Father: George Nidever b. 1772
Mother: Christina Funkhouser
Siblings: John Marion Nidever, Jacob Nidever, Mark Nidever, Isabella Nidever, Henry Nidever, Nancy Nidever, Daniel Nidever, Christina Nidever.
George was the third child in a family of six sons and three daughters. When he was born the Nidevers lived on a farm near Middletown, Tennessee, which is now named Bluff City, in Sullivan County. In about 1808, they removed to Buncombe County, North Carolina, where they farmed until 1816, when the subject was almost 14 years of age. At that time, they removed to Missouri and settled on a farm situated along the Moreau River. In the fall of 1821, George and his brother, Jacob, went down into Arkansas Territory, along with seven frontier families.
Soon after their arrival in Arkansas, George and a man named Daniel Shipman made a two month trip to Texas, going to the portion then known as Austin's Grant. Jacob settled on a farm not far from Fort Smith, and the following year others of the family arrived in Arkansas and settled on a farm a few miles from Jacob. George made his home with his family on the farm near Fort Smith, Arkansas, from 1822 until 1828.
In the latter year, he and his close friend, Alex. Sinclair, went up the Canadian fork of the Arkansas River and built a raft of cedar logs, which they planned to float down to New Orleans, and sell. After nearly a year building the raft, it ran aground at the mouth of the fork and was broken up. They then decided to take to hunting and trapping.
In May 1830, Nidever and Sinclair joined a party of hunters and trappers that was forming above Fort Smith, headed by Col. Bean. At that time, beaver were beleived to be plentiful in the streams of the Rocky Mountains and the trapping of them, although attended with great risks owing to the Indians, was largely engaged in by frontier settlers.
The party of 48 men went up the North fork of the Canadian and Arkansas, through the Cross Timbers, into the mountains, and finally made their way down into New Mexico to Arroyo Seco and San Fernando de Taos. Trouble with Indians resulted in 10 men turning back after the first serious battle. Two men were killed. At Arroyo Seco, Col. Bean and others left the party, some to return to Arkansas, some to join other parties. Only 15 men, including Nidever, were left.
The diminished party set out for the Platte River in March 1831, and returned to Arroyo Seco in July. In September, they started again, planning to go first to the headwaters of the Arkansas River. A few Mexicans and a number of French trappers accompanied them. From the headwaters of the Arkansas they went on to the Platte, where the Mexican and French trappers left them. From the Platte they made their way to the Green River Valley, where they set up winter quarters.
In the spring of 1832, the party trapped a little before setting out for a rendezvous in Pierre's Hole. The breakup of the rendezvous was followed by a battle with the Blackfoot Indians, in which Sinclair was killed. The leaderless party hunted through the winter. In the following summer, Nidever and a few other men joined the party of Mountain Men hunters led by Capt. Joseph R. Walker.
In 1833, George Nidever crossed the Sierra Nevada mountain range with Walker's Party into Alta California. He began his hunting career in California in the region of the San Francisco Bay. He boarded a vessel at Monterey and arrived, in 1834, at Santa Barbara, where he settled and made his home.
He continued his life as a hunter, making frequent raids on grizzly bears and taking seal and sea otter along all parts of the coast. Because of his sea hunts, he became known as Capt. Nidever.
He was baptized a Catholic on January 27, 1841, in Santa Barbara, and was married to Maria Sinforosa Ramona Sanchez on February 13, 1841. He could speak Spanish by then, as Sinforosa did not speak English. Six children were born of their union: Marcos Nidever (1842-1909), Refugio Nidever (1844-1869), Juan Nidever (1846-1846), George Nidever (1847-1935), Jacob Nidever (1848-1913), and Isabel Nidever (1851-1930).
On December 28, 1846, he joined the U.S. military company commanded by Capt. Richard Owens in the California Regiment of Mounted Volunteers commanded by Lieut.-Col. John C. Frémont in the Mexican-American War. After an historic march through the Santa Clara River Valley to the San Fernando Valley for the final surrender, on January 13, 1847, at Campo de Cahuenga, in what is now North Hollywood, Nidever was discharged on March 29, 1847, at San Gabriel. Sinforosa was granted a widow's pension in 1888.
In early 1850, Capt. Nidever purchased a schooner in San Francisco. Soon afterward, he bought San Miguel Island, where he maintained a ranch with livestock for years. There was a terrible drought in 1863/1864, which resulted in the death of a lot of his stock. He sold the island in 1870 for $10,000 (which would amount to $162,110.00 in 2007 USD). Part of the adobe Capt. Nidever built is still on the island, which also has a Nidever Canyon. In the latter part of 1850, Capt. Alden arrived at Santa Barbara to make a survey among the Channel Islands and employed Capt. Nidever as his pilot.
