John Colter, born around 1775, left his family farm in Staunton, Virginia, and settled in Limestone, Kentucky (later Maysville), before Meriwether Lewis arrived there in September 1803. Standing 5'10” with blue eyes, Colter approached Lewis and soon enlisted in the U.S. Army's First Regiment on October 15, 1803, joining the Corps of Discovery.

After his time with the expedition, Colter learned of Meriwether Lewis's death and read about the passing of George Drouillard in the August 1810 Missouri Gazette. Colter married a woman named Sarah (or Sally), and they made their home in La Charrette, near St. Charles, Missouri.
Colter became one of the earliest legendary Western “mountain men.” Despite his fame, he faced financial difficulties. Upon returning to St. Louis in 1810, he struggled to collect the $559 owed to him for his service in the Corps of Discovery. With Lewis deceased, Colter had to sue his estate, eventually receiving only $377.60 after a year in court.

In March 1812, Colter joined Nathan Boone's Mounted Rangers, a frontier police force led by the son of Daniel Boone. Sadly, Colter died on May 7, 1812, after a brief illness at the age of 38. His exact gravesite is unknown, but it is believed he was buried on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River, several miles east of New Haven, Missouri. A memorial marker in John Colter Memorial Park in New Haven honors his legacy.