Noel Le Vasseur (December 25, 1798 – December 12, 1879) was a fur trader and

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...

born in St. Michel d`Yamaska, Canada and died in Bourbonnais Grove, Illinois. In 1816, he became a

voyageur The voyageurs (; ) were 18th and 19th century French Canadians who engaged in the transporting of furs via canoe during the peak of the North American fur trade. The emblematic meaning of the term applies to places (New France, including the ...

. "

John Jacob Astor John Jacob Astor (born Johann Jakob Astor; July 17, 1763 – March 29, 1848) was a German-American businessman, merchant, real estate mogul, and investor who made his fortune mainly in a fur trade monopoly, by smuggling opium into China, and ...

furnished Mr. Le Vasseur with a stock of goods worth $6,000, which he used in trading with the Indians for furs." Le Vasseur travelled to Bunkum, Illinois in 1818, where he established a trading post for 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 ...

. The post was placed under the supervision of

Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard (August 22, 1802 – September 14, 1886) was an American fur trader, insurance underwriter, and land speculator. He was influential in the development of the city of Chicago and responsible for its growth during the 19t ...

, and when Hubbard left in 1827, Le Vasseur took over as his replacement. Le Vasseur also married Hubbard's ex-wife,

Watseka Watseka or Watchekee (c. 1810–1878) was a Potawatomi Native American woman, born in Illinois, and named for the heroine of a Potawatomi legend. Her uncle was Tamin, the chief of the Kankakee Potawatomi Indians. She was also known by the ...

(also called Watch-e-kee), the namesake of

Watseka, Illinois Watseka is a city in and the county seat of Iroquois County, Illinois, United States. It is located approximately west of the Illinois-Indiana state line on U.S. Route 24. The population of Watseka was 5,255 according to the 2010 census, which ...

He had three children with her, and learned to speak the Potawatomi language. In 1832, Watseka left to go west when the Indians were removed from the area. He remained at the Bunkum post until 1835. In 1837, he married Ruth Bull of

Danville, Illinois Danville is a city in and the county seat of Vermilion County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, its population was 33,027. As of 2019, the population was an estimated 30,479. History The area that is now Danville was once home to the Miami, K ...

. Following her death in 1859, he married Elenor Franchere of

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

in 1861. Le Vasseur and Hubbard arrived in the Bourbonnais area in 1830. Le Vasseur "bought a tract of land from Me-she-ke-ten-o", and "became the first permanent non- Native American settler of the area." When the

Potawatomi The Potawatomi , also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American people of the western Great Lakes region, upper Mississippi River and Great Plains. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a m ...

left the Bourbonnais area in 1838, La Vasseur persuaded many Québécois to migrate to the region. These efforts have given him the epithet "Father of Kankakee." His obituary stated that "In politics he was a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

; he had no patience with the defenders of the slave power," noting that he was known both for his hospitality and his friendship with the leaders of the Potawotami tribe.

References

External links

Portrait of Le Vasseur, home, and memorial
{{DEFAULTSORT:Le Vasseur, Noel 1798 births 1879 deaths People from Kankakee, Illinois People from Bourbonnais, Illinois