Dr. Saugrain & 19th Century St Louis MO

FROM DR. SAUGRAIN'S NOTE-BOOKS, 1788 by Eugene F. Bliss

2010-12-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

FROM DR. SAUGRAIN'S NOTE-BOOKS, 1788.
I. Stay Opposite Louisville.

II. Observations upon Post Vincennes.

III. Diary of Journal from Louisville to Philadelphia.

At the meeting of this Society, held in Boston, April 1897, was read an article entitled: "Dr. Saugrain's Relation of his Voyage down the Ohio River from Pittsburgh to the Falls in 1788." I prefaced this "Relation" by a brief sketch of the Doctor's life. I give to-day what we have left of Dr. Saugrain's journals or note-books. These contain an account of his stay opposite Louisville, his observations upon Post Vincennes in the present Indiana and his account of his return to Philadelphia through Kentucky to Maysville, up the Ohio to Pittsburgh and thence through Pennsylvania. The few notes I have appended are taken from Collins' History of Kentucky, unless some other authority is given.

Since the publication of my communication of 1897 two pamphlets have been published in relation to Dr. Saugrain. The first by Dr. N. P. Dandridge of Cincinnati, being the • address he delivered as President at the meeting of the American Surgical Association at St. Louis, June 14, 1904; the other by William Vincent Byars, entitled: "The First Scientist of the Mississippi Valley," St. Louis, without date. Both these pamphlets have a likeness of Dr. Saugrain "from an old portrait, painted from life."

In preparing this article I have been indebted to The Historical & Philosophical Society of Ohio.
EUGENE F. BLISS.

DR. SAUGRAIN'S NOTE-BOOKS, 1788.
COMMUNICATED BY EUGENE F. BLISS.
STAY OPPOSITE LOUISVILLE.

I arrived in Louisville March 29th, 1788. I crossed the Ohio Sunday morning, the 30th of the same month. I wrote to Monsieu La Size and to d'Orcantille etc. April 13th. I thought when I arrived at the fort,1 where I still am, April 20th,—considering the politeness shown me,— that I should be badly off, since we easily tire of giving hospitality and of showing attention to a man of whom we have nothing to expect and who has no money, but I was mistaken, for the longer I am here the more attention I am shown. The surgeon and the officers are the best men in the world and take the greatest care of me. My feet are doing well and in ten or twelve days I think I shall be able to walk. It has needed, however, a long time to bring this about. I shall not lose the big toe of the left foot and the first joint of the second toe of the same foot. My neck is quite cured and my hand could not be better. I have got off with the loss of the perfect use of the index finger of the left hand.
We set out from Pittsburgh March 18th. The Indians attacked us on the 23d and I was three days in the woods. A Kentucky boat brought us in two days to the Falls.
Louisville is a very unhealthy place and I have no trouble in believing it, considering the negligence of its inhabitants, who let the water stagnate in the lower parts, although it would be little trouble to draw it off. There is nothing remarkable except an old fort,2 of which I speak simply to tell of the city, for it would not be worth while to speak Fort Steuben. •Fort Nelson.

of some heaps of dirt made for earthworks which would overawe only savages. I say nothing of the environs; I have not yet seen them. As for the other side of the Ohio, they have built the fort where I am. At first view it is a charming place and superb trees produce this effect. One who has not been over the environs of the fort except for two miles would judge the place healthy, but a little farther off are swamps which make the place unhealthy, which is asserted by four or five persons, for I have not myself seen them. We are going to-morrow or the day after to see a creek, called in English Silver Creek. There are several mines, they say, and I have here the reputation of a great mineralogist and as I found at Fort Pitt a little silver in a lead mine, some of which they gave me to assay, they believe in this part of America that I am going to find all the gold of Peru. So they bring specimens in abundance and the greater part are only iron or copper pyrites. I wish, my learned friend, you were here, for there is a lead mine that yields abundantly, but with a considerable quantity of bismuth, as I judge. The mine is not yet regularly worked. I shall bring you specimens from it and we will see together, we two men, if it is good, better than one. This will be perhaps a good thing. It is found fifteen miles from the Falls. I make myself useful to all. I have made them a furnace and we make fixed alkalies for all the doctors roundabout. It is good to know something, one makes himself useful, and I amuse them also with some experiments in electricity.

