CHRISTOPHER GIST

Third 2019 edition.In American colonial history, no individual did more to bring about the early expansion west of the Appalachian Mountains into the Ohio Country than did Christopher Gist. In his fifty-four years, Christopher Gist was first a merchant and business man in Baltimore, Maryland. He then became a Maryland Ranger, a surveyor, trapper, and trader. In 1750, Gist went to work for the Ohio Company of Virginia and made two trans-Appalachian explorations. In 1753 he accompanied George Washington to the French Fort, LeBoeuf (Waterford, PA), with a message telling the French to leave the area claimed by the King of England. Shortly thereafter he served as scout for General Edward Braddock and was present at Braddock's defeat. In his last years, Gist served as a Deputy Agent to the Superintendent of Indian Affairs of the Southern Department. If you do an image search for "Christopher Gist" on any web browser, you will see a painting of two men on a raft. The man in front is George Washington, the man behind is Christopher Gist. Washington's story is known by almost every American, and yet little is known about Gist. It is my intent to keep Christopher Gist's story and contribution to American History alive. As pointed out by author Christian Wig, the "frontiersman [Christopher Gist] resembled Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett and all our frontier heroes rolled into one." And with that said, here is Christopher Gist's story.Royalties are donated to my prep school and other nonprofits.