John Wesley Hillman
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John Wesley Hillman (March 29, 1832 - March 19, 1915), was an American prospector and explorer who was the first European to see Crater Lake in the U.S. state of Oregon.
Hillman was born in Albany, New York. He accompanied his father on an expedition to California during the Gold Rush in April 1849, and stayed out west when his father returned to the east. On June 12, 1853, John Wesley Hillman was reportedly the first European to see what he named "Deep Blue Lake" in Oregon. The lake was subsequently renamed Crater Lake. Hillman shattered a knee in 1855 during the Rogue River Wars and returned east a few years later, settling to a farming life in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Hillman's first marriage, in April 1866, was to his cousin Elizabeth Hillman (July 24, 1843 - June 1873). He had one daughter by this marriage who died as a child in 1874. His second marriage, in Orleans parish on July 25, 1875, was to Rosalie Frye (October 11, 1854 - May 4, 1928).
[edit] External links
- John Wesley Hillman's (brief) memoir
- Hillman Genealogy
- Crater Lake discovery centennial from the National Park Service
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Hillman, John Wesley |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Discoverer of Crater Lake |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1832-03-29 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Albany, NY |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1915-03-19 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
