James Kirker
Encyclopedia
James Kirker was an Irish born, American pirate, soldier, mercenary, merchant, fur trader and scalp hunter
. He came to New York
at the age of 16 and soon joined a privateer ship hunting for British merchant ships in the war of 1812
.
James was born in Killead
in Co. Antrim to an Ulster Scots family, but left the British Isles for New York
, USA at the age of 16 to avoid conscription to the navy. In an ironic twist, he became a "legal" American pirate scalp-hunter to raid British ships off the American east coast. He was pirate for a year, but returned to New York (Ferry Street) in 1813 and married Catherine Donigan. Catherine lived in 174 Henry Street
, and James abandoned his family in 1817 when some of his cousins arrived in New York and they travelled to St. Louis, Missouri
, James not returning to NY.
In St. Louis, James worked in the McKnight and Brady store in the business district. In 1821 he has his own grocery business near the Piggot ferry on the river.
James joined the William Henry Ashley
fur trapping expedition. He did this for many years, but got into trouble with the Mexicans. He then had several jobs, and eventually became an apache
-hunter. Comanches displaced Apaches, so the Apaches raided the Pueblo
and Spanish, and Kirker made a life driving these Apache back. In 1839, Kirker was raided by Apache, but Kirker chased and killed many Apache. James, known to the Mexicans as Santiago, contracted with Governor Irigoyen de la O, of Chihuahua, to raise a group of men for the expressed purpose of hunting Chiricahua and Chihene natives. He often hunted in the mountains and along the rivers of northern Mexico, southeastern Arizona, and southwestern New Mexico. He took orders from no one. The natives resented Kirker because prior to his relationship with Mexican officials, he had been an illicit trader with the Indians, dealing in guns, gunpowder, liquor, and sometimes even travelled with native raiders.
James's son was James B. Kirker, who was brought up as a Roman Catholic by his mother. He was an engineer and was in the "Fighting 69th".
Scalping
Scalping is the act of removing another person's scalp or a portion of their scalp, either from a dead body or from a living person. The initial purpose of scalping was to provide a trophy of battle or portable proof of a combatant's prowess in war...
. He came to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
at the age of 16 and soon joined a privateer ship hunting for British merchant ships in the war of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
James was born in Killead
Killead
Killead is a small village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is near Aldergrove and Antrim. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 78 people.The village is near Belfast International Airport and is accessed from the A26 Tully Road.-People:...
in Co. Antrim to an Ulster Scots family, but left the British Isles for New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA at the age of 16 to avoid conscription to the navy. In an ironic twist, he became a "legal" American pirate scalp-hunter to raid British ships off the American east coast. He was pirate for a year, but returned to New York (Ferry Street) in 1813 and married Catherine Donigan. Catherine lived in 174 Henry Street
Henry Street
Henry Street can refer to the following streets:*Henry Street , a street in Dublin, Ireland*Henry Street , a street in Manhattan, New York, United States...
, and James abandoned his family in 1817 when some of his cousins arrived in New York and they travelled to St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, James not returning to NY.
In St. Louis, James worked in the McKnight and Brady store in the business district. In 1821 he has his own grocery business near the Piggot ferry on the river.
James joined the William Henry Ashley
William Henry Ashley
William Henry Ashley was a pioneering fur trader, entrepreneur, and politician. Though a native of Virginia, Ashley had already moved to St. Genevieve in what was then called Louisiana, when it was purchased by the United States from France in 1803...
fur trapping expedition. He did this for many years, but got into trouble with the Mexicans. He then had several jobs, and eventually became an apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
-hunter. Comanches displaced Apaches, so the Apaches raided the Pueblo
Pueblo
Pueblo is a term used to describe modern communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern United States of America. The first Spanish explorers of the Southwest used this term to describe the communities housed in apartment-like structures built of stone, adobe mud, and other local material...
and Spanish, and Kirker made a life driving these Apache back. In 1839, Kirker was raided by Apache, but Kirker chased and killed many Apache. James, known to the Mexicans as Santiago, contracted with Governor Irigoyen de la O, of Chihuahua, to raise a group of men for the expressed purpose of hunting Chiricahua and Chihene natives. He often hunted in the mountains and along the rivers of northern Mexico, southeastern Arizona, and southwestern New Mexico. He took orders from no one. The natives resented Kirker because prior to his relationship with Mexican officials, he had been an illicit trader with the Indians, dealing in guns, gunpowder, liquor, and sometimes even travelled with native raiders.
James's son was James B. Kirker, who was brought up as a Roman Catholic by his mother. He was an engineer and was in the "Fighting 69th".
External links
- http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/HNS/Scalpin/children.html
- "Borderlander: the life of James Kirker, 1793-1852" By Ralph Adam Smith