George Chorpenning
Encyclopedia
George W. Chorpenning Jr. (whose last name sometimes appears as "Chorpening") was a pioneer in the transportation of mail, freight, and passengers through the arid and undeveloped western regions of the United States
. His efforts in the 1850s were vital to the integration of the then-new state of California
with the established government and economy east of the Mississippi River.
George Chorpenning was born in 1820 in Somerset
, Pennsylvania
, the son of a county judge. In 1850 he traveled to California in search of gold
. Disappointed, he realized that there was a critical need for fast and reliable mail service between California and the eastern states, most of which was then being transported by sea.
He teamed up with Abolam Woodward and, in April 1851, received a contract from the U.S. Post Office
to provide monthly transport of the mail between Sacramento
and Salt Lake City
, the most difficult leg of the first "overland" mail service. Within months Woodward had died from an attack along the Humboldt River
. Chorpenning persisted with the "Jackass Mail" service, but found that the monthly schedule was difficult to meet, and that their chosen route along the California Trail
was difficult to follow, especially in winter, and especially in the Sierra Nevada and the hills of northeastern Nevada
.
Chorpenning renewed his mail contract in 1854, but switched the route to an all-season road from Salt Lake City southwest to San Diego
, and from there by ship to San Francisco
. In 1858 he received a third government contract, this time for twice-monthly service and including stagecoach
(passenger) service. By then Chorpenning had learned from Howard Egan about a more direct route from Salt Lake City, around the south end of the Great Salt Lake Desert
, and through the mountains of central Nevada to the new towns of Carson City
and Genoa
. In 1859 Chorpenning used the eastern half of this route, connecting with the original Humboldt River route at Gravelly Ford, near present-day Beowawe
. By 1860 the full central route had been surveyed by James H. Simpson
and improved by the U.S. Army. Chorpenning built a series of provisioned way stations along the route to allow rapid exchange of mule teams.
Unfortunately Chorpenning also had his mail contract annulled in 1860, largely for political reasons. Companies headed by William Hepburn Russell
took over the route, and used Chorpenning's way stations to establish the short-lived Pony Express
mail service. The Pony Express became obsolete in late 1861 when the Transcontinental Telegraph
, also using Chorpenning's route and way stations, became operational. Transportation along the Chorpenning's central route continued until the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad
in 1869.
Chorpenning returned to the eastern states, where he was instrumental in organizing Civil War
army units for the state of Maryland
. Later, he unsuccessfully petitioned the U.S. Government to meet their contractual obligations for his mail transport service, a process which exposed the capricious nature by which they let (and annulled) contracts. George Chorpenning died in New York City
in 1894. His hometown newspaper, the Somerset Herald, printed his obituary on April 11, 1894:
(1969), ISBN 978-0-87417-171-6
"Dictionary of American Biography", vol. II, p. 91
A semi-fictional account of the life of George Chorpenning.
"The Overland Mail 1849-69", by Leroy R. Hafen
(1929).
A detailed account of the various mail lines.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. His efforts in the 1850s were vital to the integration of the then-new state of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with the established government and economy east of the Mississippi River.
George Chorpenning was born in 1820 in Somerset
Somerset, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,762 people, 3,035 households, and 1,717 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,466.0 people per square mile . There were 3,313 housing units at an average density of 1,208.2 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, the son of a county judge. In 1850 he traveled to California in search of gold
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. Disappointed, he realized that there was a critical need for fast and reliable mail service between California and the eastern states, most of which was then being transported by sea.
He teamed up with Abolam Woodward and, in April 1851, received a contract from the U.S. Post Office
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
to provide monthly transport of the mail between Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
and Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, the most difficult leg of the first "overland" mail service. Within months Woodward had died from an attack along the Humboldt River
Humboldt River
The Humboldt River runs through northern Nevada in the western United States. At approximately long it is the second longest river in the Great Basin, after the Bear River. It has no outlet to the ocean, but instead empties into the Humboldt Sink...
. Chorpenning persisted with the "Jackass Mail" service, but found that the monthly schedule was difficult to meet, and that their chosen route along the California Trail
California Trail
The California Trail was an emigrant trail of about across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California...
was difficult to follow, especially in winter, and especially in the Sierra Nevada and the hills of northeastern Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
.
Chorpenning renewed his mail contract in 1854, but switched the route to an all-season road from Salt Lake City southwest to San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, and from there by ship to San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. In 1858 he received a third government contract, this time for twice-monthly service and including stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
(passenger) service. By then Chorpenning had learned from Howard Egan about a more direct route from Salt Lake City, around the south end of the Great Salt Lake Desert
Great Salt Lake Desert
The Great Salt Lake Desert is a large dry lake in northern Utah between the Great Salt Lake and the Nevada border which is noted for white sand from evaporite Lake Bonneville salt deposits...
, and through the mountains of central Nevada to the new towns of Carson City
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
and Genoa
Genoa, Nevada
Genoa is an unincorporated town in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. Founded in 1850, it was the first settlement in what became the Nevada Territory. It is situated within Carson River Valley and is about south of Reno....