The number of boats that come down is considerable; here comes the seventeenth and a great number of them will continue to come. The number of them, however, is not so great as at Limestone,8 where there comes and stops a prodigious number. I understand now that it is not well to have a salt spring too near your house, for the cattle amuse themselves by licking the ground, eat little and consequently become lean. Salt is not dear here;

•Now Maysville, Ky., on the Ohio River sixty miles above Cincinnati, named after James May. Its first name was derived from ita situation at the mouth of Limestone Creek.

it is got from the springs. There is no doubt in my mind that all this country has been covered by the waters of the sea, or has been a lake. I shall bring you some stones, which, I think, will convince you when you have seen the incrustations of sea shells which occur. A few days ago some surveyors, working along the Little Miami, found hung up in a tree a blanket in which there was much linen, cloth etc. It is presumed that this was from a boat which met the same fate as our own. The savages could not carry off everything. Although I have very little money, I have yet been obliged to have two shirts made. They sold me the linen at a dollar a yard, or aune of the country. It is terribly coarse, but it is white. It is true there is some which is much less coarse, finer and cheaper etc., but it is the cloth of the country,—Salt is worth at the Falls two dollars the bushel. (It is, you see, dearer than I thought.) It is made, as you know, at the salt springs which are found about here in abundance. If one wishes to go for it himself and does not wish to take the trouble to boil the water, it comes at a dollar a bushel. It is generally very white. I shall bring specimens of different salt springs in case they wish an analysis of them. There is here at the Falls and in the neighborhood quite a large quantity of flintstones, of which the savages formerly made use to point their arrows and of which now are made gun-flints, which are not too good. Nearly all Kentucky (Kientuke) is filled with a cane which gives very good fodder for cattle of every sort. This kind of fodder has one great inconvenience when once the cattle have eaten off the leaves they do not put out again. (It will be Kentucky's fate some day to find herself stripped of pasturage.) There are turtles here and in great plenty. The soldiers often go for them and we eat them. A sort of soup is made of them which is quite good. Geese and turkeys are very common. Ducks, plovers, quails etc. The noise of the drum and fifes drives away the deer. I believe you have to go two and three miles to kill any of them.

The 25th. I have been to visit the famous creek of Silver Creek, but unfortunately the waters are so high that we could not even see the creek. The waters have overflowed but I was rewarded for my trouble—for my feet still pain me—by seeing a very abundant stream of mineral water. This water is impregnated with a considerable quantity of iron and especially at this moment when we have had much rain here. I brought back some of the water to the fort and, having put into it an infusion of oak-bark, it gave me the ink with which I am writing to you,—after, however, bringing it over the fire and boiling it for two hours, it is as blue as at this moment, but I think it will fix.4 I do not know whether it contains copper, but having here only fixed alkalies it gave me a precipitate of high color. This spring is called Calybia, a name which the doctor here has given it. It is distant from the fort a mile or a mile and a half. I went from there to Clarksville6 (Carlqueville). Much has been said of the beauty of the little town. There are at present only seven or eight houses, which is surprising. The air is drier there than at Louisville. They assure me they are free from fevers. The situation is fine and it is only four years since the first house was built. The lands there are splendid and even amazing in goodness, but no one goes there. I can give no other reason for this unless it be that men wish to go where there are men.

Louisville is very unhealthy and has people enough, and the hope of doing business has brought them there. Ah, my dear, what a singular emigration! There have come since the letter I wrote you from the Falls, the duplicate of which will go off with this one—there have come down since the date of my letter, which is of the 21st, to to-day, the 3d of May, thirty-four boats, each more crowded than the other, seventeen which had come and thirty-four— fifty-one boats arrived, some come every day. It is only four or five days ago that walking in the woods here I found some resin, which I call copal, although I am not positively sure that it is. But the tree from which I got it is very much like that of the Mississippi. I bring you some. They call the tree sweet-gum in this country. They were very much surprised at the fort that I found any of this resin; those who had lived here three years had not found it, such good observors they are, and to honor my sojourn in the fort they have planted one in the garden to which they have given the name Saugrain-tree. I intend to leave the fort very soon.

