Chouteau was the name of a highly successful, ethnically French fur-trading family based in Saint Louis, Missouri, which they helped found. Their ancestors Chouteau and Laclède initially settled in New Orleans. They then moved-up the Mississippi river and established posts in the

Midwest The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four Census Bureau Region, census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of ...

and Western United States, particularly along the Missouri River and in the Southwest. Various locations were named after this family.

People

* Marie-Therese Bourgeois Chouteau (1733-1814), matriarch of the family :children of Marie-Therèse Bourgeois Chouteau and René Augustin Chouteau, Sr. ::*

René Auguste Chouteau René-Auguste Chouteau, Jr. (September 7, 1749, or September 26, 1750 – February 24, 1829Beckwith, 8.), also known as Auguste Chouteau, was the founder of St. Louis, Missouri, a successful fur trader and a politician. He and his partner had a mo ...

(1750-1829), founder of St. Louis, Missouri :::*Auguste Aristide Chouteau (1792-1833), fur trader :::*Henri Chouteau I (1805-1855), railroad executive, killed in

Gasconade Bridge train disaster The Gasconade Bridge train disaster was a rail accident in Gasconade, Missouri, on November 1, 1855. The Gasconade bridge collapsed under the locomotive ''O'Sullivan'' while crossing. More than thirty were killed in the first major deadly bridge c ...

::::*Henri Chouteau II (1830-1854), married Julia Deaver :::::*Azby Auguste Chouteau Sr. (1853-?),

lawyer A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...

and one of the founders of Minnesela, South Dakota, husband of Cora Baker (great-great-granddaughter of Isaac Shelby) ::::::*Azby Chouteau Jr. (1884-?) ::::::*Henri Arminstead Chouteau III (1889-1952),

realtor A real estate agent or real estate broker is a person who represents sellers or buyers of real estate or real property. While a broker may work independently, an agent usually works under a licensed broker to represent clients. Brokers and agen ...

Benedict Richards, Marjorie. ''Minnesela: The City That Never Happened. Spearfish,'' SD: Northern Hills Printing, 1972. Print. :::*Edward Chouteau (1807-1846), trader :::*Gabriel Chouteau (1794-1887), served in War of 1812 :::*Eulalie Chouteau (1799-1835), married René Paul (1783-1851), first surveyor of St. Louis ::::*

Gabriel René Paul Gabriel René Paul (March 22, 1813 – May 5, 1886) was a career officer in the United States Army most noted for his service during the Seminole Wars and the Mexican–American War and as a Union Army general in the American Civil War. Birth and ...

(1813-1886), Union Army general in the American Civil War :::*Louise Chouteau, married Gabriel Paul, French chevalier :::*Emilie Chouteau, married Thomas Floyd, US officer in the Black Hawk War :Children of Marie-Therèse Bourgeois Chouteau and Pierre Laclède (also founder of St. Louis, Missouri): ::*Victoire Chouteau, (1760-1825), wife of Charles Gratiot, Sr., financier of the Illinois campaign during the American Revolutionary War :::* Charles Gratiot, (1786-1855), builder of Fort Meigs and Fort Monroe and participant in Battle of Mackinac Island :::*Henry Gratiot (1789-1856), soldier in the Black Hawk War ::::*Adèle Gratiot (1826-1887), wife of Elihu B. Washburne (1816-1887), U.S. Secretary of State and U.S. Ambassador to France ::* Jean Pierre Chouteau (1758-1849){{Cite book , last = Beckwith , first = Paul Edmond , title = Creoles of St. Louis , publisher = Nixon-Jones , date = 1893 , location = St. Louis :::* Auguste Pierre Chouteau (1786-1838), founder of posts in Oklahoma and Chouteau, Oklahoma ::::*Emilie Sophie Chouteau (1813-1874), wife of Nicolas DeMenil and owner of Chatillon-DeMenil House :::*

Pierre Chouteau, Jr. Pierre Chouteau Jr. (January 19, 1789 – September 6, 1865), also referred to as Pierre Cadet Chouteau, was an American merchant and a member of the wealthy Chouteau fur-trading family of Saint Louis, Missouri. Early life and education Choutea ...

