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11. PRIVATE JOHN COLTER (COALTER; COULTER).

Born about 1774, near Staunton, Augusta County, Virginia. He was a son of Joseph an!""en #Shie" s$ Co"ter an a gran son of %i&a'ah Coa"ter. (hen he was about fi)e years o" ,

his parents *o)e to %ays)i""e, +entu& y. John spent his boyhoo in %ays)i""e an as ayoung *an he probab"y ser)e as a -anger un er Si*on +enton.

He was fi)e feet ten in&hes ta"" rather shy ha b"ue eyes an open p"easing &ountenan&ewas /ui& *in e , &ourageous an a fine hunter. He was re&ruite by Captain 0ewis at%ays)i""e on &tober 12, 13 5 one of the 8ine young *en fro* +entu& y an aper*anent *e*ber of the e9pe ition. He was truste with *any spe&ia" *issions whi"e withthe party.

(hen the e9pe ition was enroute ho*e, Co"ter was honorab"y is&harge on August 15,13 6. He returne to the :e""owstone with ;orest Han &o& an Joseph he partnership with Han &o& an hey arri)e there in&tober 13 7, an 0isa i**e iate"y ispat&he Co"ter to the Crow =n ians then on theBighorn -i)er. hey ha a son,Hira* Co"ter, who be&a*e the father of eight &hi" ren.

John Co"ter ie about 8o)e*ber , 1315 . rai" writes that a&&or ing to "o&a"tra ition, Co"ter was burie in a &e*etery near unne" Hi"", whi&h was"o&ate between the Big an 0itt"e Boeuf &ree s. A rai"roa &ut was "ater *a e whi&he"i*inate a"" tra&e of this &e*etery. >he re*ains were sai to ha)e been s&attere a"ongthe rai"roa fi"". Howe)er, in the &o""e&tions of the St. Char"es Histori&a" So&iety are theboo s of the ;ee ;ee Baptist Chur&h -e&or s. An entry is w ritten, John Co"ter a fur tra erwith %anue" 0isa. A to*bstone, sai to ha)e been in the &hur&h &e*etery, rea D

Here "ies John Co"terof 0ewis an C"ar !9pe ition

Born in 1772 in Va.

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>his &hur&h an &e*etery are at Bri geton, %issouri, not far fro* Co"ter?s far* at Charette.8o tra&e of the to*bstone has yet been foun .

(hi"e (i""ia* C"ar was putting finishing tou&hes to his *ap of the 8orthwest to a&&o*panythe "ong e"aye pub"i&ation of the 0ewis an C"ar 'ourna"s, John Co"ter supp"ie *any new

etai"s g"eane fro* his tra)e"s into the :e""owstone, (in -i)er an other *ountain areasnot nown to C"ar .

n %ay 3, 1311, Co"ter sought, but &ou" not &o""e&t, E577.6o fro* the inso")ent estate of%eriwether 0ewis, e&ease . >his a*ount was probab"y ue Co"ter as e9tra pay for ser)i&euring the e9pe ition. After Co"ter ie , his househo" furnishings were au&tione onhree ;or s region, his &o*panion John Potts, wasi""e an Co"ter &apture by B"a& feet. He was strippe an "e his pursuers on a wi" fi)e*i"e ra&e to the %a ison -i)er, i""e his fore*ost assai"ant an p"unge into the strea*,&on&ea"ing hi*se"f beneath riftwoo whi"e B"a& feet sear&he i"igent"y for hi*. =n thear ness he es&ape , *a e his way 2 *i"es to 0isa?s fort at the *outh of the Big Horn,

arri)ing after 11 ays. =n the winter of 13 3 13 @ he returne to the >hree ;or s to re&o)erhis traps, es&ape another brush with the B"a& feet. He went own the ri)er in 13 @, but*et an was persua e to 'oin a St. 0ouis %issouri ;ur >ra ing Co*pany e9pe ition,assisting the* in bui" ing a fort in the >hree ;or s region, es&ape a B"a& foot atta& anfina""y, ha)ing ha enough, /uitte the &ountry Apri" , 131 . He rea&he St. 0ouis in 5ays. Co"ter *arrie , sett"e near the aging