There has just arrived to-day, May 7th, come from Post Vincennes (veinsone), a boat. It had fourteen rowers and eight or nine passengers. It was attacked 150 or 160 miles from the fort and the Indians killed two men, (they do not know whether the Indians lost any). They believe there were forty of them. They all fired upon the boat and yet two men only were killed, and I believe it is fear which in such cases makes them so awkward. After the accident, and some miles below the place where they were attacked, they sent two men to inform the fort of it, but either they have been taken and killed by the savages, or the bad weather has detained them. They have no news of them. This same boat which has just arrived is the very one which is to take me to Fort Pitt. There will be quite a number of us and a part will go by land to help the boat in case of attack. This boat which is very large will be accompanied by two smaller ones and I believe if the Indians attack us we shall give them a bad turn. An excellent opportunity is presented and I am going to avail myself of it. Col. Blaine8 is going as far as Carlisle and I intend to travel with him, that is to say, we shall see the whole of Kentucky (quintaque) and we shall go on horseback as far as Limestone, where we shall await the boats which are to take us to Muskingum7 (Mousquingome); from there another or the same boat will take us to Wheeling (Wouilique), where I shall do my best to borrow a horse to take me to Fort Pitt, Philadelphia, etc. I am making a little book in which I shall keep exact account of everything interesting which shall present itself. I pray the savages may not catch me again. The route is not very safe. I do not, however, believe it very dangerous when the journey is made with four or five persons well-armed, but unhappily we are only Col. Blaine and myself. I have no arms and I doubt if he has any. But, "nothing venture, nothing gain," says the proverb, and I have such a desire to see Kentucky that fear is nothing to me. We shall set out to-morrow. I feel sorry to leave the fort, those who live in it are so amiable and I am so pleased with them. The same boat reports to us that a great many people are sick at Post Vincennes and it seems to me that fevers rage there as here also.

http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA227&dq=dr.+saugrain+notebook&id=zb8LAAAAIAAJ#v=onepage&q&f=false

From The French Five Hundred by William G. Sibley

2010-05-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

(Page 100) ...Dr. Antoine Francis Saugrain, physician, chemist, and natural philosopher, was an active and plucky little Frenchman four and a half feet in height, full of vitality, vivacity and imperturbable good nature. His was a highbred and wonderfully attractive countenance, with full, lustrous eyes and exquisite profile, all stamped by natural nobility of character. A handsome reproduction of his
features still exists in Gallipolis.

Dr. Saugrain was once descending the Ohio River with two scholarly French gentlemen who believed the Indians were not so bad as they were painted, and that no white man who treated them kindly would ever be abused by them. The Doctor did not coincide with their trustful views,and when his companions invited a number of savages aboard the boat near the mouth of the Sandy River, in order to demonstrate their theory, he kept a sharp lookout. When the visitors stepped aboard, instead of clasping the outstretched hands of their confident white advocates, they sunk their tomahawks into their skulls, and attempted to serve Dr. Saugrain in the same treacherous manner, but the wiry little Doctor killed two of them with his pistols, leaped into the water, and succeeded in reaching the opposite shore, with several severe wounds, but alive and able to make his way home to Gallipolis. He was fond of chemical experiment, familiar with the properties of phosphorus, and took great pleasure in mystifying the Indians who came into Gallipolis, by chemical tricks that filled them with awe....

The 92 Original Owners from the French 500

2010-05-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

From the Family files of Gillaume "William" Duduit
Page 116
The Ninety-Two Original Owners (Gallipolis OH)