Capt. Nidever became famous as the seahunter who, along with the crew of his schooner, found in 1853 the "Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island," an Indian woman who had remained all by herself on the island for 18 years. He took her to his home in Santa Barbara, where she died seven weeks later due to severe dysentery. A priest from the mission baptized her "Juana Maria" on her deathbed, and she was buried in the Mission Santa Barbara Cemetery. A bronze plaque was placed on the wall near the exit gate of the cemetery in 1928, which tells of Juana Maria and her rescue by Capt. George Nidever.
In 1878, Capt. Nidever dictated his life story to Edward F. Murray, assistant of historian Hubert H. Bancroft. The manuscript was edited in 1937 by William H. Ellison and published with the title The Life and Adventures of George Nidever by the University of California Press, Berkeley. A reprint of The Life and Adventures of George Nidever was published by Mcnally & Loftin in 1984, ISBN 0-87461-058-3.
Capt. George Nidever was removed from his original burial site in 1912 and re-interred at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, which was founded in 1896.
(bio by: F.D. Redding)
Mother: Christina Funkhouser
Siblings: John Marion Nidever, Jacob Nidever, Mark Nidever, Isabella Nidever, Henry Nidever, Nancy Nidever, Daniel Nidever, Christina Nidever.
George was the third child in a family of six sons and three daughters. When he was born the Nidevers lived on a farm near Middletown, Tennessee, which is now named Bluff City, in Sullivan County. In about 1808, they removed to Buncombe County, North Carolina, where they farmed until 1816, when the subject was almost 14 years of age. At that time, they removed to Missouri and settled on a farm situated along the Moreau River. In the fall of 1821, George and his brother, Jacob, went down into Arkansas Territory, along with seven frontier families.
Soon after their arrival in Arkansas, George and a man named Daniel Shipman made a two month trip to Texas, going to the portion then known as Austin's Grant. Jacob settled on a farm not far from Fort Smith, and the following year others of the family arrived in Arkansas and settled on a farm a few miles from Jacob. George made his home with his family on the farm near Fort Smith, Arkansas, from 1822 until 1828.
In the latter year, he and his close friend, Alex. Sinclair, went up the Canadian fork of the Arkansas River and built a raft of cedar logs, which they planned to float down to New Orleans, and sell. After nearly a year building the raft, it ran aground at the mouth of the fork and was broken up. They then decided to take to hunting and trapping.
In May 1830, Nidever and Sinclair joined a party of hunters and trappers that was forming above Fort Smith, headed by Col. Bean. At that time, beaver were beleived to be plentiful in the streams of the Rocky Mountains and the trapping of them, although attended with great risks owing to the Indians, was largely engaged in by frontier settlers.
The party of 48 men went up the North fork of the Canadian and Arkansas, through the Cross Timbers, into the mountains, and finally made their way down into New Mexico to Arroyo Seco and San Fernando de Taos. Trouble with Indians resulted in 10 men turning back after the first serious battle. Two men were killed. At Arroyo Seco, Col. Bean and others left the party, some to return to Arkansas, some to join other parties. Only 15 men, including Nidever, were left.
The diminished party set out for the Platte River in March 1831, and returned to Arroyo Seco in July. In September, they started again, planning to go first to the headwaters of the Arkansas River. A few Mexicans and a number of French trappers accompanied them. From the headwaters of the Arkansas they went on to the Platte, where the Mexican and French trappers left them. From the Platte they made their way to the Green River Valley, where they set up winter quarters.
In the spring of 1832, the party trapped a little before setting out for a rendezvous in Pierre's Hole. The breakup of the rendezvous was followed by a battle with the Blackfoot Indians, in which Sinclair was killed. The leaderless party hunted through the winter. In the following summer, Nidever and a few other men joined the party of Mountain Men hunters led by Capt. Joseph R. Walker.
In 1833, George Nidever crossed the Sierra Nevada mountain range with Walker's Party into Alta California. He began his hunting career in California in the region of the San Francisco Bay. He boarded a vessel at Monterey and arrived, in 1834, at Santa Barbara, where he settled and made his home.
He continued his life as a hunter, making frequent raids on grizzly bears and taking seal and sea otter along all parts of the coast. Because of his sea hunts, he became known as Capt. Nidever.
He was baptized a Catholic on January 27, 1841, in Santa Barbara, and was married to Maria Sinforosa Ramona Sanchez on February 13, 1841. He could speak Spanish by then, as Sinforosa did not speak English. Six children were born of their union: Marcos Nidever (1842-1909), Refugio Nidever (1844-1869), Juan Nidever (1846-1846), George Nidever (1847-1935), Jacob Nidever (1848-1913), and Isabel Nidever (1851-1930).
