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"Deseret Utah?"

Extremely rare map of the Oregon Territory, published in an account of the region by P.A. Fedix in 1846.

As noted above, a curious pencil note immediately east of Lake Youtah marks "Deseret Utah" and Lake Sali (Salt Lake).   The position of the "Deseret" note suggests a very early prospective reference to Mormon settlers and the future proposed state of Deseret, which would be proposed as a State in 1849, following the settlement in the region by Latter Day Saint followers of Brigham Young on July 24, 1847.

Fedix's rare map is based upon the Burr map of the Oregon Territory.  It includes a number of missions and the "Colonie Americaine" on the Columbia River, across from the British Fort Vancouver.  The "Communications entre l'Oregon et les Etats-Unis" illustrates the South Pass of the Oregon Trail. A Methodist Mission is shown near Astoria, and the Great Salt Lake is Youta Lake.

Wheat credits Arrowsmith as one of the primary sources for Fedix's rare map, but notes that Fedix clearly compiled his map from other contemporary sources.

The map includes the "ligne proposé par les Etats-Unis" (boundary line proposed by the United States) at the 49th parallel, which was the final dividing line in the 1846 treaty except that the whole of Vancouver Island went to Great Britain.  The English proposed line is also shown, as is the Russian Frontiere at 54°40', based upon the Treaties of 1824 and 1825.

The map appeared in a rare work entitled L'Oregon et les Cotes de l'Ocean Pacifique du Nord, Apercu Geographique, Statistique, et Politique. . . . 

Fedix had some interesting observations about Oregon and the American West.  Fedix notably proposed that world powers maintain Oregon as an independency to serve as an international trade center for the Pacific.  He also observed that California was soon to become American. The map is discussed at length by Carl Wheat, who refers to Fedix as "an enterprising fellow."

Rarity

The map is extremely rare on the market, as is the book.

This is the first example of the map we have seen on the market, with no auction or dealer catalogue records.

We note a single example of the book at auction in the past 40 years.