The original ninety-Two owners of the French Grant, with the numbers of the lots which they drew were as
follows:
1. Matthew Berthelot Sr.
2. Nicholas Thevnin
3. John Baudot
4. Peter Matthew Chaudivert
5. Francis Valodin
6. William ( Guillaume ) Duduit
7. Nicholas Hurteux 8. Peter Lewis LeClers Jr.
9. Peter Marret Sr.
10. Michael Mazure
11. Louis Ambrose Lacour
12. Louis Berthe
13. John Baptist Ginat
14. Louis Anthony Francis Cei
15. Andrew Lacrouix
16. John Baptist Berthone
17. Francis Davous
18. Anthony Bartholomew Due
19. Philip Augustus Pithoud
20. Stephen Bastide
21. John Parmentier
22. Martinus Vandenbemden (now Vanden)
23. Nicholas Prioux
24. Francis Alexander Larquilhon
25. Nicholas Questel
26. Christopher Etienne
27. Francis Duverger
28. Claudius Chartier Dufligne
29. Nicholas Petit
30. John Baptist Letailleur
31. Claudius Berthelot
32. Francis Charles Duteil
33. John Petre Romain Bureau 3
4. James Francis Laurent
35. John Baptist Gobeau
36. John Julius Lemoyne
37. Peter Duteil
38. Louis Joiteau
39. Agnotus Chereau
40. Peter John Desnoyers
41. Marin Duport
42. Augustin Leclereq Sr.
43. Nicholas Lambert
44. John Brouin
45. Augustin Leclereq Jr.
46. Anthony Philipeau
47. Anthony Henry Meriguy
48. Louis Peter Leclere Sr.
49. Mary Magdalen Brunier (widow)
50. Remy Thierry Quiffe
51. Peter Magnier
52. Matthew Ibert
53. John Baptist Nicholas Tillag e
54. Anthony Claudius Vincent
55. John Gilbert Petit
56. Louis Augustin Lemoyne
57. Masil Joseph Marret
58. John Michau
59. Joseph Dazet
60. Michael Crawsaz
61. Francis D'Hebecourt
62. John Francis Pervey
63. Claudius Romaine Menager
64. Peter Richon
65. Peter Matry
66. Peter Serve
67. Francis Marion
68. Peter Marret Jr.
69. Francis Winox Joseph Devacht
70. Nicholas Charles Visinier
71. Augustus Waldemand Mentelle
72. Stephen Chaudivert
73. Peter Robert Magnet
74. Stephen Villenni
75. John Baptist Ferard
76. Francis Alexander Dubois
77. John Louis Malden
78. Francis Mennepier
79. Peter Serrot
80. Authony Francis Saugrain
81. Joachim Pignolet
82. Anthony Vibert
83. John Louis Violette
84. Peter Laffillard
85. Peter Chabot
86. Peter Thomas Thomas
87. Michael Chanteron
88. Francis Carteron
89. Claudius Cadot
90. Louis Victor Vonschriltz
91. Peter Francis Augustin Leclereq
92. Peter Ferard.

St Louis Lost by Mary Bartley

2010-05-24T08:21:00.001-07:00

Annals of St. Louis In Its Territorial Days 1804-1821

2010-04-29T17:59:00.000-07:00

Frederic Louis Billon (1888)

VACCINATION
Doct. Saugrain gives notice of the first vaccine matter brought to St. Louis. Indigent persons vaccinated gratuitously. May 26 1809

THE PHYSICIANS - of the territorial days of St. Louis.
In our Annals of the French days we have enumerated the half dozen physicians, who succeeded each other in the little village in that period, the last of whom, Doct. Saugrain, came here in the year 1800. He appears to have had no competition in the profession for several years.
Our first American physician of whom we find any record was Doct. Bernard G. Farrar, 1807.

Under Henry von Phul:
one of his sons, was born in Philadelphia, Aug't 14, 1784.
In the year 1800, his mother, a widow, removed to Lexington, Ky., with some of her children; Henry, then 16 years of age, became the clerk of Thomas Hunt, Jr., in whose service he remained for ten years. In 1811 he came to St. Louis and commenced business on his own account, in which he was actively engaged until within a few years of his death, a period of nearly 60 years.
Mr. von Phul was married to Miss Rosalie, daughter of DOCT. ANTOINE SAUGRAIN, on June 10, 1816. On June 10, 1866, the celebrated their golden wedding, 6 sons and 4 daughters participating.
June 10, 1874, celebrated their 58th wedding day.

Under James Kennerly:
was born at Fincastle, Botetourt County, Virginia, Aug. 5, 1792, son of Samuel Kennerly and Mary Hancock.
He came to St. Louis in October, 1813, in partnership with John O'Fallon in a cargo of Kentucky produce "Pickled Pork, Beef, Flour, &c."
Which having disposed of, he became Chief Clerk of Gov'r Clark, in the U.S. Indian Office.
He was next associated with Alexander McNair in a store for some time. In 1816 James Kennerly opened a store in Clark's new brick house on main Street in Block now No.10.
In 1817-18, James and Geo. H. Kennerly went into partnership in mercantile business in the same place.
In 1820 James Kennerly, having built a new brick building and residence, next north of their former stand, removed into it, where they carried on their business for some years, Mr. Kennerly residing with his family in the upper part of the house.
Towards the close of the year 1827, when the works at the new Military post of Jefferson Barracks were approaching completion, they were appointed the Sutlers for the Post, and removed there, where James Kennerly resided for over ten years, at the end of which time, having built a stone residence at Cote Brilliante, about five miles northwest of the City, he removed to it and died there August 26, 2840, at the age of 48 years and 3 weeks.
James Kennerly was married June 10, 1817, to Miss Eliza Maria, the second daughter of DOCT. ANTOINE SAUGRAIN, born in Lexington, Ky., Oct. 12, 1799.
Their three children are:
Mary Lerned K., born in 1820, widow of Wm. C. Taylor. Wm. Clark Kennerly, born in 1825, married Flornce Brooks, of Mobile Alabama. Harriet Clark K., born Aug 2, 1829, married to Ed. J. Glasgow, Oct. 29, 1856.

