00850.xml PIERRE CHOUTEAU AND FAMILY: An Inventory of Their Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society Finding aid prepared by Alex Kent National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Minnesota Historical Society
St. Paul, MN.

Manuscripts Collection

 Finding aid encoded by Alex KentFebruary 2011 Finding aid written in English. OVERVIEW Minnesota Historical Society Chouteau, Pierre, 1789-1865. Pierre Chouteau and family papers. 1799-1850. Materials in English and French. Original, photostatic copies, and typed transcripts of letters between Pierre Chouteau, Henry Chouteau, Ramsay Crooks, George Davenport, Hercules L. Dousman, Kenneth McKenzie, Henry M. Rice, Joseph Rolette, Henry H. Sibley, Joseph M. Street and others as well as contracts, accounts, and other related documents concerning the fur trade, fur companies, the Dakota, Sauk, and Fox Indians, and similar matters. 0.25 cubic feet (1 box and 10 items in Reserve). See Detailed Description for shelf locations. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Pierre Chouteau, a member of a St. Louis fur trading family, was born in St. Louis, Missouri (January 19, 1789), the son of Jean Pierre and Pelagie (Kiersereau) Chouteau. He entered the fur trade business with his father (1809); organized and participated in a number of fur companies (1831-1838): Bernard Pratte and Company, Pierre Chouteau, Jr., and Company, Chouteau and McKenzie; and operated a rolling mill in St. Louis (1850). He was also an original incorporator of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad (1851). He died in St. Louis, Missouri (September 6, 1865).

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The collection includes biographical information, calendars of fur trade documents, and correspondence between Pierre Chouteau, Jr., fur traders, agents, and other individuals associated with the fur trade. In addition to Henry Chouteau, Ramsay Crooks, George Davenport, Hercules L. Dousman, Kenneth McKenzie, Henry M. Rice, Joseph Rolette, Henry H. Sibley, Joseph M. Street, correspondents include William B. Astor, Frederick Bates (Governor of Louisiana), Charles William Wulff Borup, William Clark, William Henry Harrison (Governor of Indiana Territory), and Charles D. St. Vrain (American Fur Company agent at Rock Island).

The papers deal with the Chouteau's connections to the American Fur Company's trade in the upper Mississippi River region centered around Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin and Rock Island, Illinois, and contain information on aspects of the fur trade; relations with Indian tribes; conflicts between the Sauk, Fox, and Dakota; the Black Hawk and Seminole wars; the sale of Dubuque lead mines, and the payment of Dakota debts by the sale of lands west of the Mississippi.

Other topics discussed in the papers include travel expenses, inventories and financial accounts; the ordering and shipment of supplies for fur trading posts and agencies; provisions supplied to military units; the state of the fur trade, and plans by Charles William Wulff Borup and Henry Sibley to oust Henry M. Rice from the fur trade and the territory. The articles of agreement for Pierre Chouteu, Jr. and Company (1849) are also present.

Letters dated October 16, 1799 (2 items), September 11, 1829, May 20, 1834, and January 4, 1844 are in French and do not include translations.

CATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics: Dakota Indians. Fox Indians. Fur trade -- Mississippi River Valley. Sauk Indians. Persons: Borup, Charles W. W. (Charles William Wulff), 1806-1859. Chouteau, Henry. Crooks, Ramsay, 1787-1859. Davenport, George. Dousman, Hercules L. (Hercules Louis), 1800-1868. McKenzie, Kenneth, 1797-1861. Nicollet, J. N. (Joseph Nicolas), 1786-1843. Renville, Joseph, 1779-1846. Rice, Henry M. (Henry Mower), 1816-1894. Rolette, Joseph, 1781-1842. Sibley, Henry Hastings, 1811-1891. Street, Joseph Montfort, 1782-1840. Organizations: American Fur Company. Columbia Fur Company. Minnesota Outfit. Sioux Outfit. United States. Army -- Supplies and stores. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Access Restrictions:

Access to reserve materials requires the curator's permission.

 Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Chouteau, Pierre. Pierre Chouteau and Family Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

 Location of Originals:

Portions of the correspondence and other papers were copied from originals in the Pierre Chouteau-Maffitt Collection, Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, Missouri.

 Accession Information:

Accession numbers: 2885; 2909; 8178; 8309; 7853; 16,438; 16,440; 16,441; 16,442

 Processing Information:

Processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with a Basic Project grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Catalog ID number: 001732035

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION P2609 1 Biographical information.

Includes biographical data on Chouteau family members compiled by the Minnesota Historical Society.

 2 Calendars: Tohill, Louis. Calendar of Pierre Chouteau Papers in the Missouri Historical Society, 1924. 15 index cards and 1 photocopy. Babcock, Willoughby M. Calendar of selected items of Minnesota interest in the Pierre Chouteau-Maffitt Papers, Missouri Historical Society, 1811-1841. 50 index cards. 3 Correspondence and other papers, October 16, 1799-October 10, 1827. 4 Correspondence and other papers, February 8, 1828-September 11, 1829. 5 Correspondence and other papers, August 11, 1830-June 8, 1832. 6 Correspondence and other papers, September 10, 1832-August 18, 1839. 7 Correspondence and other papers, January 30, 1840, March 24, 1841-September 11, 1850. Reserve 106 Reserve items:

Restricted.

Photocopies of these original letters can be found filed in chronological order within the correspondence and other papers.

 Joseph Rolette, Prairie du Chien, to Pierre Chouteau, St. Louis, September 11, 1829. ALS. In French.

Digital version

Discusses money Chouteau owes Kenneth McKenzie and trouble with the Dakota and Fox Indians.

 David Diggs, Troy, Missouri, to Henry Chouteau, St. Louis, Missouri, August 8, 1833. Loss at upper left.

Regarding the payment of money owed by Diggs.

Digital version

 W. H. Ashley, Washington [D.C.], to Pierre Chouteau, New York, January 7, 1834. ALS.

Discusses attempts to obtain a furlough for Captain Thomas Smith.

Digital version

 Ramsay Crooks, Prairie du Chien, to Pierre Chouteau, Jr., St. Louis, Missouri, December 22, 1838. ALS.

Concerns trade activities and includes list of travel expenses for Charles P. Chouteau.

Digital version

 J. P. Rolette, Prairie du Chien, to Messrs. Chouteau and McKenzie, March 11, 1839. ALS.

Asks about the fullfillment of a memorandum from himself and one from Jean Baptiste Faribault.

Digital version

 Joseph M. Street, Sac & Fox Agency, to Henry Chouteau, St. Louis, May 18, 1839.

Regarding supplies purchased by Thomas M. Street, Joseph's son.

Digital version

 G. A. Paul, Fort King, East Florida, to Henry Chouteau, St. Louis, Missouri, August 18, 1839.

Describes military actions during the Second Seminole War and asks for information on the value of his St. Louis property.

Digital version

 Benjamin Clapp, Chouteau and MacKenzie, St. Louis, to George T. M. Davis, Alton, Illinois, January 30, 1840. ALS.

Regarding settlement for the boat Pavilion in the matter of T. H. Griffith v. Tanner.

Digital version

 Pierre Chouteau, New York, to Gabriel S. Chouteau, St. Louis. January 4, 1844. ALS. In French.

Regarding business plans for a mill steam engine and health concerns.

Digital version

 H. M. Rice, Galena, Illinois, to Messrs. Pierre Chouteau, Jr. & Company, St. Louis. November 23, 1846. ALS. Loss at lower left.

Details business dealings and mentions Dousman and Sibley.

Digital version