Salvete Omnes,
from the American magazine Blue Book (85n04)
comes the description bellow of the life and deeds of Francois Xavier Aubry, French-Canadian long-distance rider.
who left his Quebec in 1843, came to Saint Louis, Missouri (large French-Canadian community since time immemorial or La Salle founding of the town) where in the Spring of 1846 he begun his Santa Fe Trail businesses. Eventually he would crisscross the Santa Fe Trail and other Southwestern routes during the 1846-54 period. He became known for his fast long-distance travels, like one in 1847, when he traveled 300 miles in 4 days (the total journey was 31 days long) - from Santa Fe to Independence, Missouri. In late December-early January 1848 he again traveled from Santa Fe to Independence, arriving there on January 5 - 14 days in total, making it the quickest trip on record .
On Sept 12, 1848 he left Santa Fe on a solo ride, using a dragoon saddle on his yellow mare 'Dolly,' and changing 6 horses of his remuda, he & his horse 'half ran, half staggered' into Independence on September 17, having traversed circa 800 miles in less than 5 days (frontier newspaper - Santa Fe Republican- reporting - you can borrow this book for more details- Archive World Library).
Texas-on-Line has this article about gallant Mr Aubry.Upon arrival in Albuquerque, Aubrey was killed in an altercation with another frontiersman, Weightman, who used his Bowie knife to mortally wound Aubrey, whose revolver had misfired. During a jury trial Weightman was found not guilty by reason of acting in self-defense.
Aubrey wrote diaries during his travels - his 1853 diary was published by Santa Fe Weekly Gazette in Sept 1853. Daily Missouri Republican published, posthumously, his 1854 diary.
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Stories of Santa Fe Trail can be enjoyed from Archive World Library.
Valete
