Charles Preuss – Mapping the Oregon Trail

By Stephen Schell

The Ancient Art and Science of Cartography

Cartography, a term derived from the Greek words "kartes" (map) and "graphein" (to write), is the art and science of creating maps. Its history stretches back over 12,000 years, demonstrating humanity’s enduring need to understand and represent the world around them. Today, cartography is a sophisticated discipline that incorporates cutting-edge technologies such as satellite imagery, aerial photography, and advanced surveying techniques.

Mapping the American West: From Lewis and Clark to Frémont

The history of mapmaking in the American West is intrinsically linked to the nation’s westward expansion. The Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803 marked a pivotal moment in this history. Their meticulous documentation of the landscape, flora, fauna, and indigenous populations provided invaluable information for future exploration and settlement. The map they sent to President Thomas Jefferson in 1805 became a foundational document for understanding the vast, uncharted territories west of the Mississippi River.

Following the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the U.S. government dispatched numerous surveying and mapmaking expeditions to explore and document the West. These expeditions served various purposes, including identifying potential transportation routes, assessing natural resources, and establishing territorial boundaries. Among the most significant of these expeditions were those led by John C. Frémont, a topographical engineer whose explorations in the 1840s resulted in a series of influential maps that shaped the perception and understanding of the American West.

George Karl Ludwig Preuss: The Cartographer Behind Frémont’s Expeditions

The success of Frémont’s expeditions was due in no small part to the expertise of George Karl Ludwig Preuss, a German immigrant who served as Frémont’s cartographer. Born in Hohscheid, Germany, Preuss emigrated to the United States in 1834 with his family. He found his first employment through Ferdinand Hassler, the Superintendent of the United States Coast Survey, who employed Preuss in surveys along the East Coast. After his survey work ended, Preuss briefly worked for a mining company in western Maryland. Following the tragic loss of his child, he left the company and reapplied to Hassler, but no positions were available.

In 1841, Hassler recommended the 39-year-old Preuss to the 26-year-old John C. Frémont. Frémont was working on map data collected from his assignment with Nicollet’s 1839 Missouri Expedition and was organizing a government-sponsored expedition to the West for 1842. Frémont initially hired Preuss to handle astronomical observations, but Preuss asserted that his expertise was in topography. Frémont agreed to let Preuss handle the topographical work and map creation, while Frémont himself would handle the astronomical observations.

The 1842 and 1843-44 Expeditions: Mapping the Rocky Mountains and Beyond

The first Frémont expedition in 1842 ventured westward, accompanied by a diverse group of individuals, including the renowned guides Kit Carson and Thomas Fitzpatrick. After five months, the expedition returned with valuable data and observations. Following the filing of reports, a second expedition was planned and executed in 1843. The culmination of these two expeditions was the creation of a map commissioned and published by the government in 1845, titled "Map of an Expedition to the Rocky Mountains in the Year 1842 Oregon and Northern California in the Years 1843-44."

The Oregon Trail Map: A Guide for Westward Emigrants

Following the publication of the 1845 map, Preuss was commissioned by the government to create what became known as the "Oregon Trail" map, which was divided into seven sections. Preuss’s cartographic skills were instrumental in providing essential information for those traveling west.

According to historian Donald Jackson, the Senate proposed printing 10,000 copies of the map, with the intention of selling them for five to ten cents each. The lithographer E. Weber & Co. of Baltimore, Maryland, was selected to produce the maps. In April, Preuss was contracted to create the maps based on his proposed terms. Using data from the 1842 and 1843-44 expeditions, Preuss created seven maps at a scale of 10 miles to the inch, resulting in approximately 250 miles per sheet. This scale allowed for greater detail compared to the 1845 map. Jackson described these maps as the first American road atlas, although they would be of limited use today. Comprising seven separate sections, these maps were sold to Mormon emigrants throughout the East and in England. The maps served as a valuable resource for the government, wagon train masters, and emigrants venturing west.

A Tragic End: Preuss’s Later Years and Untimely Death

In the spring of 1853, Frémont sought out Preuss for a fifth expedition. At the time, Preuss was living in Washington, D.C. Mrs. Preuss (Gertrude), wary of Frémont’s past experiences and compulsive behaviors, intervened and refused to allow Preuss to join the expedition. Instead, Preuss worked as a draftsman on a historic Pacific Railroad Survey to the southwest. After returning to Washington, D.C., he became ill and unable to continue his work with the survey, leading to depression. On September 2, 1854, he was found dead, having hanged himself in a tree on a friend’s farm near Bladensburg, Maryland.

A Melancholy Event: News of Preuss’s Death

The Evening Star reported on September 2, 1854:

Melancholy Event

We have to record today the most melancholy event that has occurred in our midst for years. Mr. Charles Preuss, surveyor, and companion of Col. Fremont in the discovery of the best route to California, is no more. Some four years ago, he was sun-struck in California, which more or less afflicted his mind ever since.

About a week ago, the malady became worse, derangement fully appearing when he was kept at home and carefully attended to. Day before yesterday, he walked out and went to the penitentiary, where he asked the keeper to furnish him with a room. The keeper put him off in a kind manner when he left the building, and no trace of him could be found until last evening, when his dead body was found back of the farm of Clark Mills, Esq., near Bladensburg. In his insanity, he wandered away from home and perished there.

Mr. Preuss was one of the most scientific men in his profession and bore a most excellent character. His last trip was with Capt. Williamson, surveying a route for the Pacific Railroad, during which he was afflicted with an attack consequent upon the first injuries received. He was a Prussian by birth, we understand, and leaves a deeply afflicted wife and family and numerous warm friends to mourn the melancholy event.

Rediscovering Charles Preuss: A Memorial Stone at Congressional Cemetery

Charles Preuss was buried in The Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C., and remained largely forgotten by history until a Colorado historian and the Congressional Cemetery archivist located his unmarked grave. A memorial stone was designed and installed in 2013, honoring his contributions to the mapping of the American West.

About the author: Stephen C. Schell, now retired, was an educator in American history, economics, and humanities from Fort Collins Poudre High School and in humanities at Regis University. Schell authored the self-published works Following John C. Fremont’s Trail through Northern Colorado, 1843 (2010) and Older than Mash: A Look Back at the 64th Field Hospital in World War II (2001). He was the historian referenced who located Charles Preuss’ unmarked grave in Washington, D.C. Schell has kindly agreed to provide this history of Charles Preuss for Legends of America.

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