On December 28, 1846, he joined the U.S. military company commanded by Capt. Richard Owens in the California Regiment of Mounted Volunteers commanded by Lieut.-Col. John C. Frémont in the Mexican-American War. After an historic march through the Santa Clara River Valley to the San Fernando Valley for the final surrender, on January 13, 1847, at Campo de Cahuenga, in what is now North Hollywood, Nidever was discharged on March 29, 1847, at San Gabriel. Sinforosa was granted a widow's pension in 1888.
In early 1850, Capt. Nidever purchased a schooner in San Francisco. Soon afterward, he bought San Miguel Island, where he maintained a ranch with livestock for years. There was a terrible drought in 1863/1864, which resulted in the death of a lot of his stock. He sold the island in 1870 for $10,000 (which would amount to $162,110.00 in 2007 USD). Part of the adobe Capt. Nidever built is still on the island, which also has a Nidever Canyon. In the latter part of 1850, Capt. Alden arrived at Santa Barbara to make a survey among the Channel Islands and employed Capt. Nidever as his pilot.
Capt. Nidever became famous as the seahunter who, along with the crew of his schooner, found in 1853 the "Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island," an Indian woman who had remained all by herself on the island for 18 years. He took her to his home in Santa Barbara, where she died seven weeks later due to severe dysentery. A priest from the mission baptized her "Juana Maria" on her deathbed, and she was buried in the Mission Santa Barbara Cemetery. A bronze plaque was placed on the wall near the exit gate of the cemetery in 1928, which tells of Juana Maria and her rescue by Capt. George Nidever.
In 1878, Capt. Nidever dictated his life story to Edward F. Murray, assistant of historian Hubert H. Bancroft. The manuscript was edited in 1937 by William H. Ellison and published with the title The Life and Adventures of George Nidever by the University of California Press, Berkeley. A reprint of The Life and Adventures of George Nidever was published by Mcnally & Loftin in 1984, ISBN 0-87461-058-3.
Capt. George Nidever was removed from his original burial site in 1912 and re-interred at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, which was founded in 1896.
(bio by: F.D. Redding)
Father: George Nidever b. 1772
Mother: Christina Funkhouser
Siblings: John Marion Nidever, Jacob Nidever, Mark Nidever, Isabella Nidever, Henry Nidever, Nancy Nidever, Daniel Nidever, Christina Nidever.
George was the third child in a family of six sons and three daughters. When he was born the Nidevers lived on a farm near Middletown, Tennessee, which is now named Bluff City, in Sullivan County. In about 1808, they removed to Buncombe County, North Carolina, where they farmed until 1816, when the subject was almost 14 years of age. At that time, they removed to Missouri and settled on a farm situated along the Moreau River. In the fall of 1821, George and his brother, Jacob, went down into Arkansas Territory, along with seven frontier families.
Soon after their arrival in Arkansas, George and a man named Daniel Shipman made a two month trip to Texas, going to the portion then known as Austin's Grant. Jacob settled on a farm not far from Fort Smith, and the following year others of the family arrived in Arkansas and settled on a farm a few miles from Jacob. George made his home with his family on the farm near Fort Smith, Arkansas, from 1822 until 1828.
In the latter year, he and his close friend, Alex. Sinclair, went up the Canadian fork of the Arkansas River and built a raft of cedar logs, which they planned to float down to New Orleans, and sell. After nearly a year building the raft, it ran aground at the mouth of the fork and was broken up. They then decided to take to hunting and trapping.
In May 1830, Nidever and Sinclair joined a party of hunters and trappers that was forming above Fort Smith, headed by Col. Bean. At that time, beaver were beleived to be plentiful in the streams of the Rocky Mountains and the trapping of them, although attended with great risks owing to the Indians, was largely engaged in by frontier settlers.
The party of 48 men went up the North fork of the Canadian and Arkansas, through the Cross Timbers, into the mountains, and finally made their way down into New Mexico to Arroyo Seco and San Fernando de Taos. Trouble with Indians resulted in 10 men turning back after the first serious battle. Two men were killed. At Arroyo Seco, Col. Bean and others left the party, some to return to Arkansas, some to join other parties. Only 15 men, including Nidever, were left.
The diminished party set out for the Platte River in March 1831, and returned to Arroyo Seco in July. In September, they started again, planning to go first to the headwaters of the Arkansas River. A few Mexicans and a number of French trappers accompanied them. From the headwaters of the Arkansas they went on to the Platte, where the Mexican and French trappers left them. From the Platte they made their way to the Green River Valley, where they set up winter quarters.
