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122-510: In 1835 Bent married Owl Woman , the daughter of White Thunder, a Cheyenne chief and medicine man . Together they had four children. Bent was accepted into the Cheyenne tribe and became a sub-chief. In the 1840s, according to the Cheyenne custom for successful men, Bent took Owl Woman's sisters, Eagle Woman and Island, as secondary wives. He had his fifth child with Eagle Woman. After Owl Woman died in 1847, Island cared for her children. Each of

244-502: A " fruit brandy " or "fruit spirit" or named using the specific fruit, such as "peach brandy", rather than just generically as "brandy". If pomace is the raw material, the beverage may be called " pomace brandy ", "marc brandy", "grape marc", "fruit marc spirit", or "grape marc spirit", "marc" being the pulp residue after the juice has been pressed from the fruit. Grape pomace brandy may be designated as " grappa " or "grappa brandy". Apple brandy may be referred to as "applejack" , although

366-410: A "Cheyenne sub-chief", as he was given tribal membership with his marriage to Owl Woman. The marriage was important for both Bent and Owl Woman's father White Thunder. For Bent, the marriage reinforced his relationship with the Cheyenne. White Thunder believed the marriage would strengthen his alliance with Bent and provide protection for the Cheyenne. On a personal level, it enhanced his prestige within

488-556: A "negotiated community. ... Only constant renegotiation and the conscious creation of community through family ties, diplomacy, warfare, and dinner made it operate in a surprisingly stable way." In contrast, the Comanche had resisted traders and other incursions. They had for many years protected their territory to the south of the Arkansas River against almost all who attempted to move into it. They had built up their power with

610-406: A Cheyenne would not merely provide him with female companionship and a social escort for functions held at the fort but, perhaps more importantly, reinforce an alliance with the tribe that would be a useful adjunct to his burgeoning trading activities. From the perspective of White Thunder, it would bolster his tribe's already friendly relationship with Bent and thus provide protection for them, and on

732-466: A Comanche raid on the fort and its surroundings in 1839 and a retaliatory raid by the Cheyenne. Realizing that long-term peace was preferable to reciprocating attacks, this was agreed and the formalization of the arrangement at the fort over several weeks during the summer of 1840 saw Bent playing a central role as host to the various camps and their celebrations. Hyde has said that For William Bent, Owl Woman, and their families and business associates,

854-538: A St. Louis native. The city had several major fur trading families. They left Missouri about 1826 to explore what is now southern Colorado along the upper Arkansas River to trap for furs and establish a trade business. Within a couple of years, the Bents and St. Vrain had built two stockades, one near the present town of Pueblo , Colorado and the other stockade either at the mouth of the Purgatoire River , or on

976-558: A brandy factory in Tbilisi , Georgia, a crossroads for Turkish, Central Asian, and Persian trade routes and a part of the Russian Empire at the time. Except for a few major producers, brandy production and consumption tend to have a regional character, and thus production methods significantly vary. Wine brandy is produced from a variety of grape cultivars. A special selection of cultivars, providing distinct aroma and character,

1098-405: A chemical instrument was invented that reduced them to a single distillation. A portion was ignited to test the purity of the rectified spirit of wine. The liquor was good if a fire consumed the entire contents without leaving any impurities behind. Another, better test involved putting a little gunpowder in the bottom of the spirit. The liquor was good if the gunpowder could ignite after the spirit

1220-429: A cook. In 1848 Charlotte Green described herself to George Ruxton as "de only lady in de whole damn Injun country". Her cooking won her a high reputation among the fur traders and travelers. One person called her a "culinary divinity". Bent's Fort held dances regularly; Colonel Henry Inman described Charlotte as "the center of attention, the belle of the evening. She knew her worth and danced accordingly." In 1846 Bent

1342-442: A deep knowledge of their territory, shrewd trading arrangements, and their willingness to raid those who threatened or breached the arrangements. Their grip on the territory to the south of the river was one of the reasons why Bent's Fort had been constructed to the north. Although the Comanche continued to assert their power after Mexican independence, the influx of displaced tribes, the westward push of European-American settlers, and

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1464-635: A farm with a small brick house at 1032 West 55th Street in Kansas City, Missouri. While generally living at his home in Missouri in 1859, Bent was an agent to the Cheyenne and Arapaho at Big Timbers. At that time, Bent continued his trading business for new settlers lured by the Colorado gold rush . He also freighted goods for the United States government, which yielded a good profit. During

1586-424: A formal marital alliance with Bent, and in particular the children that would result from such a relationship, would represent another element of the new beginning, of peace for the Cheyenne and indeed the region. Bent had already learned the language of the Cheyenne and he was known as Little White Man by the native tribes. He and his brothers had been given native names upon their first meeting with Cheyenne in

1708-419: A group of Taos Pueblo and other warriors. Green was severely wounded but survived a trip back to Bent's Fort. Also allowing Charlotte Green to leave with her husband, the Bents gave her an informal freedom. As the demand for furs declined, business dropped at the fort. An 1849 cholera epidemic among the Cheyenne took the lives of half the tribe, including Tall Woman, Bent's mother-in-law. Bent wanted to build

1830-419: A mirror. It was while at the fort in 1845 that topographical engineer Lieutenant James W. Abert asked Owl Woman to sit for him as the subject of a watercolor painting. He described that: In the evening I got a fine sketch of 'Mis-stan-stur,' (Owl Woman), a Cheyenne squaw, who although she has been married several years and has two children, yet shows signs of having been a remarkably handsome woman. Having

1952-418: A more intense flavour in some soups, notably onion soup. In English Christmas cooking, brandy is a common flavouring in traditional foods such as Christmas cake , brandy butter , and Christmas pudding . It is also commonly used in drinks such as mulled wine and eggnog , drunk during the festive season. Brandy is used to flambé dishes such as crêpe Suzette and cherries jubilee while serving. Brandy