ENCYCLOPEDIA of the HISTORY of ST LOUIS

2010-02-06T14:27:00.000-08:00

Saugrain, Antoine Francis, physician, was born in Versailles, France, February 17, 1763. In his young manhood he met in Paris Dr. Benjamin Franklin, and through his representations was induced to come to,this country. After spending some time in philadelphia, he left there in the winter of 1787-8 and came west as far as Pittsburg,Pennsylvania. The following spring he joined the party of Frenchmen that established a settlement on the site of the present city of Gallipolis, Ohio.

He married, in 1793,Genevieve Rosallie Michaud, and in the year 1800 came from Gallipolis to St. Louis, accompanied by his Familv and that of this father-in-law, John Michaud. Having studied medicine, he entered at once upon the practice of his profession here and, when Upper Louisiana was formally transferred to the government of the United States in 1804, he was the only physician practicing in St. Louis. From that time until his death, which occurred May 20, 1820, he "was actively engaged in practice and held a prominenc place among the physicians of the period.

A COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY
FOR READY REFERENCE.
EDITED BY
WILLIAM HYDE AND HOWARD L. CONARD

Brother in law

2010-01-20T16:21:00.000-08:00

GUILLOTIN THINKS OF AMERICA 131

The descendant of a long line of booksellers and publishers, young Saugrain was born in Paris in 1763 and was brought up to the profession of medicine. Under the eye of Guillotin, study-
ing with the leading doctors and scientists of Paris, he was soon infiniment plus instruit, plus experimente, plus raisonable at plus forme qu'on ne l'est communement a son age. At the age of
nineteen, Guillotin placed his young friend as physician and surgeon with Maxent, a rich merchant-official in Louisiana. On the voyage out he held the position of surgeon-major and started the accumulation of adventures in his life by being held prisoner in Jamaica for seven months. Presently, however, he was able to take over his duties in New Orleans where he exercised them for three years. In this time he made such an excellent impression that when the Count Bernardo de Galvez, governor of Louisiana, was named Viceroy of Mexico, that official asked his father-in-law, Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent, for Saugrain. Galvez then sent the young man back to France to inform himself concerning the latest scientific discoveries and to purchase scientific equipment for the Viceroy. There he remained for a year studying. At the moment of his departure he received news of the death of his patron. It was then, in the midst of his despair
over his future, that he became interested in Guillotin's project and eagerly undertook to do the advance work. With Picque he would examine the western country and, having chosen a loca-
tion, the botanist would remain to watch over the establishment while Saugrain would report in person to Paris. The young man would return in the spring of 1788 with at least half a dozen
of the new colonists, among whom would be Guillotin and his wife, Saugrain's mother and his brother, and a cousin of the Saugrains; others would follow as soon as they could arrange
their affairs. The facts which are summarized here were presented at length by Guillotin in a very interesting letter to Franklin.

http://publications.ohiohistory.org/ohstemplate.cfm?action=detail&Page=0047131.html&StartPage=129&EndPage=158&volume=47&newtitle=Volume%2047%20Page%20129

