Robert Tatum
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Main discipline | Mountain climber |
| Other disciplines | Episcopal priest |
| Born |
August 20, 1891 Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Died | January 27, 1964 (aged 72) |
| Nationality | American |
| Career | |
| Starting age | 21 |
| Starting discipline | Surveyor |
| Notable ascents | Denali (Mount McKinley) (June 7, 1913) |
Robert George Tatum (August 20, 1891 – January 27, 1964) was an American mountain climber and Episcopal priest. He, along with Hudson Stuck, Harry Karstens, and Walter Harper were the first people to successfully climb Mount McKinley.
Tatum was born on August 20, 1891 in Knoxville, Tennessee, the son of George, a photographer, and Emma Tatum. He grew up in Knoxville, and went to Sewanee: The University of the South. In June 1911 he moved to Nenana, Alaska to visit his brother Howard, who was working at an Army outpost. That summer, Robert worked as a surveyor for the government; after that he taught at an Episcopalian mission school.
Episcopalian archdeaconHudson Stuck, who would later become the expedition leader, first met Tatum during a regular visit to the mission school. Stuck asked Tatum if he would join him in ascending Denali (Mount McKinley) for the first time; he immediately accepted. In preparation for the climb, Tatum hiked about 1,200 miles (1,900 km), including a trip to Tanana Crossing with other missionaries to establish a new mission.
On March 17, 1913, the expedition left Nenana to climb McKinley. Besides Stuck and Tatum (who was the cook), the party consisted of Harry Peter Karstens, who led the expedition with Stuck; Walter Harper, an Alaska Native who had been Stuck's travelling companion for three years; and two Gwich'in teenagers, Johnny Fredson and Esaias George, who helped at base camp and brought the dog teams back down before the summit.
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