2074-453: A more personal level it would re-establish some of his prestige within the tribe itself. To observe the formal rituals of the Cheyenne, he obtained consent from White Thunder to court Owl Woman. So much as talking to a Cheyenne girl was considered to be courtship by the tribe and, as such, it was necessary to obtain the permission first in order not to cause offence. There were other pre-courtship rituals, such as an exchange of ponies between

2196-401: A negro cook who described herself as the only female American woman to George Ruxton at the time of his visit in 1848 as "de only lady in de whole damn Injun country". She was renowned for her cooking among fur traders and travelers. One person called her a "culinary divinity". Bent's Fort held dances regularly; Charlotte was described by Colonel Henry Inman as "the center of attention,

2318-595: A new fort closer to Big Timbers, near the winter grounds for many tribes. Unable to agree on a selling price for the old fort, after removing his inventory of goods, Bent blew up and set fire to the old fort. In 1853 he established a stone fort in the Big Timbers area. Six years later, the US government purchased the new "Bent's Fort", renamed it Fort Wise and remodeled it for military use. Bent, Vrain & Company had other forts, including On April 6, 1858 Bent purchased

2440-561: A new world that would provide sustenance and honor for their children. Their vision did not last, being overtaken by wider events as the years passed by, but the contribution of Owl Woman was recognized posthumously. She was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 1985. In 2021 a mountain southwest of Denver (formerly "Squaw Mountain") was renamed in her honor. It will now be named "Mestaa'ėhehe (Pronounced Mes-ta-heh or Mes-ta-het) Mountain". Brandy Brandy

2562-417: A part of the ritual, Owl Woman was carried into a lodge which was constructed for them in the Cheyenne village near the fort, while Bent dispensed largesse in the form of numerous gifts. Bent later became a "Cheyenne sub-chief", having attained tribal membership with his marriage to Owl Woman. The couple each spent time at their partner's residence: the lodge created for Owl Woman and Bent's quarters within

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2684-457: A solo, unarmed visit to the Pawnee village to seek peace and returned with two of the arrows and an agreement. White Thunder also arranged a formal marital alliance between Bent and his daughter Owl Woman. He believed that their children would represent another element of the new beginning, of peace for the Cheyenne and the region. By this time Bent had learned the language of the Cheyenne, and he

2806-438: A tailor, blacksmith, carpenter and herders. Caravans took goods to trade with regional Native American tribes. The fort was usually relatively empty during the summer months. During that period, Bent often made the six-month round trip on the 500-mile-long (800 km) trail to and from Westport, Missouri (present-day Kansas City) to trade the furs and goods gathered over the previous winter. He would purchase goods to replenish

2928-480: A threat. The Cheyenne in particular had reason to favor Bent because he had on one occasion intervened to protect them against Comanche raiders. However, the disparity in how the long-settled and the recently settled tribes viewed the influx of new traders exacerbated intertribal rivalries and resulted in White Thunder making a decision that was calamitous for both his tribe and his reputation. In 1833 he led

3050-466: A white man for her husband, she has not been obliged to work, therefore her hands are in all their native beauty, small, delicately formed, and with tapering fingers; her wavy hair, unlike the Indians generally, was fine and of silken soften. She put on her handsomest dress in order to sit for me. Her cape and under garment were bordered with bands of beads, and her beautiful leggins, which extended only to

3172-406: Is a liquor produced by distilling wine . Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof ) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif . Some brandies are aged in wooden casks . Others are coloured with caramel colouring to imitate the effect of aging, and some are produced using a combination of aging and colouring. Varieties of wine brandy can be found across

3294-482: Is traditionally poured over a Christmas pudding and set alight before serving. The use of flambé can retain as much as 75% of the alcohol in the brandy. In the 19th century, brandy was often used as medical treatment due to its alleged "stimulating" qualities. It was also used by many European explorers of tropical Africa, who suggested that regular, moderate doses of brandy might help a traveller to cope with fever, depression, and stress. These views fell out of favour in

3416-457: Is used for high-quality brandies, while cheaper ones are made from whichever wine is available. Brandy is made from so-called base wine , which significantly differs from regular table wines. It is made from early grapes to achieve higher acid concentration and lower sugar levels. Base wine generally contains smaller amounts (up to 20 mg/L) of sulphur than regular wines, as it creates undesired copper(II) sulfate in reaction with copper in

3538-576: The American Civil War , Bent's farm was the site of the Battle of Westport in 1864. In 1871, two years after Bent's death, Adaline sold the Westport farm to Seth Ward , a prosperous businessman. In 1835 Bent married Owl Woman ( Mis-stan-stur ), the oldest daughter of White Thunder and Tail Woman, in a Cheyenne ceremony. Her father was an influential Cheyenne leader and medicine man. He was

3660-601: The Cheyenne ; it was near La Junta and land occupied by the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. It became an important center of trade, principally in furs but also in numerous other goods, including horses and mules. It was the only privately owned, fortified installation in the west. William and Charles operated the fort in partnership with Ceran St Vrain , a fur trader who had already established significant trading contacts in New Mexico. Sometimes referred to as Fort William,

3782-682: The Dog Soldiers . This group of warriors formed to retaliate for the Sand Creek Massacre that year, when US forces attacked and killed numerous Cheyenne. Adaline Harvey After Yellow Woman and Island had both left him, Bent married Adaline Harvey, the 20-year-old mixed-race daughter of his friend Alexander Harvey, a fur trader based in Kansas City and a Blackfeet mother. He was then 60 years old. They married on April 4, 1869, in Jackson County, Missouri . Harvey traded in

