Pilcher had one of the most wonderful trips ever made in the mountains, going with only one companion for many hundreds of miles. He returned to St. Louis in June, 1830, and after the death of General Clarke in 1838, he became Superintendent of Indian affairs, which position he held for nine years. It was under his regime that Andrew Drips became Indian Agent at Fort Laramie at a later date, much to the advantage of the American Fur Company, then operating a trading post at that point.

In 1826, three of the "enterprising young men," who accompanied General Ashley in 1823, organized a company and Ashley wishing to retire from the fur trade, sold out to them. Ashley was about $200,000 in debt at the time he began operations, but he retired in 1826 with a fortune of over $300,000.

The style of the new firm was Smith, Jackson & Sublette. The senior member, Jebediah Smith, was a great, great uncle of Mrs. C. P. Calhoun, who lived near the signal point seven miles northeast of Scottsbluff, a few years ago.

One of the prettiest valleys in the mountains and one of the most charming nature spots of the west were named after Jackson -- the Jackson holes and Jackson lake.

William Sublette was one of the characters in history building in the western country for several years, and it is right that more than passing mention be made of him and his achievements. He was born in 1799 and at the age of nineteen started in business for himself by ope/iing a billiard hall at Saint Charles, Missouri. He was a Kentuckian, and his father was said to be the man who killed Chief Tecumseh.