Chapter 36
Burlington Saturday Evening Post
E. H. Thomas
1912
Andrew Burton has a Ferry Built at Nauvoo
During my time along the river I formed the
acquaintance of Andrew Burton. He was a Frenchman and
lived at Nauvoo, when Gen. John C. Fremont started on his
trip of exploration thro the Rocky and Sierra Nevada
mountains, Burton was operating supply trains out there.
Selling goods to the miners and ranchmen. Thro this
business he gained a knowledge of the mountain roads,
trails and passes. It will be remembered that Fremont was
caught in a terrific storm. He and his party were snowed
in, and could neither go forward nor back. Their supplies
ran low, and for a time it was believed that the entire
party had died of exposure and starvation. Hearing of the
situation, at is own expense, Burton started a relief
train into the mountains. With a force of men he fought
his way thro the storms and snow drifts until he reached
Fremont camp where he found the men in a starving
condition. Some of them had died, but Burton arrived in
the nick of time to save Fremont and a larger portion of
his men. The general was under lasting obligation to
Andrew Burton, and told him that he owed him a debt which
he could never fully pay. Gen. Fremont at that time was a
wealthy man. Burton continued in the supply business out
there, and thro the financial backing of Gen. Fremont, he
made sufficient money to retire. He came east and first
located in St. Louis. Later on he came to Nauvoo,
purchased a fine tract of land on the river bluff, just
below the town, where he erected a fine residence and
lived in ease and comfort. During my one year in the
newspaper business in Nauvoo, Burton came into the office
one day and told me in detail of his battle with the
elements in his search for Gen. Fremont and his party, and
the rescue. He also informed me that he had some idle
money, and that he would like to invest some of it in
something which would be of benefit to Nauvoo. I told him
that the one thing needed was a steam ferry boat which
would give the place connection with the trains at
Montrose. He told me to make a plan for the boat and he
would build it, and he made good. He built and started the
steamer, A. Burton, which enabled the people to have a
daily mail, instead of a tri-weekly, and proved a benefit
in many other ways.