John Kinzie

Biography

John Kinzie helped shape the early history of the Great Lakes region as a fur trader and merchant, forging friendships with Native peoples and settlers alike in his pursuit of commerce. His ventures brought goods and vital relationships to frontier settlements.

He made his home near what would become Chicago, and though his later years were spent farther east, his passing at Graceland Cemetery marks the end of a life spent bridging worlds on the western frontier.