Pierre Laclède
Encyclopedia
Pierre Laclède or Pierre Laclède Liguest (Bedous
, Béarn
, France
, 22 November 1729 – died near the mouth of Arkansas River, 20 June 1778) was a French
fur trade
r who, with his young assistant and "stepson" Auguste Chouteau
, founded St. Louis, Missouri
, in 1764.
Laclède was sponsored by the New Orleans
merchant Gilbert Antoine Maxent
in 1763 to construct a trading post near the confluence of the Mississippi
and Missouri
rivers. Laclede and Chouteau set out from New Orleans in August, arriving at the confluence in December. The confluence area was too marshy to build a town, so they selected a site 18 miles downriver.
Laclède returned to St. Louis in April 1764 with a design for the town, where Chouteau was overseeing clearing of the land. He was followed soon after by his common-law wife, Marie Thérèse Bourgeois Chouteau (Madame Chouteau).
Laclède had four children with Madame Chouteau : Jean Pierre
(1758), Marie Pelagie (1760), Marie Louise (1762), and Victoire (1764) Chouteau. Because divorce was prohibited by law of both the Roman Catholic Church and in France, these children were baptized as the children of Madame Chouteau's legal husband, René Auguste Chouteau (père). René Chouteau had returned to France, after having abused and abandoned Madame Chouteau. Laclede and his descendants were influential in the St. Louis and regional economy and politics for many years. Auguste and Jean-Pierre Chouteau were partners in fur trading, and had a monopoly for several years with the Osage
Native Americans up the Missouri River.
Laclède was not a good businessman despite prospering for some years in the fur trade. He died while returning to St. Louis from New Orleans, where he had gone to try to straighten out his financial situation.
The St. Louis downtown riverfront area is named Laclede's Landing
in his honor. He is also the namesake of Laclede County, Missouri
, Laclede, Missouri
, the Pierre Laclede Honors College
at the University of Missouri-St Louis, and the Pierre Laclede Elementary School in St. Louis. He was given a "star" on the St. Louis Walk of Fame
.
Bedous
Bedous is a commune of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-References:*...
, Béarn
Béarn
Béarn is one of the traditional provinces of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three Basque provinces of Soule, Lower Navarre, and Labourd, the principality of Bidache, as well as small parts of Gascony, it forms in the...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 22 November 1729 – died near the mouth of Arkansas River, 20 June 1778) was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
r who, with his young assistant and "stepson" Auguste Chouteau
René Auguste Chouteau
Rene Auguste Chouteau , also known as Auguste Chouteau, was founder of St. Louis, Missouri, a successful fur trader and a politician. He and his partner had a monopoly for many years of fur trade with the large Osage tribe on the Missouri River...
, founded St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, in 1764.
Laclède was sponsored by the New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
merchant Gilbert Antoine Maxent
Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent
Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent was a merchant and military officer who played a major role in development of the Louisiana Territory during its era as New France and New Spain....
in 1763 to construct a trading post near the confluence of the Mississippi
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and Missouri
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
rivers. Laclede and Chouteau set out from New Orleans in August, arriving at the confluence in December. The confluence area was too marshy to build a town, so they selected a site 18 miles downriver.
Laclède returned to St. Louis in April 1764 with a design for the town, where Chouteau was overseeing clearing of the land. He was followed soon after by his common-law wife, Marie Thérèse Bourgeois Chouteau (Madame Chouteau).
Laclède had four children with Madame Chouteau : Jean Pierre
Jean Pierre Chouteau
Jean Pierre Chouteau was a French-Canadian fur trader, merchant, politician and slaveholder. An early settler of St. Louis, Missouri, he became one its most prominent citizens. He and his brother Auguste Chouteau, known as the "river barons", negotiated the many political changes as the city...
(1758), Marie Pelagie (1760), Marie Louise (1762), and Victoire (1764) Chouteau. Because divorce was prohibited by law of both the Roman Catholic Church and in France, these children were baptized as the children of Madame Chouteau's legal husband, René Auguste Chouteau (père). René Chouteau had returned to France, after having abused and abandoned Madame Chouteau. Laclede and his descendants were influential in the St. Louis and regional economy and politics for many years. Auguste and Jean-Pierre Chouteau were partners in fur trading, and had a monopoly for several years with the Osage
Osage Nation
The Osage Nation is a Native American Siouan-language tribe in the United States that originated in the Ohio River valley in present-day Kentucky. After years of war with invading Iroquois, the Osage migrated west of the Mississippi River to their historic lands in present-day Arkansas, Missouri,...
Native Americans up the Missouri River.
Laclède was not a good businessman despite prospering for some years in the fur trade. He died while returning to St. Louis from New Orleans, where he had gone to try to straighten out his financial situation.
The St. Louis downtown riverfront area is named Laclede's Landing
Laclede's Landing
Laclède's Landing is a popular attraction located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States.Located just north of the Eads Bridge on the Mississippi Riverfront, the Landing is a multi-block collection of cobblestone streets and vintage brick-and-cast-iron warehouses dating from 1850 through 1900, now...
in his honor. He is also the namesake of Laclede County, Missouri
Laclede County, Missouri
Laclede County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2000, the population was 32,513. Its county seat is Lebanon. The county was organized February 24, 1849, and was named after Pierre Laclède, founder of St...
, Laclede, Missouri
Laclede, Missouri
Laclede is a city in Linn County, Missouri, United States. The population was 415 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Laclede is located at ....
, the Pierre Laclede Honors College
Pierre Laclede Honors College
The Pierre Laclede Honors College is the honors program for the University of Missouri–St. Louis. It was named in honor of the founder of the city of St. Louis...
at the University of Missouri-St Louis, and the Pierre Laclede Elementary School in St. Louis. He was given a "star" on the St. Louis Walk of Fame
St. Louis Walk of Fame
The St. Louis Walk of Fame honors well-known people from St. Louis, Missouri, who made contributions to culture of the United States. All inductees were either born in the Greater St. Louis area or spent their formative or creative years there...
.
External links
- "Pierre Laclède", National Park Service biography
- "Pierre Laclede", St. Louis Walk of Fame
- "Remains of St. Louis founder's home believed to have been located"