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3904-460: The Mexican War of Independence . The Arkansas River delineated the border, with Mexico to the south and the United States northwards. There were many opportunities for trade alliances, in part to replace those that had involved the now-deposed Spanish governors, and there was also encroachment on the area by the United States as that nation pursued its policy of manifest destiny . The area

4026-482: The Sand Creek Massacre , in which the US Army massacred approximately 150 people. George, Charley, and Yellow Woman left to join the Dog Soldiers to retaliate for the massacre. Life at the fort, called the "mud castle of the plains", reflected the heritage of both parents. The children's clothes included linen shirts and soft-leather moccasins. There they ate on fine china and, according to Cheyenne custom, slept on

4148-401: The pot stills . The yeast sediment produced during the fermentation may or may not be kept in the wine, depending on the brandy style. Brandy is distilled from the base wine in two phases. First, a large part of water and solids is removed from the base, obtaining so-called "low wine", a concentrated wine with 28–30% ABV. In the second stage, low wine is distilled into brandy. The liquid exits

4270-435: The 1820s, the central plains area was subject to political and economic turmoil resulting from the Mexican War of Independence . The Arkansas River delineated the border, with Mexico to the south and the United States northward. The people looked for new opportunities for trade alliances, in part to replace those that had involved the now-deposed Spanish governors. United States settlers and military forces began to arrive in

4392-400: The 1840s two of Owl Woman's younger sisters, Island and Yellow Woman, joined them, in accordance with tribal custom for successful men. In 1845 Yellow Woman bore William a boy named Charley, or Pe-ki-ree meaning White Hat in Cheyenne. In April Bent left the fort for the six-month supply train journey to Missouri. During the summer months his family went back and forth between the fort and

4514-460: The African side of the trade were generally paid in brandy. By the late 17th century, the cheaper rum had replaced brandy as the exchange alcohol of choice in the triangle trade. Initially, wine was distilled as a preservation method and to make it easier for merchants to transport. It is also thought that wine was originally distilled to lessen the tax, which was assessed by volume. The intent

4636-541: The Arkansas River as border between Mexico and the United States was an abstraction. However, the Arkansas River as border between the Comanches and the Cheyennes mattered deeply, as did the river as wintering ground for people and for bison. Bent's Fort and its vacinidad created an oasis where business could be conducted and lives led, regardless of imperial borders. George Ruxton subsequently observed, in 1848, how

4758-520: The Arkansas River region towards the end of the 1820s. By around 1832, although possibly as late as 1834, a permanent trading post called Bent's Fort , which was a substantial adobe construction capable of accommodating 200 people, had been built on the northern "Mountain Route" of the Santa Fe Trail and was open for business. The location of this building was determined after discussions with

4880-468: The Bents. Up to 100 employees needed to support the fort and trade included: clerks, guards, traders, teamsters, trappers, a tailor, blacksmith, carpenter and herders. Caravans took goods to trade with regional Native American tribes. The fort was usually relatively empty during the summer months and during that period Bent would often be riding the six-month journey on the 500-mile-long (800 km) trail to and from Westport, Missouri in order to trade

5002-459: The Cheyenne and was not far from La Junta , near to land occupied by the Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribes. It became an important center of trade, principally in buffalo robes but also in numerous other goods, including horses and mules. The fort was operated in partnership with his brother, Charles , and Ceran St Vrain , a fur trader who had already established significant trading contacts in New Mexico. Sometimes referred to as Fort William, it

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5124-622: The Cheyenne into a fight with the Pawnees , the outcome of which was not merely a considerable loss of life but also the loss of the four arrows. This symbolic capture by the Pawnees represented a huge loss of respect and status for White Thunder and his tribe. Bent had been doing much to negotiate a resolution to the intertribal disputes, as well as raids on settlers and traders. An uneasy truce had developed which, in its turn, had enhanced his own status and trading position. Anne Hyde has described

5246-561: The Cheyenne tribe. She was married to an Anglo-American trader named William Bent , with whom she had four children. Owl Woman was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame for her role in managing relations between Native American tribes and the Anglo-American men. In the 1820s, the central plains area in which several Native American tribes lived had been subject to political and economic turmoil resulting from

5368-483: The Cheyenne, " The Great Peace of 1840 ", they agreed to stay south of the Arkansas River and the Cheyenne and Arapaho above it. The Comanche invasion of the southern plains was, quite simply, the longest and bloodiest conquering campaign the American West had witnessed - or would witness until the encroachment of the United States a century and a half later. William Bent, a white trader from St Louis , came to

5490-438: The Cheyenne, "The Great Peace of 1840", they agreed to stay south of the Arkansas River and the Cheyenne and Arapaho north of it. The Comanche invasion of the southern plains was, quite simply, the longest and bloodiest conquering campaign the American West had witnessed - or would witness until the encroachment of the United States a century and a half later. The long-settled and the recently settled tribes had different views of

5612-551: The Comanche, Apache and Kiowa tribes on the one hand and the Cheyenne and Arapahoe on the other, creating what Hyde describes as "network of enormous significance." The Comanche, in particular, had for many years protected their territory to the south of the Arkansas River against almost all who attempted to move into it. They had built up their power with a deep knowledge of their territory, shrewd trading arrangements, and their willingness to indulge in raids against those who threatened or breached those arrangements. Indeed, their grip on

5734-428: The Comanches and the Cheyennes mattered deeply, as did the river as wintering ground for people and for bison. Bent's Fort and its vacinidad created an oasis where business could be conducted and lives led, regardless of imperial borders. Owl Woman Owl Woman ( Cheyenne name: Mis-stan-stur ; died 1847) was a Cheyenne woman., a daughter of White Thunder (and Tall Woman), a well-respected medicine man of