. In 1859 Chorpenning used the eastern half of this route, connecting with the original Humboldt River route at Gravelly Ford, near present-day Beowawe
Beowawe, Nevada
Beowawe is a ghost town in Eureka County in northeastern Nevada in the western United States. Beowawe is a Paiute Native American word meaning "gate", so named for the peculiar shape of the hills close to town which gives the effect of a gateway opening to the valley beyond. The town is located at...
. By 1860 the full central route had been surveyed by James H. Simpson
James H. Simpson
James Hervey Simpson was an officer in the U.S. Army and a member of the United States Topographical Engineers.-Early years:He was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey on March 9, 1813, the son of John Simpson and Mary Brunson. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1832 and was...
and improved by the U.S. Army. Chorpenning built a series of provisioned way stations along the route to allow rapid exchange of mule teams.
Unfortunately Chorpenning also had his mail contract annulled in 1860, largely for political reasons. Companies headed by William Hepburn Russell
William Hepburn Russell
William Hepburn Russell is often credited along with Alexander Majors and William B. Waddell as the founders, owners, and operators of the Pony Express. His public life is one of numerous business ventures, some successful and some failed...
took over the route, and used Chorpenning's way stations to establish the short-lived Pony Express
Pony Express
The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...
mail service. The Pony Express became obsolete in late 1861 when the Transcontinental Telegraph
First Transcontinental Telegraph
The First Transcontinental Telegraph was a milestone in electrical engineering and in the formation of the United States of America. It served as the only method of near-instantaneous communication between the east and west coasts during the 1860s....
, also using Chorpenning's route and way stations, became operational. Transportation along the Chorpenning's central route continued until the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad
First Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
in 1869.
Chorpenning returned to the eastern states, where he was instrumental in organizing Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
army units for the state of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. Later, he unsuccessfully petitioned the U.S. Government to meet their contractual obligations for his mail transport service, a process which exposed the capricious nature by which they let (and annulled) contracts. George Chorpenning died in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1894. His hometown newspaper, the Somerset Herald, printed his obituary on April 11, 1894:
-- Death of Major Chorpening --
-- Was the First Man to Carry the Mails Across the Continent --
Major George Chorpening died in the New York Hospital, New York city, last Tuesday morning. He was born in Somerset, June 1, 1820. He was the first man to carry the United States mails across the continent.
He was the son of Hon. George Chorpening, an Associate Judge of this county, and spent the years of his boyhood around his father's farm. Afterwards he engaged in business in Stoystown. In the spring of 1850 he went to California. In the following year he established a mail business from Sacramento to Salt Lake City. The mails were carried on horseback and the route was gone over once a month. It was a hard journey of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and sixteen days was considered good time. Chorpening had a partner, Captain Woodward, of Indiana county, Pa. The first trip the Captain made he was killed by Indians. From that time on Chorpening had the contract alone.
He subsequently had a coach contract from the Missouri River to Placerville, California. This was the road over which Horace Greeley was driven by Hank Monch in one of Chorpening's coaches. Chorpening put the coaches on and laid out the road himself. He built post stations at every twenty miles for relays of horses.
Chorpening organized the First and Second Maryland Infantry in 1861, at the personal request of President Lincoln. He was made Major in the First Regiment and Colonel in the Second. For many years he had been prosecuting a claim against the government on mail contracts amounting to $430,000.
During the years that Chorpening was engaged in running coaches and carrying mails over the plains he was assisted by his brother-in-law, Mr. Irwin Pile, of this place. We believe that Mr. Pile has the distinction of driving the first coach ever driven across the plains to California.
For a number of years following the war Major Chorpening made his summer home in this place, where he owned one of the handsomest properties in town. His home was consumed by the great fire of 1872. The ground afterwards passed into the hands of John H. Miller and Henry Hefley, and is at present occupied by them. He had not visited Somerset for a number of years prior to his death.
He leaves two sons and two daughters, Mrs. F. A. McGee, of California, Frank G. Chorpening, of Berlin, and George W. Chorpening and Mrs. Johnson, both of New York city. The body was interred in the Cemetery of the Evergreens, Long Island.
Mr. F. G. Chorpening was notified by telegraph of his father's sickness, but did not reach New York until after his death.
Sources
"Nevada's Northeast Frontier", by Eda Patterson, Louise Ulph, and Victor Goodwin,(1969), ISBN 978-0-87417-171-6
"Dictionary of American Biography", vol. II, p. 91
Further reading
"The Man from Somerset", by Frank Winslow, published 1993, ISBN 978-0-533-10560-1.A semi-fictional account of the life of George Chorpenning.
"The Overland Mail 1849-69", by Leroy R. Hafen
LeRoy R. Hafen
LeRoy Reuben Hafen was a historian of the American West and a Latter-day Saint. For many years he was a professor of history at Brigham Young University .-Biography:...
(1929).
A detailed account of the various mail lines.