1 Christopher Houston (Kit) Carson began his life in 1809, in Madison County, Kentucky. As a young boy of nine, in Missouri, Kit's father was killed by a falling tree. Because Kit had to help support his family of fourteen children and a mother, he had to work instead of getting an education. This was a common practice in the nineteenth century. At fourteen, Kit left home and went to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
2 From there, he went to Taos. 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 at 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 at the sun comin' up." He was very honest and courageous.