5856-702: The English term "brandy", but outside the German-speaking countries , it is particularly used to designate brandy from Austria and Germany . Brandy has a traditional age grading system, although its use is unregulated outside of Cognac and Armagnac . These indicators can usually be found on the label near the brand name: In the case of Brandy de Jerez , the Consejo Regulador de la Denominacion Brandy de Jerez classifies it according to: Russian brandy (traditionally called "Cognac" within

5978-580: The United States, Mexico and overseas nations. The children enjoyed pumpkin pie and pancakes made by Charlotte Green , an enslaved cook whose husband was also held by the Bents. Chipita, the French-Mexican wife of a Bent worker, made taffy for the children. She performed housekeeping and laundry services at the fort. Owl Woman's mother Tall Woman taught the children to be respectful and courteous to their elders. They gave discipline by stern glances and waving fingers. In their multi-cultural environment,

6100-492: The Upper Missouri region; his company was named Harvey, Primeau & Company. When the son George Bent met his father's new wife, he recognized Adaline Harvey as having been a student at his school; she was five years younger than he. They had both been assigned Robert Campbell as a guardian while at the boarding school. The marriage was short, as William died later that year. Pregnant at his death, Adaline Harvey Bent

6222-561: The West. Robert and George died at Bent's Fort (1846 and 1841, respectively). Charles was the oldest son, born in 1799, and the remaining brothers were born in or after 1806. Later based in Santa Fe , Charles Bent lived in Taos . He served briefly as the first territorial governor of New Mexico . Charles , George, Robert, and William Bent partnered in the fur trade with Ceran St. Vrain , also

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6344-452: The appearance of barrel ageing. Brandy is traditionally served at room temperature ( neat ) from a snifter , a wine glass or a tulip glass . When consumned at room temperature, it is often slightly warmed by holding the glass cupped in the palm or by gentle heating. Excessive heating of brandy may cause the alcohol vapour to become too strong, causing its aroma to become overpowering. Brandy-drinkers who like their brandy warmed may ask for

6466-477: The area as people were exploring the west. The Native American tribes of the central and southern plains were also defining or redefining their territories. Tribes moved to new lands within the plains for various reasons: they may have been displaced in their previous land, had internal disputes that caused them to relocate, sought better hunting or gathering grounds, or sought land that supported their way of life. The Comanche, Kiowa, Cheyenne and Arapaho were among

6588-513: The area for trading, such as the Sioux , Apache and Kiowa , as well as Comanche and Cheyenne also established temporary camps outside the fort. It was the hub of a trading area that encompassed a 500 miles (800 km) radius. It was also a stop each year for hundreds of wagons of European Americans traveling the Santa Fe trail . Hyde writes in Empires, Nations and Families that Bent's Fort

6710-454: The area, which had been a convivial occasion during which their respect for the Cheyenne protocols had set a firm base for their future development of the fort and trading. The fort and the area immediately outside it was a multi-cultural, multilingual center with permanent inhabitants from many nations and also visitors, including the temporary camps of native tribes such as the Sioux , Apache and Kiowa , as well as Comanche and Cheyenne. It

6832-475: The belle of the evening. She knew her worth and danced accordingly." Dick was released from slavery by George and William Bent after his heroic efforts in a battle in 1847 at Taos after the death of Charles Bent. Dick, who has been stationed with Charles Bent in Santa Fe, made his way north with American soldiers to Bent's Taos home. He bravely led a skirmish against a group of Taos Pueblo and other people. Dick

6954-476: The buffalo herds, sometimes to the fort, but always someplace where grass was thick, wood plentiful, and water fresh and sweet. Within a short time after the marriage the couple were, according to Hyde, "the central business and social leaders of the region", having combined their familial and trading connections with the various tribes, the traders, and the authorities of both New Mexico and the US Army to considerable effect. They were both active peacemakers among

7076-465: The children learned to speak many languages; George learned to speak Cheyenne, English, Spanish, Comanche, Kiowa and Arapaho. The boys learned to ride horses bareback, to hunt and to be warriors. The girls learned to assist in the household, assessing the dryness of wood for gathering, learning to recognize the varieties of berries and other plants, and their uses. Girls were taught to be gracious, generous hosts. Later George Bent recalled of his childhood at

7198-457: The children there. In February 1854, she had her lodge moved to just outside the new fort. That winter, William's oldest son George Bent, then age 11, was sent to Kansas City to attend an Episcopal boarding school. In the following years, he was separated from his family for much of the time in order to attend school. Island later left Bent for Joe Baraldo. In 1864 Yellow Woman also left Bent. She left with their son Charley Bent, then 19, who joined

7320-463: The competing tribes. The Cheyenne likely moved into the plains in the 17th and 18th century from Minnesota . By the mid-1800s, they lived with the Arapaho north of the Arkansas River near the site later developed as Bent's Fort in Colorado. The Comanche came to the grasslands of southern plains for a better life but competed for resources and territory with other tribes. In an agreement reached with

7442-475: The council room at the fort was used, "Chiefs of the Shain, Kioway and Araphó sit in solemn conclave with the head traders, and smoke the " calumet " over their real and imaginary grievances." Owl Woman, whose date of birth is unrecorded, was the oldest daughter of White Thunder and Tail Woman. She had at least two younger sisters, Yellow Woman and Island. Her father was an influential Cheyenne leader who acted as

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7564-635: The courtyard together and smoked—a lot". Bent managed trade to and from the fort: he provided a safe zone in the area and a supply of goods for its store, as well as facilitating the movement of buffalo robes back to St. Louis for sale. Sitting on the Santa Fe trail, Bent's Fort was a resting stop for travelers, some staying as much as three weeks. From fall through spring the fort was busy with people wishing to trade and travelers to rest and restock their supplies. Visitors and employees included: Mexicans, Native Americans, and European travelers and trappers. There were also three African American slaves owned by