In the spring of 1832, the party trapped a little before setting out for a rendezvous in Pierre's Hole. The breakup of the rendezvous was followed by a battle with the Blackfoot Indians, in which Sinclair was killed. The leaderless party hunted through the winter. In the following summer, Nidever and a few other men joined the party of Mountain Men hunters led by Capt. Joseph R. Walker.
In 1833, George Nidever crossed the Sierra Nevada mountain range with Walker's Party into Alta California. He began his hunting career in California in the region of the San Francisco Bay. He boarded a vessel at Monterey and arrived, in 1834, at Santa Barbara, where he settled and made his home.
He continued his life as a hunter, making frequent raids on grizzly bears and taking seal and sea otter along all parts of the coast. Because of his sea hunts, he became known as Capt. Nidever.
He was baptized a Catholic on January 27, 1841, in Santa Barbara, and was married to Maria Sinforosa Ramona Sanchez on February 13, 1841. He could speak Spanish by then, as Sinforosa did not speak English. Six children were born of their union: Marcos Nidever (1842-1909), Refugio Nidever (1844-1869), Juan Nidever (1846-1846), George Nidever (1847-1935), Jacob Nidever (1848-1913), and Isabel Nidever (1851-1930).
On December 28, 1846, he joined the U.S. military company commanded by Capt. Richard Owens in the California Regiment of Mounted Volunteers commanded by Lieut.-Col. John C. Frémont in the Mexican-American War. After an historic march through the Santa Clara River Valley to the San Fernando Valley for the final surrender, on January 13, 1847, at Campo de Cahuenga, in what is now North Hollywood, Nidever was discharged on March 29, 1847, at San Gabriel. Sinforosa was granted a widow's pension in 1888.
In early 1850, Capt. Nidever purchased a schooner in San Francisco. Soon afterward, he bought San Miguel Island, where he maintained a ranch with livestock for years. There was a terrible drought in 1863/1864, which resulted in the death of a lot of his stock. He sold the island in 1870 for $10,000 (which would amount to $162,110.00 in 2007 USD). Part of the adobe Capt. Nidever built is still on the island, which also has a Nidever Canyon. In the latter part of 1850, Capt. Alden arrived at Santa Barbara to make a survey among the Channel Islands and employed Capt. Nidever as his pilot.
Capt. Nidever became famous as the seahunter who, along with the crew of his schooner, found in 1853 the "Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island," an Indian woman who had remained all by herself on the island for 18 years. He took her to his home in Santa Barbara, where she died seven weeks later due to severe dysentery. A priest from the mission baptized her "Juana Maria" on her deathbed, and she was buried in the Mission Santa Barbara Cemetery. A bronze plaque was placed on the wall near the exit gate of the cemetery in 1928, which tells of Juana Maria and her rescue by Capt. George Nidever.
In 1878, Capt. Nidever dictated his life story to Edward F. Murray, assistant of historian Hubert H. Bancroft. The manuscript was edited in 1937 by William H. Ellison and published with the title The Life and Adventures of George Nidever by the University of California Press, Berkeley. A reprint of The Life and Adventures of George Nidever was published by Mcnally & Loftin in 1984, ISBN 0-87461-058-3.
Capt. George Nidever was removed from his original burial site in 1912 and re-interred at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, which was founded in 1896.
(bio by: F.D. Redding)
Mother: Christina Funkhouser
Siblings: John Marion Nidever, Jacob Nidever, Mark Nidever, Isabella Nidever, Henry Nidever, Nancy Nidever, Daniel Nidever, Christina Nidever.
George was the third child in a family of six sons and three daughters. When he was born the Nidevers lived on a farm near Middletown, Tennessee, which is now named Bluff City, in Sullivan County. In about 1808, they removed to Buncombe County, North Carolina, where they farmed until 1816, when the subject was almost 14 years of age. At that time, they removed to Missouri and settled on a farm situated along the Moreau River. In the fall of 1821, George and his brother, Jacob, went down into Arkansas Territory, along with seven frontier families.
Soon after their arrival in Arkansas, George and a man named Daniel Shipman made a two month trip to Texas, going to the portion then known as Austin's Grant. Jacob settled on a farm not far from Fort Smith, and the following year others of the family arrived in Arkansas and settled on a farm a few miles from Jacob. George made his home with his family on the farm near Fort Smith, Arkansas, from 1822 until 1828.
