Pierre Laclède Liguest or Pierre Laclède (22 November 1729 – 20 June 1778) was a French
fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...
r who, with his young assistant and stepson
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 m ...
, founded
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
in 1764, in what was then
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
Upper Louisiana
Upper may refer to:
* Shoe upper or ''vamp'', the part of a shoe on the top of the foot
* Stimulant, drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both
* ''Upper'', the original film title for the 2013 found fo ...
, in present-day
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
.
Early life
Laclède was born on 22 November 1729 in Bedous,
Béarn
The Béarn (; ; oc, Bearn or ''Biarn''; eu, Bearno or ''Biarno''; or ''Bearnia'') 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 Bas ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. He was one of the younger sons in his family, with parents being office-holders, authors, and scholars of some prominence. His father, and later inherited by his brother, held the position of ''avocat au parlement'' de Navarre, a traditional region including Béarn, located in Pau. His uncle, likewise, was a man of letters, writing a history of
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
. Overall, Laclède is said to be a reflection of desire for knowledge that filled his whole family.
In 1755, Laclède arrived in
at the age of 26. The cause of his trip is argued about; some historians believe he was traveling for pleasure. Others say that he was looking to make his fortune in the new lands, as done by many other younger sons. Allegedly, Laclède gave up positions in the church and army and rather preferred to explore the new world. Over the next few years after his arrival in New Orleans, he became a highly successful trader. Unlike his contemporaries, he embraced the change of lifestyle. Historians often comment on his energy, knowledge, and good judgement, which suggest past business experience, and a greater understanding for his success as a
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 ...
.
During this time, Laclède also began to form relationships with the officials and Indians in the vicinity. It was through many of these conversations that Laclède learned of the opportunities that awaited further north, and acted as an inspiration for his future exploration and founding of
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
.
Personal life
When first arriving in New Orleans, Laclède is described as handsome. He was said to be olive-skinned with dark eyes, tall and slender. He moved like a
fencer with extreme grace and ease and retained an air of command at all time. Before leaving for New Orleans, it is said that Laclède won a swordsmanship duel. However, the prize is unknown.
Upon arriving to New Orleans, Laclède met and fell in love with Madame
Marie-Therese Bourgeois Chouteau. It is documented that they had a liaison for many years following, resulting in the birth of four children:
Jean Pierre (1758), Marie Pélagie (1760), Marie Louise (1762), and Victoire (1764) Chouteau. Madame Chouteau at the time was married to another man, René Auguste Chouteau. Ten years her senior, Rene owned an inn and tavern at the time of their marriage. To the outsider, it was a good marriage, as Madame Chouteau had little to no dowry and little to recommend her. However, Rene turned out to be an abusive husband, and not long after the birth of their first son, Auguste Chouteau, left her alone in New Orleans and returned to France without her.
Though it is documented that they had a strong relationship, Laclède's and Madame Chouteau's relationship was coated with difficulties. As divorce was not allowed during that time by the church or the state, Madame Chouteau remained married to Rene for the majority of hers and Laclède's relationship. This prompted lots of whispers and gossip, let alone the possible strain of Rene returning from France any day. Historians believe that this in addition was a contributing factor to Laclède's decision to travel upstream to a new trading post.
Upon the founding of St. Louis, Laclède wrote to Madame Chouteau, telling her to come to the colony. Later that year, after she gave birth to her fifth child and Laclède's fourth, she traveled with all of their children to meet Laclède. There, Laclède built a house for them and bequeathed it to them in his will. Madame Chouteau in addition was well loved in the colony; she was kind but sensible, understanding but stubborn. Within a few years, people started referring to her as the "Queen" of St. Louis.
A few years after arriving to St. Louis, René, Madame Chouteau's husband, returned to New Orleans, and required that his wife return to him. By law, he was allowed to do this. Various governmental officials tried to slow down the process of Madame Chouteau returning to her husband, sending letters that ended requiring more letters. However, before any real action could be taken, René Chouteau died in a drunken stupor one night, thus ending any potential threat from him.
Founding of St. Louis
Laclède was sponsored by the
merchant
Gilbert Antoine de Saint-Maxent in 1763 to construct a
trading post
A trading post, trading station, or trading house, also known as a factory, is an establishment or settlement where goods and services could be traded.
Typically the location of the trading post would allow people from one geographic area to tr ...
near the confluence of the
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
and
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
rivers. Maxent was offered monopolies by
D'Abbadie, which were passed on to Laclède as a six-year trading monopoly with the area's Native Americans.
Given the length and the impending winter, Laclède began prepping for the journey immediately. In August, he and a small crew, which included his common law wife's son 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 m ...
. Jr. Though few outposts or trading posts were already set-up, many Europeans had made the journey up the Mississippi River, making the trip more monotonous than exciting. They arrived at the confluence in December. The
confluence area was too marshy to build a town, so they selected a site downriver. Legend has it that
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
was founded on Saint
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, throu ...
of 1764.
The St. Louis downtown riverfront area is named
Laclede's Landing
Laclede's Landing (), colloquially "the Landing", is a small urban historic district in St. Louis, Missouri. It marks the northern part of the original settlement founded by the Frenchman Pierre Laclède, whose landing on the riverside the placenam ...
in his honor. He is also the namesake of
Laclede County, Missouri
Laclede County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 35,571. Its county seat is Lebanon. The county was organized February 24, 1849, and was named after Pierre Laclède, founder of St. Lou ...
,
Laclede, Missouri, the
Pierre Laclede Honors College
Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...
at the
University of Missouri–St. Louis
The University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) is a public research university in St. Louis, Missouri. Established in 1963, it is one of four universities in the University of Missouri System and its newest. Located on the former grounds of Bel ...
, Pierre Laclede Elementary School in St. Louis and the Pierre Laclede office tower in
Clayton, Missouri
Clayton is a city in and the seat of St. Louis County, Missouri. It borders the independent city of St. Louis. The population was 17,355 at the 2020 census. Organized in 1877, the city was named after Ralph Clayton, who donated the land for the ...
. Laclede is also recognized with a star on the
St. Louis Walk of Fame
The St. Louis Walk of Fame honors notable people from St. Louis, Missouri, who made contributions to the culture of the United States. All inductees were either born in the Greater St. Louis area or spent their formative or creative years ther ...
.
See also
*
Laclede's Landing, St. Louis
*
LaClede Town
LaClede Town was a mixed-income, federally funded housing project in St. Louis, Missouri. Located near St. Louis University, it opened in 1964. It incorporated a mix of housing types and had spaces dedicated to social interaction and artistic prod ...
References
External links
"Pierre Laclède" National Park Service biography
St. Louis Walk of Fame
Pierre Laclède in the ''Louisiana Dictionary of Biography''– Scroll down to find Laclede.
*
"Remains of St. Louis founder's home believed to have been located"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laclède, Pierre
People of Louisiana (New France)
Pre-statehood history of Missouri
French emigrants to the United States
People from St. Louis
1729 births
1778 deaths
American city founders
People from Béarn