7686-502: The decision for the couple to marry was made by White Thunder by joining William Bent's hands with Owl Woman's hands. This signified both the acceptance of Owl Woman as William Bent's wife, but also an agreement for William Bent to also accept Owl Woman's sister Yellow Woman. The couple married in a Cheyenne ceremony in 1835, per Britney Nelson of the Colorado Historical Society , or as others claim by 1837. As

7808-464: The development of distillation . While the process was known in classical times, it was not significantly used for beverage production until the 15th century. In the early 16th-century French brandy helped kickstart the cross-Atlantic triangle trade when it took over the central role of the Portuguese fortified wine due to its higher alcohol content and ease of shipping. Canoemen and guards on

7930-480: The development of the Santa Fe Trail generated new conflicts. Raids and battles resulted in many fatalities. The Comanche raided the fort and its surroundings north of the river in 1839, provoking a retaliatory raid by the Cheyenne. The trading environment improved after 1840, when Bent's Fort became the site of a truce between the Comanche, Apache and Kiowa tribes of the north and the Cheyenne and Arapaho of

8052-529: The disputing tribes. The Cheyenne likely moved into the plains in the 17th and 18th century from Minnesota and by the mid-1800s lived with the Arapaho north of the Arkansas River in land near Bent's Fort in Colorado . Like other Native American tribes, the Comanche came to the grasslands of southern plains for a better life which put them at odds with other tribes. In an agreement reached with

8174-406: The family changed dramatically. In 1849 a cholera epidemic swept through the Cheyenne tribe, killing up to half of the people, including the children's maternal grandmother, Tail Woman. After this, Bent destroyed his old fort and built a new stone one at Big Timbers. Island became the primary caregiver for Owl Woman's children. She did not want to stay in the Bents' new stone fort, nor did she want

8296-415: The fort in the fall for seasonal trading. European-American travelers sometimes stayed for as long as three weeks at the fort before resuming their journeys. From fall through spring, the fort was busy with people coming to trade, and travelers resting and restocking supplies. The Bents had up to 100 employees, depending on the season, who had a variety of skills: clerks, guards, traders, teamsters, trappers,

8418-560: The fort, which were furnished according to their backgrounds. Owl Woman did not prefer to stay the fort, where her room was dark and near the loud, smoky blacksmith shop. The horses and pack animals were also loud and smelly. On the other hand, her lodge was quiet and lit through the parchment-like paper of the roof. Horses grazed on the hills. In the lodge built for Owl Woman and Bent, a shrine-like area held sacred and religious items. Supplies were stowed away, including cooking utensils, food, clothing, bedding, riding gear and weapons. By

8540-434: The fort: Something was always going on, and we children had no lack of amusements. In the fall and winter there was always a large camp of Indians just outside the fort – Cheyenne and Arapahos, and sometimes Sioux , Kiowas , Comanches , and Prairie Apaches . William and his wife Owl Woman had several homes. Where they lived depended on the season, which affected both his travels and the Cheyenne's seasonal movements. In

8662-486: The fort: Something was always going on, and we children had no lack of amusements. In the fall and winter there was always a large camp of Indians just outside the fort—Cheyenne and Arapahos, and sometimes Sioux , Kiowas , Comanches , and Prairie Apaches . Life for the Bent family changed dramatically over six years after Owl Woman's death. In 1849 a cholera epidemic swept through the Cheyenne tribe killing up to half of

8784-736: The glass to be heated before the brandy is poured. Brandy may be added to other beverages to make several popular cocktails ; these include the Brandy Sour , the Brandy Alexander , the Sidecar , the Brandy Daisy , and the Brandy Old Fashioned . Anglo-Indian usage has "brandy-pawnee" (brandy with water). Brandy is a common deglazing liquid used in making pan sauces for steak and other meat. It creates

8906-439: The goods gathered over the previous winter and replenish the stocks of the fort for the forthcoming hunting season. While Bent and the trains were away the fort managed with a skeleton crew of herders, clerks, traders and laborers for Native Americans and travelers. William and Charles owned African slaves Andrew and Dick Green and brought them from Missouri to assist in the running of the fort. Dick Green's wife, Charlotte ,

9028-528: The ground in soft hides. The furnishings and household goods included items from America, Mexico and international locations. Children enjoyed pumpkin pie and pancakes made by the Charlotte, a slave in service to the Bents. Chipita, the French-Mexican wife to a Bent worker, made taffy for the children; She performed housekeeping and laundry services at the fort. Owl Woman's mother taught the children to be respectful and courteous of their elders. Discipline

9150-525: The knee, were so nicely joined with the moccasin that the connection could not be perceived, and looked as neat as the stockings of our eastern belles, and the modest attitude in which she sits is characteristic, but will be best conceived by the sketch. The real fruit of the marriage was always anticipated to be the children, of whom they raised four together. These were named in English and Cheyenne: George, Julia, and their brother Charley (son of William Bent and Owl Woman's sister Yellow Woman) all survived

9272-494: The late nineteenth and early twentieth century, with suggestions that people were using brandy's "medical" qualities as an excuse for social drinking. The term brandy is a shortening of the archaic English brandewine or brandywine , which was derived from the Dutch word brandewijn , itself derived from gebrande wijn , which literally means "burned wine" and whose cognates include brännvin and brennivín . In Germany,

