Travels through America in the Years 1766, 1767, and 1768, published in 1778, established the reputation of a former Massachusetts colonial militia captain as an explorer. This account of the northern Mississippi valley and western Great Lakes region provided a detailed narrative of territories acquired by Great Britain following the French and Indian War, shaping colonial interest in the western frontier.
Early Life and Military Service
Born in Weymouth on April 13, 1710, Jonathan Carver spent his youth in Canterbury, Connecticut. While his formal education remains undocumented, he acquired self-taught skills in surveying and cartography alongside an apprenticeship in cobbling. In 1746, he married Abigail Robins, eventually fathering five children. By 1755, he joined the provincial militia, eventually rising to the rank of captain in 1761 after serving with Burke's Rangers and Rogers' Rangers during the French and Indian War.
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In 1766, Robert Rogers contracted Carver to locate the Northwest Passage, a hypothesized water route to the Pacific Ocean. Departing from Fort Michilimackinac, Carver navigated toward Green Bay, Wisconsin, and traveled the Fox River to the Grand Portage. He continued through the Mississippi River system, documenting Saint Anthony Falls in Minnesota and the site known as Carver's Cave. After failing to receive promised supplies, he returned to the fort in 1767.
Financial Disputes and Final Years
Following the arrest of Robert Rogers for suspected treason, Carver's claims for expenses were rejected by British authorities, who cited a lack of official authorization for the expedition. Left with significant debts, he departed for England in 1769 to petition for payment and the reward associated with the search for the Northwest Passage. He spent his remaining years in London until his death in 1780, leaving his family behind in the colonies.
Fast facts
- Born: April 13, 1710, Weymouth
- Died: January 31, 1780, London
- Citizenship: Kingdom of Great Britain
- Occupation: Cartographer and explorer
- Wife: Abigail Robins
- Children: Five
- Key Publication: Travels through America (1778)
- Military Rank: Captain
Questions readers ask
Did Jonathan Carver successfully find the Northwest Passage?
No, he failed to locate the route, despite his assertions that he had identified a potential passage during his travels.
What was the status of the land grant claimed by his heirs?
The claim, which suggested he received a vast area of eastern Wisconsin from Sioux chiefs, was legally invalid and likely a fraudulent post-mortem invention.
Achievements
- Recorded as explorer and cartographer
