Merchants of the Santa Fe Trail:  Charles Trumball Hayden, Henry Mayer, and William Baskerville

Merchants of the Santa Fe Trail:  Charles Trumball Hayden, Henry Mayer, and William Baskerville

This talk presents the biographies, stories and adventures of three Santa Fe Trail traders.  Learn how these Santa Fe Trail traders worked, their interactions with Native Americans and the challenges of travelling overland.   During the 1850's, Independence was the point of departure for the trade caravans.  In 1850, five hundred wagon loads of merchandise left the Kansas City area headed west on the trail.  In just 5 short years, the total trade was estimated at $5,000,000, a figure comparable to $190 Million in 2022.  

Come join us and learn about:

Charles Trumbull Hayden,  a merchant and freighter who eventually founded Tempe, AZ.  

Henry Mayer, an experienced trader and customer of Hayden's store, took his bride Rebecca on a honeymoon over the trail with 50 men and 500 mules.  

William Baskerville, freighted with Francois X. Aubrey, and was known for his Lightning Express trade expeditions three times a year.  

Learn more about End-Of-The-Trail Chapter of the Santa Fe Trail Association at https://santafetrail.org/new-mexico-chapter/end-of-trail-chapter/