Christopher Gist is a great American hero who has often gone unnoticed. Recognized for giving colonists the first detailed description of the Ohio Country. Gist was a close friend of George Washington, whom he met through their affiliation with the Ohio Company. Despite Gist’s impressive achievements, historians have largely overlooked him. This book aims to compensate for Gist’s insufficient recognition by showcasing his remarkable accomplishments to readers. From Gist’s early life to his frontier exploration and military service, this biography extensively details the life of a prolific early American explorer. He was born into a wealthy Baltimore family, but was drawn to a life on the frontier, and by the time he was twenty-five years of age, he was an officer in the Maryland Rangers, a seasoned Indian fighter, and a successful fur-trader. In 1750, Gist was hired by the Ohio Company of Virginia, a land speculation venture started in 1747 by a group of wealthy Virginians. For the company, he explored the area west of the Allegheny Mountains, which included much of present Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. In fact, his explorations of Kentucky predated Daniel Boone in Kentucky by almost two decades, and he explored Ohio before the famous frontiersmen George Rogers Clark and Simon Kenton were even born. In 1753, Gist accompanied the young Colonel Washington on an arduous trek through the western Pennsylvania wilderness in the dead of winter to deliver a message to the French commander on the upper Allegheny River. Gist had a profound impact on Washington and saved the future president’s life on at least two occasions during their mission. The first was near the sinister named Lenape village of MURDERING TOWN, and the next was when Gist pulled Washington from the icy waters of the Allegheny River.
The book is available from our publisher, McFarland & Co., and from your favorite book seller in print or eBook.
Publisher: McFarland & Co. Publishers
Publication Date: 2021
ISBN 978-1-4766-8849-7
Key words:
- United States – Colonial History
- Biography – Frontier – Ohio History
- French and Indian War
- Adventurer & Explorer Biographies