1 Christopher (Kit) Carson began his life in 1809 in Madison County, Kentucky. When Kit was a young boy of nine, his father was killed by a falling tree in Missouri. Because Kit had to help support his mother and family of fourteen children, he had to work instead of getting an education. This was common in the nineteenth century. At sixteen, Kit left home and went to New Mexico.
2 He worked a few jobs there for awhile. A few years later, at 19, he was hired for a fur-trapping job in California. He was pretty small, just barely over five feet tall, but he was a very brave young man. He was very good at his job and enjoyed it for twelve years.
3 Kit spent a lot of time with the Arapaho and Cheyenne Indians. In fact his first two wives were from these tribes. Although fur trappers had a bad reputation for lying, cheating, and stealing, Kit had a reputation for his "word being as sure as the sun comin' up." He was very honest and courageous.