9394-411: The natives, explorers, and settlers who visited the fort: Mexican traders, American explorers, African slaves, hunters and trappers and members of many area Native American tribes. Owl Woman worked in the fort and often managed the supply trains. Her position enabled her to deter predatory tribes who might have designs on the trade caravans, this [reputedly] being achieved by her flashing a signal using

9516-505: The nearby Cheyenne village and were in the fort by autumn. Seasonally the Cheyenne moved 30 miles (48 km) down the Arkansas River to Big Timbers . Alongside the Arkansas River for 40 miles (64 km) Big Timbers was a prime location for hunting buffalo, a major source of food for the Cheyenne. The tribe also lived on roots and berries. Big Timbers was their desired camp site in the winter. According to Hyde, Owl Woman and her children traveled with her tribe to Big Timbers during

9638-419: The northern side of the Arkansas River. The historian Grinnell suggested that William Bent was likely trapping furs before the first stockade was built. St. Vrain and his older brother, Charles, made the round trips to St. Louis, a regional trading center, to sell furs and return with supplies. To set up their trading venture, the brothers used a legacy of their father, Judge Silas Bent . The brothers reinvested

9760-408: The overall situation that came to exist in the area as being similar to that prevailing in northern California, a "negotiated community ... Only constant renegotiation and the conscious creation of community through family ties, diplomacy, warfare, and dinner made it operate in a surprisingly stable way." The trading environment improved after 1840, when Bent's Fort became the site of a truce between

9882-534: The people, including the children's grandmother, Tail Woman. Demand in fur declined, with a resulting drop in William Bent's business at the fort. In 1853 Bent established a stone fort in the Big Timbers area. From 1854, subsequent to the death of Owl Woman, George was sent away to be educated at a school run by an Episcopalian in Westport, Missouri , causing him to be separated from his family for much of

10004-465: The post was in "the perfect place at the perfect time" for someone looking to make money from trading. For example, the Bents could buy a gallon of brandy in St Louis for US$ 2 and sell it at the fort for US$ 25. The historian Anne Hyde has dated the moment when the Cheyenne chief White Thunder realized a common interest with Bent. In November 1833, they talked together as a meteor shower lit up

10126-414: The pot still in three phases, referred to as the "heads", "heart", and "tails", respectively. The first part, the "head", has an alcohol concentration of about 83% (166 US proof) and an unpleasant odour. The weak portion on the end, the "tail", is discarded along with the head, and they are generally mixed with another batch of low wine, thereby entering the distillation cycle again. The middle heart fraction,

10248-520: The process of jacking which was originally used in its production involved no distillation. There is also a product called "grain brandy" that is made from grain spirits. Within particular jurisdictions, specific regulatory requirements regarding the labelling of products identified as brandy exist. For example: Within the European Union, the German term Weinbrand is legally equivalent to

10370-402: The richest in aromas and flavours, is preserved for later maturation. Distillation does not simply enhance the alcohol content of wine. The heat under which the product is distilled and the material of the still (usually copper) cause chemical reactions during distillation. This leads to the formation of numerous new volatile aroma components, changes in relative amounts of aroma components in

10492-510: The sisters left Bent and, in 1869, he married the young Adaline Harvey, the educated mixed-race daughter of Alexander Harvey, a friend who was a prominent American fur trader in Kansas City, Missouri . Bent died shortly after their marriage, and Adaline bore their daughter, his sixth child, after his death. William Wells Bent was born May 23, 1809 St. Louis, Missouri , a son of Silas Bent and his wife, Martha (nee Kerr) Bent. His father

10614-563: The sky over the plains. Many Cheyenne believed that the celestial event was a signal of the end of the world; it was subsequently referred to as "the Night the Stars Fell". White Thunder saw it as a new beginning. He sought a truce with the Pawnee and the return of the four sacred arrows which they had captured in a battle with the Cheyenne earlier that year. To achieve this, White Thunder made

10736-429: The south. Hyde describes this as a "network of enormous significance." The tribes negotiated a peace over several weeks during the summer of 1840. Bent hosted the various camps and their celebrations. Hyde has said that For William Bent, Owl Woman, and their families and business associates, the Arkansas River as border between Mexico and the United States was an abstraction. However, the Arkansas River as border between

10858-448: The still. As a result, the distillate taste was often quite unlike the sources. As described in the 1728 edition of Cyclopaedia , the following method was used to distill brandy: A cucurbit was filled half full of the liquor from which brandy was to be drawn and then raised with a little fire until about one-sixth part was distilled, or until that which falls into the receiver was entirely flammable. This liquor, distilled only once,

10980-485: The stocks of the fort for the forthcoming hunting season. Westport Landing was an ideal terminus for the Bents' trade. Located on the Missouri River , it was a port for steamboats that hauled goods eastward to St. Louis. Sometimes five or six steamboats would be unloading goods for the Santa Fe trade at one time; dried buffalo meat, buffalo robes and furs would be loaded onto the boats for the return east. Westport

11102-415: The substantial profits of their enterprise to develop their business. By around 1832, although possibly as late as 1834, the partners built a permanent trading post called Bent's Fort . The elaborate adobe construction could accommodate 200 people, and had been built on the northern "Mountain Route" of the Santa Fe Trail , by then open for business. The partners picked this location after discussions with

11224-408: The term Branntwein refers to any distilled spirits, while Weinbrand refers specifically to distilled wine from grapes. In the general colloquial usage of the term, brandy may also be made from pomace and from fermented fruit other than grapes. If a beverage comes from a particular fruit (or multiple fruits) other than exclusively grapes, or from the must of such fruit, it may be referred to as

11346-409: The territory to the south of the river was one of the reasons why Bent's Fort had been constructed on the opposite side. Although they had continued to assert their power after Mexican independence, the influx of displaced tribes from elsewhere, the westward push of white settlers and the development of the Santa Fe Trail meant that there were many bloody battles and much loss of life. These culminated in

