Frémont, John Charles (1813-1890)

US explorer and politician who travelled extensively throughout the western USA. He surveyed much of the territory between the Mississippi River and the coast of California with the aim of establishing an overland route from east to west across the continent. In 1842 he crossed the Rocky Mountains, climbing a peak that is named after him.

As a politician, he was influential in the US acquisition of California and in 1850 was elected a senator of the newly created state. Six years later he stood as Republican candidate for the US presidency, losing to James Buchanan. Between 1878 and 1883 he was governor of Arizona.

Frémont was born in Savannah, Georgia. He became a US Army engineer and led three exploration expeditions in the West that brought him fame. His marriage to Senator Thomas Hart Benton's daughter gained him political influence. Frémont came into conflict with General Kearney in California, which led to a court martial, and he resigned from the army. After a brief term representing California in the US Senate and an expedition to chart a southern railroad route, he was the Republican Party's first presidential candidate in 1856. In the Civil War, he had disagreements with Abraham Lincoln and then resigned rather than serve under General John Pope. His post-war career was disappointing; railroad endeavors failed, and he was relegated to being territorial governor of Arizona.