, nicknamed 'Cadet', (1789-1865), founder of posts on Upper Missouri River, including Fort Pierre and Chouteau County, Montana, and partner to Bernard A. Pratte in the Pratte & Chouteau Trading Company. :::*

François Chouteau François Gesseau Chouteau (February 7, 1797 – April 18, 1838) was an American pioneer fur trader, businessman and community leader known as the "Founder" or "Father" of Kansas City, Missouri. Biography François Gesseau Chouteau was born in 1797 ...

, first official European settler of

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

::::::*

Yvonne Chouteau Myra Yvonne Chouteau () (March 7, 1929 – January 24, 2016) was an American ballerina and one of the " Five Moons" or Native ''prima ballerinas'' of Oklahoma. She was the only child of Corbett Edward and Lucy Annette Chouteau. She was born March ...

(1929-2016), 20th-century Shawnee classical ballerina, one of the "

Five Moons The Five Moons were five Native American ballerinas from the U.S. state of Oklahoma who achieved international recognition during the 20th century. The five women were Myra Yvonne Chouteau, Rosella Hightower, Moscelyne Larkin, and sisters Maria ...

" of Oklahoma; 5th-generation descendant of Jean Pierre Chouteau ::*Marie Pelagie Chouteau (1760-1812), grandmother of Emilie Pratt, wife of Ramsay Crooks (1780-1859), General Manager and President of the

American Fur Company The American Fur Company (AFC) was founded in 1808, by John Jacob Astor, a German immigrant to the United States. During the 18th century, furs had become a major commodity in Europe, and North America became a major supplier. Several British co ...

and business partner of Jean Pierre Chouteau

Places

* Choteau, Montana * Chouteau County, Montana * Chouteau, Oklahoma * Chouteau Creek,Mayes County, Oklahoma * Pierre, South Dakota (named for Pierre Chouteau, Jr.) * Chouteau Bridge across the Missouri River in Kansas City * Chouteau's Landing in St. Louis *

Chouteau Avenue Chouteau was the name of a highly successful, ethnically French fur-trading family based in Saint Louis, Missouri, which they helped found. Their ancestors Chouteau and Laclède initially settled in New Orleans. They then moved-up the Mississipp ...

in St. Louis The family sold the Chouteau posts along the upper Missouri River in 1865 after the American Civil War to Americans

James B. Hubbell James is a common English language surname and given name: * James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambigua ...

Alpheus F. Hawley Alpheos or Alpheus may refer to: * Alpheus (mythology), a river god in Greek mythology * Alpheus, West Virginia, a community in the US * Alfeios River, the Greek river which the mythological god refers to * Alphaeus, a father of two of the Twelv ...

, James A. Smith,

C. Francis Bates C. or c. may refer to: * Century, sometimes abbreviated as ''c.'' or ''C.'', a period of 100 years * Cent (currency), abbreviated ''c.'' or ''¢'', a monetary unit that equals of the basic unit of many currencies * Caius or Gaius, abbreviated as ...

. Hubbell, based in Minnesota, already had some licenses from the federal government to trade with Native Americans in the West. He and his colleague Hawley formed a partnership with these men to set up a business. They formed the Northwestern Fur Company and operated it through posts along the upper Missouri River until 1870. They closed the business due to losses of equipment and furs during the Sioux uprising and warfare during the 1860s, which resulted in a volatile environment that made it too difficult to operate.Lucile M. Kane, "New Light on the Northwestern Fur Company"
''Minnesota History Magazine,'' Winter 1955, pp. 325-329

References

External links

''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''
"Henri Arminstead Chouteau."
Find a Grave. N.p., 29 Sept. 2007. Web. French families Business families American families of French ancestry