20 Facts About Edward Kern

Edward Meyer Kern was an American artist, topographer, and explorer of California, the Southwestern United States, and East Asia.

Edward Kern is the namesake of the Kern River and Kern County, California.

Edward Kern's brother Richard Kern was an accomplished artist, and his brother Benjamin Kern was a doctor.

Edward Kern served as a cartographer as well as a documentation artist, collecting botanical and animal specimens on the journey.

Each night of the trip Edward Kern drew a field map of the day's route with longitudes and latitudes, and sketched landmarks.

Edward Kern recorded the counterattack in an engraving that was later published with Fremont's report.

Edward Kern mapped the Edward Kern River, which at the time was known as the Rio de San Felipe, as named by the Spanish.

Edward Kern vaguely promised the federal government would do something for a rescue party across the Sierra, but had no authority to pay anyone.

Edward Kern was later criticized for his mismanagement delaying the search.

In February 1847, Edward Kern's forces were requested by several settlers who wished to intimidate Indians who had been involved in raids.

Edward Kern brought in 20 men, joined by 30 more led by John Sutter, and then proceeded with a series of attacks that killed 20 California Indians in what became known as the Edward Kern and Sutter massacres.

The Edward Kern brothers gave the American public some of its earliest authentic images of the people and landscape of Arizona, New Mexico, and southern Colorado, with views of Canyon de Chelly, Chaco Canyon, and El Morro.

In 1853, Edward Kern joined Lieutenant John Pope, who was seeking a better route between Santa Fe and Fort Leavenworth.

From 1853 to 1855, Edward Kern served on the ship USS Vincennes on an expedition to East Asia.

The expedition landed on the eastern shores of Siberia, where Edward Kern spent several weeks.

In 1858, Edward Kern joined Lieutenant John Mercer Brooke on a survey of the sea lanes between California and China, returning in 1860.

Edward Kern died in November 1863 of an epileptic seizure, at his home on 1305 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.

Edward Kern was buried in Glenwood Cemetery, and later re-interred in New Glenwood Cemetery.

Edward Kern's diaries were discovered under the floorboards in an old hotel in Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania, and provided source material for David Weber's book on his brother, Richard Edward Kern.

At the Entrance to Old IsabelIa Rd Recreation Area, at Lake Isabella is a marker, Edward Kern Campsite, noting Captain John C Fremont's third expedition campsite with Edward M Kern.