Thomas"Pegleg" Smith

The Birth of Thomas "Pegleg"Smith

Oct 10, 1801

Born in Crab Orchard, Kentucky, Smith ran away from home as a teenager to work on a flatboat on the Mississippi River until reaching St. Louis, Missouri where he began working for John Jacob Astor as a fur trapper with other mountain men such as Kit Carson, Jim Bridger, and Milton Sublette.

Raiding Southern California for horses

Apr 15, 1840

Pegleg Smith and his cohorts entered Southern California to steal horses from the Spanish ranchos.

Pegleg Smith dies in San Francisco

Oct 15, 1866

After leading a wild and adventurous life, Pegleg Smith died in San Francisco a poor drunk.