Fremont Township was established and named in honor of John C. Frémont, western explorer, and future politician.
So, who was John C Fremont and why was his name picked for the area we know as Fremont, Michigan? Eight states have a town named for Mr. Fremont – California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and of course Michigan.
The career of John Charles Frémont, who became known as “The Great Pathfinder,” proved to be far greater before the Civil War than during the conflict. Before the war, Frémont made a name for himself, leading several expeditions into the west to explore the regions and survey them for further expansion. In July of 1838, he was appointed a second lieutenant in the Corps. of Topographical Engineers and led four major expeditions into the west to survey and explore the regions. During the Mexican American War, Frémont led the California Battalion to capture the cities of Santa Barbara, Presidio, and part of Los Angeles. He also signed the Treaty of Cahuenga, which ended the war in most of California.
After the war, Frémont received the military governorship of California, but when he refused to give up the seat, was court-martialed and resigned from the military on March 15, 1848. Frémont served as a senator from California from 1850 to 1851 and ran unsuccessfully for president of the United States as the first Republican Party candidate in 1856.
John C Fremont is worth naming a town after. He successfully surveyed the state we know as California and ended the Mexican-American war for that territory and was instrumental in establishing California in its “birth”.
Today, Fremont is a thriving community that welcomes you to come explore!
Big thanks to the Heritage Museum of Newaygo County for curating this awesome history! Want to dive deeper? Check out newaygocountyexploring.com/tourism-tips!