11468-450: The time. The death of Owl Woman from complications of the birth of Julia, (who was born in 1844) in 1847 was not witnessed by Bent as he was away at that time. Bent mourned deeply for Owl Woman. Her sister Island took responsibility for raising Bent and Owl Woman's children. Owl Woman, described as "a most estimable good woman of much influence in the tribe", had worked to manage and improve relations between Native American tribes and

11590-436: The trade caravans as an opportunity for enrichment rather than as a threat. The Cheyenne favored Bent because he had intervened to protect them against Comanche raiders. Bent worked to negotiate a resolution to the inter-tribal disputes, and to end their raids on settlers and traders. While the truce was uneasy, it enhanced his position. The historian Anne Hyde described the situation as similar to that in northern California, as

11712-425: The traders, which exacerbated inter-tribal rivalries. In 1833 White Thunder led the Cheyenne into a fight with the Pawnee; his people lost many warriors, and the Pawnee captured the four sacred arrows. White Thunder and his tribe lost much respect as a result. During the mid-1830s, the Cheyenne and the Arapaho had become eager to work with the incoming trade caravans , and notably those associated with Bent. They saw

11834-461: The tribe's "Keeper of the Arrows," four arrows thought to have a sacred or medicinal role. The prestige of his position as a medicine man meant that his daughters also had high status. Owl Woman As a part of the marriage ritual, Owl Woman was carried into a lodge which was constructed for them in the Cheyenne village near the fort, while Bent dispensed numerous gifts to her people. Bent later became

11956-401: The tribe's "Keeper of the Arrows," four arrows thought to have a sacred or medicinal role. The prestige of his position as a spiritual leader or medicine man was reflected on to his daughters. The Cheyenne were a nomadic plains tribe who followed and hunted buffalo. They were described as "tall, well built with even features" and regarded as "honorable, intelligent, honest and clean". It

12078-486: The tribe. Owl Woman and Bent had the following children, named in English and Cheyenne: As a successful man, Bent followed Cheyenne custom and by 1844 took Owl Woman's two younger sisters, Yellow Woman and Island, as secondary wives. He had another son with Yellow Woman: George, Julia, and Charley all survived the Sand Creek Massacre. Owl Woman died in 1847 or later. In the following six years, life for

12200-413: The two men, and during the courtship itself Bent and Owl Woman were always chaperoned by Yellow Woman, in accordance with the Cheyenne belief in remaining celibate until marriage. To signal Bent's request to marry Owl Woman, he arrived at White Thunder's camp with horses and gifts and smoked a peace pipe of tobacco with Owl Woman's father in a ritualistic ceremony. Although Owl Woman wanted to marry Bent,

12322-533: The unaged brandy is placed into oak barrels to mature. Usually, brandies with a natural golden or brown colour are aged in oak casks (single-barrel ageing). Some brandies, particularly those from Spain, are aged using the solera system, where the producer changes the barrel each year. After a period of ageing, which depends on the style, class and legal requirements, the mature brandy is mixed with distilled water to reduce alcohol concentration and bottled. Some brandies have caramel colour and sugar added to simulate

12444-473: The white man during her life. Hyde notes that Bent and his allies figured out a middle position between the powerful Comanches and the expanding American systems. William and Charles Bent, White Thunder, and Owl Woman created a place and a moment that used the trading systems of the Native people and the roads, wagons, and goods made by Europeans to link two very different worlds. They envisioned ... 

12566-570: The wine, and the hydrolysis of components such as esters. Brandy is usually produced in pot stills ( batch distillation ), but the column still can also be used for continuous distillation . The distillate obtained in this manner has a higher alcohol concentration (approximately 90% ABV) and is less aromatic. The choice of the apparatus depends on the style of brandy produced. Cognac and South African brandy are examples of brandy produced in batches while many American brandies use fractional distillation in column stills. After distillation,

12688-466: The winemaking world. Among the most renowned are Cognac and Armagnac from south-western France . In a broader sense, the term brandy also denotes liquors obtained from the distillation of pomace (yielding pomace brandy ), or mash or wine of any other fruit ( fruit brandy ). These products are also called eau de vie (literally "water of life" in French ). The origins of brandy are tied to

12810-472: The winter months and were at the fort itself during the summer. During the Cheyenne's winter visit to Big Timbers, Bent accompanied his family with goods for trading. At Big Timbers, Bent lived according to Cheyenne custom when he lived with them in a more casual, unstructured way of life. While Bent's Fort life was somewhat structured with William having a leadership role. Such was the rhythm of village life. Always movement—sometimes to Big Timbers close to

12932-473: Was a boom town until a cholera epidemic in the mid-1840s reduced the town's population by 50%. In 1853 Westport was renamed Kansas City. While Bent and the pack trains were away, the fort managed with a skeleton crew of herders, clerks, traders and laborers for Native Americans and travelers. William and Charles Bent had brought three slaves from St. Louis to work in their households: the brothers Andrew and Dick Green, and Dick's wife Charlotte , who served as

13054-512: Was a signal of the end of the world and it was subsequently referred to as "the Night the Stars Fell". White Thunder saw it as a new beginning and sought both a truce with the Pawnees and the return of the Sacred Arrows of the Cheyenne which had been captured by the Pawnee during a battle. Partially successful, he returned from his solo, unarmed visit to the Pawnee village with two of the arrows and an agreement for peace. He also realized that

13176-481: Was also subject to turmoil as Native American plains tribes of the central and southern plains sought to define or redefine their territory. Tribes moved to new lands within the plains for various reasons: they may have been displaced in their previous land, had internal disputes that caused them to relocate, sought better hunting or gathering grounds, or sought land that was most conducive to their way of life. The Comanche , Kiowa , Cheyenne and Arapahoe were among

