Lewis & Clark | York & Fort Clatsop (Part 4)

The Wild West Extravaganza

Wild West Josh

Education, History

4.8 • 667 Ratings

🗓️ 3 April 2024

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Despite being a slave, York enjoyed unprecedented freedom during the Lewis and Clark expedition. Unfortunately, this would not last, and once back in Missouri, York returned to a life of bondage. Unlike the other men of the Corps of Discovery, York was not paid for his services, and William Clark refused to grant him his freedom. What was York’s ultimate fate? Are the rumors true of him returning west and living among the Crow? And what’s it like eating almost nothing but boiled elk meat for months at a time? Also discussed are the Corps of Discovery’s time at Fort Clatsop and their journey east back to the Nez Perce. Part 1 in the Lewis & Clark series - https://www.wildwestextra.com/lewis-clark-the-corps-of-discovery-part-1/ Part 2 in the Lewis & Clark series - https://www.wildwestextra.com/lewis-clark-sacagawea-daniel-boone-part-2/ Part 3 in the Lewis & Clark series - https://www.wildwestextra.com/lewis-clark-the-shoshone-part-3/ Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/ Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/ Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wildwest Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/ Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose - https://www.amazon.com/Undaunted-Courage-Meriwether-Jefferson-American/dp/0684826976 Journals of Lewis & Clark - https://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/ York: Terra Incognita - https://www.lclark.edu/visit/features/york/ Casual Criminalist - https://www.youtube.com/@TheCasualCriminalist The Shortest History of the Universe by David Baker - https://www.amazon.com/Shortest-History-World/dp/1760643610?ref_=ast_author_mpb The Shortest History of Sex by David Baker - https://www.amazon.com/Book-9781913083519-author/dp/1913083519/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Texas History Lessons | One Person’s Activist - https://www.texashistorylessons.com/one-persons-activist-is-another-persons-voice-part-1/ Join Into History for ad-free and bonus content! https://intohistory.supercast.com/ Merchandise! https://www.teepublic.com/user/wild-west-extravaganza Book Recommendations! https://www.amazon.com/shop/wildwestextravaganza/list/YEHGNY7KFAU7?ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	When the Lewis and Clark expedition arrived on the Pacific coast, they set up a camp for the winter about five miles south of present-day Astoria, Oregon.
0:08.6	Interestingly enough, there was a bit of disagreement as to where exactly these quarters, dubbed Fort Clatsup, would be located.
0:16.3	Finally, Captain's Lewis and Clark ended up putting it to a vote, with both Sakajuwea and Clark's slave York
0:21.9	having an equal say in the decision. In the book on Dunted Courage, biographer Stephen Ambrose
0:27.5	poses that not only was this the first vote ever held in the Pacific Northwest, but also the
0:32.8	first time in American history that a black slave or a woman had voted. I don't know how true that is,
0:39.0	but what's not up for debate is that York did have an unprecedented amount of freedom during
0:44.1	the expedition. Despite being a slave, York carried a rifle. He hunted game, helped to navigate,
0:50.6	went on scouting trips, traded with the indigenous, and at times even helped to make critical
0:55.5	decisions. Unfortunately, this freedom would not last. Once the expedition was over, York simply went
1:02.4	right on back to being a piece of property. And unlike the other men, he was not paid for his time
1:07.8	with the core of discovery. Not one damn penny. Upon returning to civilization,
1:12.9	York would ask Captain Clark for his freedom, but this request was denied. Per William Clark,
1:18.4	quote, I did wish to do well by York, but he got such a notion about freedom and his immense
1:23.6	services on the expedition that I do not expect he will be of much service to me again."
1:29.3	End quote.
1:30.3	Now, York was married, but sadly, as was the case with many such unions in those days, his wife
1:36.1	was owned by another man.
1:38.0	Since Clark refused his freedom, York instead asked to be sent to Louisville, Kentucky, so,
1:42.8	at the very least, he could be near his wife.
1:45.4	Clark agreed, but only so long as it was a temporary trip. When York proposed that he could live there
1:50.7	permanently and hire himself out, with the profits being sent to Clark, of course, this too was denied.
	...

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