Foundation Antoine Saugrain Lecture

2009-12-29T19:20:00.000-08:00

MAY 10, 2006 Foundation Antoine Saugrain Lecture: Samuel Stupp The Center for Study of Gene Structure and Function (Gene Center) at Hunter College is sponsoring the Foundation Antoine Saugrain Lecture to be given by Professor Samuel I. Stupp of Northwestern University on Wednesday, May 10th. Professor Stupp was a member of the faculty at Northwestern until 1980 and then spent 18 years at the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign where he was appointed in 1996 Swanlund professor of materials science and engineering, chemistry, and bioengineering. In 1999, he returned to Northwestern as a Board of Trustees professor of Materials Science, Chemistry, and Medicine, and later was appointed Director of Northwestern's Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine. (Courtesy of Northwestern University) Professor Stupp's talk, titled "Molecular Self-Assembly to Repair Human Biology" will be held at 714 West Building, Hunter College, at 12:45PM. For more information please contact Professor Charles M. Drain at cdrain@hunter.cuny. edu . SEPTEMBER 8, 2006 Fall Symposium for IRB Members and Staff The Office of Research Conduct has scheduled the 2006 Fall Symposium for IRB Members and Staff. This year's Symposium will be held September 8, at the Newman Center of Baruch College. CUNY is pleased to announce that the featured speaker will be Dr. Ernest Prentice . Dr. Prentice is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Nebraska Medical College in Omaha and the co-Chair of the UNMC IRB. He is a nationally recognized expert in the protection of human subjects and featured speaker at national conferences. Dr. Prentice is currently the chair of the Health and Human Services Secretary's Advisory Committee on Human Research Protection (SACHRP) , appointed by the President. He is also a member of the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) Council and the Collaborative IRB Training Initiative (CITI) Developers Group. For additional information about the symposium, please contact Ms. Arita Winter at arita. winter@mail. cuny.edu . VISIT US ON THE WEB Learn about our office, flagship initiatives, internal funding programs, faculty database, research highlights, human subject research and much more by visiting www. cuny. edu/research ; Browse past issues of Research Newsletter at www.cuny.edu/researchnews

Encyclopedia of Chemistry

2009-12-29T19:11:00.000-08:00

Antoine Saugrain
Dr. Antoine Francois Saugrain was born 17 February, 1763 in Versailles, France – died 5 March, 1820 in St. Louis, Missouri. Saugrain was educated in Paris as a physician and chemist by Antoine Fourcroy and Mathurin-Jacques Brisson.

In 1783 he traveled to North America to serve as a mineralogist for Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent at New Orleans, where he was admitted to the practice of surgery. In 1787 Dr. Saugrain traveled to the United States bearing a letter of introduction to Benjamin Franklin. He became part of a scientific expedition to explore the Ohio River led by the botanist Picque in 1788. However, Saugrain was injured during an Indian raid and returned to France. Dr. Saugrain was soon forced to flee France because of his royalist beliefs at the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789.

He returned to the United States and helped found a French émigré community at Gallipolis, Ohio. It was there that he married Genevieve Rosalie Michau on March 20, 1793. In 1799 the Saugrains moved to St. Louis. Dr. Saugrain was the city's only physician until the United States took possession of St. Louis following the Louisiana Purchase.

Saugrain prepared specimens for Meriwether Lewis to send to President Thomas Jefferson in early 1804. He also provided the Lewis and Clark expedition with medical supplies.

Dr. Saugrain was the first physician west of the Mississippi river to use the Jenner cowpox vaccine to prevent smallpox, beginning in 1809. From a public health perspective, his willingness to vaccinate anyone, regardless of ability to pay is especially noteworthy. The Missouri State Historical Society has a copy of an advertisement of Dr. Saugrain’s offering vaccine to all persons of indigent circumstances as well as to doctors who lived outside of his practice area.

Outside of medicine Dr. Saugrain also had interests in mineralogy, physics and chemistry. Saugrain experimented with early versions of phosphorus matches and manufactured thermometers and barometers at Gallipolis.

Sources
United States National Park Service
Priddy, Bob. Across Our Wide Missouri, Independence Press, 1982.

Block 50

2009-12-29T19:06:00.000-08:00

Dr. Antoine Saugrain was born in Versailles, outside Paris, in 1763. He came from a family of prominent booksellers. His sisters married well - one to Henri Didot of the Paris publishing house, the second to the artist Antoine Vernet, and the third to Joseph Ignace Guillotin, the inventor of a quick and "painless" device for executions - the guillotine. Saugrain was educated in Paris as a physician and chemist by Antoine Fourcroy and Mathurin-Jacques Brisson. He was very short in stature, and stood less than 5 feet tall. In 1783 he traveled to North America to serve as a mineralogist for Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent at New Orleans, where he was admitted to the practice of surgery. In 1787 Dr. Saugrain traveled to the United States bearing a letter of introduction to Benjamin Franklin. He became part of a scientific expedition to explore the Ohio River led by the botanist Picque in 1788. Attacked by a party of Indians en route, Picque and another man were killed, and Saugrain was badly wounded. Dr. Saugrain returned to France, but because he was a royalist had to flee when the Revolution began in 1789.

