1746?-1814

French Explorer

Pedro Vial was one of the most important pathfinders in the American Southwest. His most important accomplishment was blazing the Santa Fe Trail, connecting New Orleans and Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was also involved in an abortive attempt by the Spanish to halt the Lewis and Clark expedition, traveling overland to try to persuade local Native Americans to stop the explorers before they could accomplish their mission.

Vial was born in Lyons, France, in the middle part of the eighteenth century, probably in 1746. Little is known of his childhood, but it is likely that he moved to North America while in his late teens or early twenties, based on comments he made about being familiar with pre-Revolutionary America. Unfortunately, there is virtually no certain knowledge of his life before 1779, when he first became known to the Spanish government in New Orleans and...