13298-449: Was called the spirit of wine or brandy . Purified by another distillation (or several more), this was called spirit of wine rectified . The second distillation was made in [a] balneo mariae and in a glass cucurbit, and the liquor was distilled to about one-half the quantity. This was further rectified as long as the operator thought it necessary to produce brandy. To shorten these several distillations, which were long and troublesome,

13420-430: Was consumed by fire. (Hence the modern " proof " to describe alcohol content.) As most brandies have been distilled from grapes, the regions of the world producing excellent brandies have roughly paralleled those areas producing grapes for viniculture. At the end of the 19th century, the western European markets, including by extension their overseas empires, were dominated by French and Spanish brandies and eastern Europe

13542-887: Was dominated by brandies from the Black Sea region , including Bulgaria , the Crimea , Georgia and Armenia . In 1877, the Ararat brandy brand was established in Yerevan , Armenia. It became one of the top brandy brands over time and during the Yalta Conference , Winston Churchill was so impressed with the Armenian brandy Dvin given to him by Joseph Stalin that he asked for several cases of it to be sent to him each year. Reportedly 400 bottles of Dvin were shipped to Churchill annually. In 1884, David Sarajishvili founded

13664-474: Was given the title of "Colonel" by the United States (US) Army after supplying US troops and guiding them into New Mexico during the Mexican–American War . George and William Bent freed Dick Green for his heroic efforts in an Indian revolt in 1847 at Taos, during which their brother Charles was killed. Green had gone north with American soldiers to defend Bent's Taos home. He bravely led a skirmish against

13786-579: Was given through stern glances and waving fingers by his mother and his aunts. In their multi-cultural environment, the children learned to speak many languages; George learned how to speak Cheyenne, English, Spanish, Comanche, Kiowa and Arapaho. The boys learned to ride horses bareback, control the horses actions through softly worded commands, hunt and to be warriors. The girls learned how to perform chores, like gathering wood, fetching water, and picking berries.  Girls were also taught to be gracious, generous hosts. George Bent recalled of his childhood at

13908-452: Was in "the perfect place at the perfect time" for someone looking to make money from trading and, for example, a gallon of brandy bought in St Louis for US$ 2 could be sold at the fort for US$ 25. Hyde has dated the moment that White Thunder realized a common interest with Bent. In November 1833 they talked together as a meteor shower lit up the sky over the plains. Many Cheyenne who were gathered with them believed that this celestial event

14030-491: Was known as Little White Man by the native tribes. When the Bents first met with the Cheyenne, the Indians gave them names in the Cheyenne language. The Bent brothers' respect for the Cheyenne protocols during the convivial occasion created a relationship base for their future development of the fort and trading. The fort, and the area immediately outside it, comprised a multi-cultural, multi-lingual center with permanent inhabitants from many nations and visitors. Native tribes in

14152-887: Was later appointed as a justice of the Missouri Supreme Court . William was one of the Bents' eleven children. The first three were born in Charleston, Virginia , present-day West Virginia and the remaining children were born in St. Louis after the family migrated there. His uncle (Martha Kerr's brother), James Kerr , served in the Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri State Senate and later led colonization, military, and political matters in Texas. Three of William's brothers, George, Charles , and Robert, partnered with him in trading with Native Americans in

14274-431: Was not uncommon at this time for white men living in the area, usually working as traders or trappers , to take a Native American wife. Often these relationships lasted only until the men left the frontier territory, but while they existed they were of mutual benefit. Bent and Owl Woman's relationship, however, was a partnership that ultimately "resulted in children, wealth and power." From Bent's point of view, marriage to

14396-460: Was reported to have had a daughter. Adaline Bent inherited her husband's property in Kansas City in 1869 and sold it in 1871. Life at the fort, called the "mud castle of the plains", reflected the heritage of both Owl Woman and Bent. The children's clothes included linen shirts and soft-leather moccasins. They ate on fine china and, according to Cheyenne custom, slept on the ground in soft hides. The furnishings and household goods included items from

14518-536: Was severely wounded but survived a trip back to Bent's fort. Charlotte, who Simmons claims was also Charles and William's slave, left the fort with her husband. In the period immediately prior to the marriage of Owl Woman to Bent both the Cheyenne and the Arapahoe had become eager to work with the incoming trade caravans , and notably those associated with Bent. Unlike many other tribes in the area, they saw these caravans as an opportunity for enrichment rather than as

14640-445: Was the hub of a trading area that encompassed a 500-mile radius and was visited each year by hundreds of wagons traveling the Santa Fe trail . Hyde writes in Empires, Nations and Families that "Bent's Fort was the one spot on the Santa Fe trail where exchanges with Indians were welcomed and encouraged, and the effects of those conversations on both sides were far-reaching ... archeological evidence tells us that people sat in

14762-505: Was the one spot on the Santa Fe trail where exchanges with Indians were welcomed and encouraged, and the effects of those conversations on both sides were far-reaching  ...   archaeological evidence tells us that people sat in the courtyard together and smoked—a lot". Bent managed trade to and from the fort: he provided a safe zone in the area and a supply of goods for its store, as well as shipping buffalo robes back to St. Louis for sale. As many as 20,000 Native Americans camped near

14884-493: Was to add the water removed by distillation back to the brandy shortly before consumption. It was discovered that after being stored in wooden casks , the resulting product improved over the original distilled spirit. In addition to removing water, the distillation process led to the formation and decomposition of numerous aromatic compounds, fundamentally altering the distillate composition from its source. Non-volatile substances such as pigments, sugars, and salts remained behind in

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