He returned to the United States and helped found a French émigré community at Gallipolis, Ohio. It was there that he married Genevieve Rosalie Michau on March 20, 1793. Saugrain experimented with early versions of phosphorous matches and manufactured thermometers and barometers at Gallipolis.Dr. Saugrain was invited to move to St. Louis in 1797 by Spanish Lt. Gov. Zenon Trudeau, and enticed with land grants near St. Charles. He arrived in St. Louis about 1799, and was the city's only physician until after the American occupation. Saugrain prepared specimens for Meriwether Lewis to send to President Jefferson in early 1804. An old legend that he made a thermometer for the Lewis and Clark Expedition has been discredited. He was one of the small party of men who rode overland with Meriwether Lewis from St. Louis to St. Charles on May 20, 1804, to wish him well on his westward trek. Dr. Saugrain was the first physician west of the Mississippi to use the Jenner cowpox vaccine to prevent smallpox, beginning in 1809. Antoine Saugrain died on March 5, 1820 in St. Louis; his widow died in 1860.

Introduction to Dr. Saugrain

2009-12-29T19:05:00.000-08:00

Dr. Antoine Francois Saugrain was born 17 February 1763 in Versailles, France – died 5 March 1820 in St. Louis, Missouri. Saugrain was educated in Paris as a physician and chemist by Antoine Fourcroy and Mathurin-Jacques Brisson.

In 1783 he traveled to North America to serve as a mineralogist for Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent at New Orleans, where he was admitted to the practice of surgery. In 1787 Dr. Saugrain traveled to the United States bearing a letter of introduction to Benjamin Franklin. He became part of a scientific expedition to explore the Ohio River led by the botanist Picque in 1788. However, Saugrain was injured during an Indian raid and returned to France. Dr. Saugrain was soon forced to flee France because of his royalist beliefs at the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789.

He returned to the United States and helped found a French émigré community at Gallipolis, Ohio. It was there that he married Genevieve Rosalie Michau on March 20, 1793. In 1799 the Saugrains moved to St. Louis. Dr. Saugrain was the city's only physician until the United States took possession of St. Louis following the Louisiana Purchase.

Saugrain prepared specimens for Meriwether Lewis to send to President Thomas Jefferson in early 1804. He also provided the Lewis and Clark expedition with medical supplies.

Dr. Saugrain was the first physician west of the Mississippi river to use the Jenner cowpox vaccine to prevent smallpox, beginning in 1809. From a public health perspective, his willingness to vaccinate anyone, regardless of ability to pay is especially noteworthy. The Missouri State Historical Society has a copy of an advertisement of Dr. Saugrain’s offering vaccine to all persons of indigent circumstances as well as to doctors who lived outside of his practice area.
Outside of medicine Dr. Saugrain also had interests in mineralogy, physics and chemistry. Saugrain experimented with early versions of phosphorus matches and manufactured thermometers and barometers at Gallipolis.

In 1944 Liberty ship SS Antoine Saugrain was named in his honor.

SS Antoine Saugrain

2009-08-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

The liberty ship SS Antoine Saugrain fought off 12 kamikaze torpedo planes on Dec 5th 1944, 12 gunners were wounded and merchant seamen took over the machine guns to fight off the attack, Two days later was sunk by a torpedo plane while it was in tow in the surrigo straits near Leyte Gulf. Some of the 450 survivors had to swim a long time before being rescued.

The Coast Guard frigate's role of escorting convoys from the staging areas to the invasion sites likewise was crucial. In late November, the Coronado and San Pedro left Humbolt Bay, New Guinea to steam the 1250 miles to escort a convoy of ships bringing supplies and men to Leyte. The voyage proceeded without incident until 5 December when enemy planes attacked the convoy. One Japanese torpedo plane attacked the SS Antoine Saurgrain from the port beam.

The torpedo struck the freighter at the stern, exploded, and carried away its rudder. Fifteen minutes later another torpedo bomber approached the Saugrain and despite heavy gunfire, put a torpedo in the ship at the number two hold. This torpedo fatally wounded the vessel. The Saugrain had on board nearly 450 crew and Army troops. The Coronado and San Pedro steamed to the assistance of the freighter and saved all hands.

