François Chouteau

Biography

François Chouteau was a prominent merchant and fur trader who played a significant role in the commercial development of the Mississippi Valley and western territories during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Born in 1797, he built his fortune through the fur trade, one of the era's most important commercial enterprises, and established himself as a respected businessman in St. Louis.

His death in 1838 marked the end of an influential career in commerce and trade. Chouteau was laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery, reflecting his prominence in the community and his enduring legacy as a merchant whose business acumen helped shape the economic development of the American frontier.