Montpelier. Its proprietor was Thomas L. Smith, better known as Pegleg Smith, thanks to his self-installed wooden leg. First, let’s dispense with that leg.
He had a bullet in his leg from some little dust-up in the Southwest. Smith had a penchant for stealing horses, so that’s a likely backdrop, but we don’t really know the provenance of the bullet. We do know that he tried to get it out, mangling his leg further, then hacking on it some more in an attempt to cut the thing off, since it was no longer working up to factory specs and had developed an infection that was likely to kill him.
Some Ute Indians found him, helpfully removing what was left of his leg and applying a poultice of tobacco, manure, and roots. Remarkably, that took care of the infection. Smith carved his peg leg and earned his nickname.
He also earned a substantial fortune in the trading post business, measured by the yardsticks of the day. Pegleg bartered with Oregon Trail travelers, trading fresh horses for trail-worn equines. He acquired many oxen, milk cows, dogs, cats, pigs, furniture, a herd of horses, and not a little gold for his efforts. He also acquired several native wives, though no one seemed concerned enough about that to count them. One account mentions that he had five children born to those wives one summer.
Smith was a polygamist before Brigham Young, which may have been one reason the two men got along. The trader reportedly acted as an intermediary between Young and the local tribes. His multiple wives from multiple tribes were probably useful assets in those circumstances.
We know Pegleg had a Bannock wife, a handful of Ute wives, and ultimately a Crow wife. It was the Crow wife that caused the trouble.
Mountain Fawn, a Ute woman, was one wife who resented his bringing yet another woman into the fold. The Crow woman, whom he’d allegedly won from Jim Bridger, was younger than the average Smith wife and possibly prettier. Mountain Fawn and the Crow woman got into a bloody fight, which left the Ute woman dead.
Pegleg’s other Ute wives wanted to take Mountain Fawn’s body back to her home country, but Smith intervened. He had a better way of honoring her, right there near Bear Lake. He placed her body in a hillside hole along with all her belongings, including two horses, clothing, and a couple of saddlebags filled with coins.
Each time he told the story in later years, the saddlebags grew heavier and heavier with coins.
The death of Mountain Fawn may have been the trigger that caused Pegleg Smith to give up his multiple marriages. He is said to have sent his wives all back to their tribes, though details are lacking. If asked, he probably had a good story.
In about 1850, he left what would become Idaho for good and headed to California to prospect. His days at Bear Lake running his trading post are commemorated with an Idaho history marker near the site. Some other, less official, signs mark the spot—sort of—in California, where his tallest tale originated.
Pegleg Smith discovered a hillside of “black gold” near Borrego Springs. This was Pegleg Smith’s lost mine. How he found it, then lost it, is as murky as the rest of his life, but he never stopped talking about it. The story became a small business for him, as he took every opportunity to draw someone a map to the “lost” mine for a few dollars.
He had a bullet in his leg from some little dust-up in the Southwest. Smith had a penchant for stealing horses, so that’s a likely backdrop, but we don’t really know the provenance of the bullet. We do know that he tried to get it out, mangling his leg further, then hacking on it some more in an attempt to cut the thing off, since it was no longer working up to factory specs and had developed an infection that was likely to kill him.
Some Ute Indians found him, helpfully removing what was left of his leg and applying a poultice of tobacco, manure, and roots. Remarkably, that took care of the infection. Smith carved his peg leg and earned his nickname.
He also earned a substantial fortune in the trading post business, measured by the yardsticks of the day. Pegleg bartered with Oregon Trail travelers, trading fresh horses for trail-worn equines. He acquired many oxen, milk cows, dogs, cats, pigs, furniture, a herd of horses, and not a little gold for his efforts. He also acquired several native wives, though no one seemed concerned enough about that to count them. One account mentions that he had five children born to those wives one summer.
Smith was a polygamist before Brigham Young, which may have been one reason the two men got along. The trader reportedly acted as an intermediary between Young and the local tribes. His multiple wives from multiple tribes were probably useful assets in those circumstances.
We know Pegleg had a Bannock wife, a handful of Ute wives, and ultimately a Crow wife. It was the Crow wife that caused the trouble.
Mountain Fawn, a Ute woman, was one wife who resented his bringing yet another woman into the fold. The Crow woman, whom he’d allegedly won from Jim Bridger, was younger than the average Smith wife and possibly prettier. Mountain Fawn and the Crow woman got into a bloody fight, which left the Ute woman dead.
Pegleg’s other Ute wives wanted to take Mountain Fawn’s body back to her home country, but Smith intervened. He had a better way of honoring her, right there near Bear Lake. He placed her body in a hillside hole along with all her belongings, including two horses, clothing, and a couple of saddlebags filled with coins.
Each time he told the story in later years, the saddlebags grew heavier and heavier with coins.
The death of Mountain Fawn may have been the trigger that caused Pegleg Smith to give up his multiple marriages. He is said to have sent his wives all back to their tribes, though details are lacking. If asked, he probably had a good story.
In about 1850, he left what would become Idaho for good and headed to California to prospect. His days at Bear Lake running his trading post are commemorated with an Idaho history marker near the site. Some other, less official, signs mark the spot—sort of—in California, where his tallest tale originated.
Pegleg Smith discovered a hillside of “black gold” near Borrego Springs. This was Pegleg Smith’s lost mine. How he found it, then lost it, is as murky as the rest of his life, but he never stopped talking about it. The story became a small business for him, as he took every opportunity to draw someone a map to the “lost” mine for a few dollars.
Today, a California Historical Landmark near Borrego Springs reads: “Thomas L. Smith, better known as Peg Leg Smith, 1801-1865, was a mountain man, prospector, and spinner of tall tales. Legends regarding his lost mine have grown through the years. Countless people have searched the desert looking for its fabulous wealth. The gold mine possibly could be within a few miles of this monument.” Whimsical locals have put up a sign near a huge pile of rocks that says, “Let those who seek Pegleg’s gold add ten rocks to this pile.” In honor of the man’s skills at storytelling, they host an annual liar’s contest in Borrego Springs.
Not to be outdone, the locals in the Montpelier area have done at least one reenactment of the wedding of Mountain Fawn and Pegleg Smith. Bear Lake State Park’s campground and day use areas on the east side of the lake are named after Mountain Fawn.
Pegleg Smith died in San Francisco in 1865, reportedly without a penny to his name.
Not to be outdone, the locals in the Montpelier area have done at least one reenactment of the wedding of Mountain Fawn and Pegleg Smith. Bear Lake State Park’s campground and day use areas on the east side of the lake are named after Mountain Fawn.
Pegleg Smith died in San Francisco in 1865, reportedly without a penny to his name.
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