(John) Baptiste Lembert - Yosemite Online

Yosemite Nature Notes
THE MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF
THE YOSEMITE NATURALIST DIVISION AND
THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION, INC.
C. P. Russell, Superintendent D . E. McHenry, Park Naturalist
H . C. Parker, Assoc . Park Naturalist
R . N. McIntyre, Asst . Park Naturalist
VOL. XXVIII SEPTEMBER, 1949 NO. 9
JEAN (JOHN) BAPTISTE LEMBERT — PERSONAL MEMORIES
By William E. Colby
With two Sierra Club members, E. Lodge. The new arrival was Lem-
C. Bonner and Leon Solomons, I had bert, who had built the cabin and
started out the last of May, 1894, on who had filed a homestead on the
a most ambitious college vacation quarter section, including the Soda
in the Sierra. We originally planned Springs . At first he did not seem ento
visit Lake Tahoe and thence travel tirely pleased with our camping on
down the Sierra as near the crest as his property without permission, but
possible, winding up at Mt . Whitney. as we got to know him better, he
This proved to be too great an un- became quite friendly. His small
dertaking for one summer and, cabin was of very rough log conthough
we were in the mountains for struction with a crude fireplace and
nearly three months, we did not get chimney of granite rocks. On the
south of Mt. Lyell. We had a base east side he had recently added an
camp for nearly a month in the Tuo- extension or shed in which he stored
lumne Meadows on the Soda dry grass for his donkey and in
Springs property, now owned by the which he stabled the beast in rough
Sierra Club, and climbed all of the weather . This addition was poorly
nearby peaks, visited Mono Lake constructed and already had a deand
knapsacked down the then cided cant due to the heavy winter
seldom penetrated "Grand Canyon snows.
Lembert of the Tuolumne. was " a picturesque char-
It was while we were at this base acter about six feet tall with a Rocamp,
affording such a wonderful man nose and rather pronounced
opportunity for exploration of the features . He had a fairly long greymain
nearby points of interest, that white beard and was striking in apwe
met Jean Baptiste Lembert. A few pearance. During the month that we
days after we had established camp had our base camp on the river beon
the river just below the Soda low his cabin, I saw him frequently,
Springs we saw a tall individual and oftentimes, in the evening after
coming across the meadows accom- dinner, would sit in the doorway of
panied by a fine large donkey, his cabin talking with him until
packed with supplies. They forded long after dark. He evidently enthe
river some little distance below joyed companionship, and as I came
the Soda Springs and came on up to know him better, he talked quite
to the log cabin which at that time freely about himself and his life . I
have no recollection of anything he
was located a few feet in front of may have said about his early life,
and a little toward the Soda Springs but I do recall some of his accounts
from the present Parsons Memorial of his Yosemite experiences .