Fowler's House and Horse Pen

Fowler was a member of the Glenn Company of trappers and traders enroute to Santa Fe in the fall of 1822. Near the mouth of Fountain Creek they encountered a body of Spaniards who ageed to escort Colonel Glenn to the Spanish Settlements. Jacob Fowler was left behind in charge of the camp. Under his direction a temporary house and horse pen were erected. Both house and horse pen were occupied throughout the month of January 1822. They were located first on the south side of the Arkansas River, later on the north side, in a little valley near Fountain Creek.

Jacob Fowler, January 1822.

"Jany 2nd 1822 this morning the Spanierds Began to Collect their Horses and load for their departure - Conl glann and four men Set out With them - leaving me With Eight men in an oppen Camp... We are now In the Hart of the Inden Cuntry and Emedetly on the great Ware Road...We Have no meet In Camp - and Con Clude to Send two Hunters out With Horses in the morning to kill Some meet Intending to Set the ballence of the Hands at Work to build a Hous and a Strong Peen for the Horses at night

"Tusday 15th Jany 1822 drove the Horses over the River on the Ice as ushal - I then Went to look out a good Setuation for a new Settlement on the north Side of the River - Intending to move tomorrow Should no acoumpt Reach us from Conl glann... Intend makeing a Strong Hous and Hors Pen on the Bank of the River wheare it Will not be In the Powe of an Enemy to aproch us from the River Side - and Shold the Spanierds appeer In a Hostill manner We Will fight them on the Ameraken ground. the River Hear being the line by the last tretey - the Horses all up at night

"Wensday 16th Jany 1822 moved Camp Early up the River on the north Side to the Spot I looked out yesterday - We Built a Strong Hors Peen and Put up the Horses at night - no Word from Conl glann ....

"Friday 18th Jany 1822...We built the Hous With three Rooms and but one out Side door and that Close to the Hors Pen So that the Horses Cold not be taken out at night Without our knoledge We got the Hous Seven logs High and Well Chinked the goods al stoed a Way before night ....

"thorsday 24th Jany 1822 the Horses Sent out Early Simpson to atend them - Slover and Robert Fowler Caught one bever - the men maid Soap yesterday and this day the are Washing their cloths four men out to try and kill Some der - Findley Caught one bever I am feerfull of sending to any great distance from Camp least the Spsnierds Shold make an atack on us in their absence - and We not Strong Enf to keep them off - In the Evening I found one of the lost traps With a large bever In it the Horses all up at night no Word from the Conl -

"Tusday 29th Jany 1822 Sent the Horses out Early the Hands to Packing up the goods So as to Set out in the morning for the Spanish Settlement agreable to advice from Conl glann We now under Stand that the mackeson (Mexican) provence Has de Clared Independance of the mother Cuntry and is desirous of a traid With the people of the united States Conl glann also advises me that He Has obtained permition to Hunt to trap and traid In the spanish provenoes -

"Wensday 30th Jany 1822 We moved about ten oclock ...."

Source: The Journal of Jacob Fowler, edited by Elliott Coues. (New York: Francis W. Harper, 1898).