In the latter year, he and his close friend, Alex. Sinclair, went up the Canadian fork of the Arkansas River and built a raft of cedar logs, which they planned to float down to New Orleans, and sell. After nearly a year building the raft, it ran aground at the mouth of the fork and was broken up. They then decided to take to hunting and trapping.
In May 1830, Nidever and Sinclair joined a party of hunters and trappers that was forming above Fort Smith, headed by Col. Bean. At that time, beaver were beleived to be plentiful in the streams of the Rocky Mountains and the trapping of them, although attended with great risks owing to the Indians, was largely engaged in by frontier settlers.
The party of 48 men went up the North fork of the Canadian and Arkansas, through the Cross Timbers, into the mountains, and finally made their way down into New Mexico to Arroyo Seco and San Fernando de Taos. Trouble with Indians resulted in 10 men turning back after the first serious battle. Two men were killed. At Arroyo Seco, Col. Bean and others left the party, some to return to Arkansas, some to join other parties. Only 15 men, including Nidever, were left.
The diminished party set out for the Platte River in March 1831, and returned to Arroyo Seco in July. In September, they started again, planning to go first to the headwaters of the Arkansas River. A few Mexicans and a number of French trappers accompanied them. From the headwaters of the Arkansas they went on to the Platte, where the Mexican and French trappers left them. From the Platte they made their way to the Green River Valley, where they set up winter quarters.
In the spring of 1832, the party trapped a little before setting out for a rendezvous in Pierre's Hole. The breakup of the rendezvous was followed by a battle with the Blackfoot Indians, in which Sinclair was killed. The leaderless party hunted through the winter. In the following summer, Nidever and a few other men joined the party of Mountain Men hunters led by Capt. Joseph R. Walker.
In 1833, George Nidever crossed the Sierra Nevada mountain range with Walker's Party into Alta California. He began his hunting career in California in the region of the San Francisco Bay. He boarded a vessel at Monterey and arrived, in 1834, at Santa Barbara, where he settled and made his home.
He continued his life as a hunter, making frequent raids on grizzly bears and taking seal and sea otter along all parts of the coast. Because of his sea hunts, he became known as Capt. Nidever.
He was baptized a Catholic on January 27, 1841, in Santa Barbara, and was married to Maria Sinforosa Ramona Sanchez on February 13, 1841. He could speak Spanish by then, as Sinforosa did not speak English. Six children were born of their union: Marcos Nidever (1842-1909), Refugio Nidever (1844-1869), Juan Nidever (1846-1846), George Nidever (1847-1935), Jacob Nidever (1848-1913), and Isabel Nidever (1851-1930).
On December 28, 1846, he joined the U.S. military company commanded by Capt. Richard Owens in the California Regiment of Mounted Volunteers commanded by Lieut.-Col. John C. Frémont in the Mexican-American War. After an historic march through the Santa Clara River Valley to the San Fernando Valley for the final surrender, on January 13, 1847, at Campo de Cahuenga, in what is now North Hollywood, Nidever was discharged on March 29, 1847, at San Gabriel. Sinforosa was granted a widow's pension in 1888.
In early 1850, Capt. Nidever purchased a schooner in San Francisco. Soon afterward, he bought San Miguel Island, where he maintained a ranch with livestock for years. There was a terrible drought in 1863/1864, which resulted in the death of a lot of his stock. He sold the island in 1870 for $10,000 (which would amount to $162,110.00 in 2007 USD). Part of the adobe Capt. Nidever built is still on the island, which also has a Nidever Canyon. In the latter part of 1850, Capt. Alden arrived at Santa Barbara to make a survey among the Channel Islands and employed Capt. Nidever as his pilot.
Capt. Nidever became famous as the seahunter who, along with the crew of his schooner, found in 1853 the "Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island," an Indian woman who had remained all by herself on the island for 18 years. He took her to his home in Santa Barbara, where she died seven weeks later due to severe dysentery. A priest from the mission baptized her "Juana Maria" on her deathbed, and she was buried in the Mission Santa Barbara Cemetery. A bronze plaque was placed on the wall near the exit gate of the cemetery in 1928, which tells of Juana Maria and her rescue by Capt. George Nidever.
In 1878, Capt. Nidever dictated his life story to Edward F. Murray, assistant of historian Hubert H. Bancroft. The manuscript was edited in 1937 by William H. Ellison and published with the title The Life and Adventures of George Nidever by the University of California Press, Berkeley. A reprint of The Life and Adventures of George Nidever was published by Mcnally & Loftin in 1984, ISBN 0-87461-058-3.
Capt. George Nidever was removed from his original burial site in 1912 and re-interred at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, which was founded in 1896.
(bio by: F.D. Redding)
Family Members
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