History
The entire campaign for Leyte was that made on a convoy that was northeast of Mindanao and just one day out of Leyte on December 5. The Armed Guard voyage reports of 15 merchant ships tell the story of the action which resulted in the loss of one merchant ship, Antoine Saugrain, and damage to two other ships, Marcus Daly and John Evans. Japanese plane losses probably amounted to ten planes destroyed. The action opened with a bombing attack at about 0840, which did no damage. At 1220, Antoine Saugrain claimed hits on a torpedo plane that was strafing the convoy. A little later a torpedo hit the ship. At 1231 she claimed hits on another torpedo plane and almost immediately was hit by a second torpedo in her No. 2 hold. At 1247 the order was given to abandon ship.

She finally went down while being towed to Leyte on December 6. John Evans was more fortunate. She accounted for two planes during the afternoon of December 5, but the second plane crashed into her. A bomb exploded as the plane crashed. Evans was able to make Leyte on December 6. Two Armed Guards and two members of her crew were wounded.

Marcus Daly, already a veteran of the worst attacks in the Leyte campaign in October, brought down two planes before a third hit her at about 1530 and made a hole “large enough to drive a train through”. The resulting fire was not brought under control until midnight. A torpedo missed the ship. Some 200 Army personnel were killed, missing, or wounded. One Armed Guard was killed and seven were wounded. Two members of the merchant crew were also killed. This proud ship made Leyte, and on December 10 assisted in shooting down a plane that managed to crash into her. The Armed Guard officer and seven other Armed Guards were wounded in this attack, but Daly remained afloat.

Other merchant ships in the convoy gave a good account of themselves both on December 5 and in later attacks at Leyte. Cape Gaspe destroyed one plane on December 5 and received credit for an assist on December 10. Army personnel set up and manned additional machine guns. She reported 63 alerts between December 6 and 18. Lew Wallace was credited with the destruction of one plane and assistance in destroying two others on December 5. A bomb missed by only 40 yards. On December 10 she downed another plane and assisted in shooting down yet another. These planes were reported to have crashed into William C. Ladd and Marcus Daly. Conrad Kohrs was credited with one assist on December 5. H. H. Raymond claimed a plane destroyed on December 5 and was credited with a plane on December 20. The latter plane dropped a bomb and then apparently tried to crash into the ship. It fell into the water 200 yards from Raymond. James H. Breasted was credited with one plane downed, one assist, and one plane probably destroyed on December 5. At 1450 a bomb barely missed her 3”/50 gun tub. The plane that torpedoed Saugrain on December 5 also strafed John Hart. Hart was credited with the destruction of one plane on December 6. Peter Lassen was credited with the destruction of one plane on December 20.

William S. Colley was credited with the destruction of the plane that crashed into a ship on December 5. Richard Yates received no credit for planes destroyed on December 5 but claimed hits on one plane. James H. Lane was credited with an assist on December 5 and destroyed another plane on December 25. Her Armed Guard officer reported that a torpedo passed the stern of the ship and missed by only 50 feet. Lane was in the Leyte-Samar area from December 6 to April 8. Earlier, she had participated in the Morotai campaign and had assisted in destroying an enemy plane on October 31, 1944. Morton M. McCarver was in the December 5 attack but did not destroy any Japanese planes.

The only other merchant ship to be sunk in the Leyte operation was William S. Ladd. Before she went down in Leyte Gulf she established the proud record of four planes destroyed. She accounted for one plane on the afternoon of December 5 and knocked down three on December 10. One of these planes crashed into her and set 500 drums of gasoline afire. A number of explosions in No. 4 and No. 5 holds followed at 1830 and the ship began to settle by the stern. At 1750 the after guns had been secured and the men manning them were ordered to abandon ship. At 1840 guns No. 1 to 5 were ordered secured and the Armed Guards were ordered to abandon ship. Not until 1930 did the last Navy personnel and ship’s officers abandon the doomed vessel. Eight Armed Guards were wounded when the plane crashed into Ladd.

"On 5 December 1944, the USS Glendale was escorting a convoy from Hollandia (Papua ,New Guinea) to Leyte when attacking Japanese aircraft sank SS Antoine Saugrain, a cargo ship laden with valuable radar material, and severely damaged SS Marcus Daly. She brought the rest of the convoy safely into Leyte the next day.

date occurred name of ship type type of attack result country killed wounded 12/05/44 Antoine Saugrain Liberty Aerial Torpedo Damaged Philippines None 12/05/44 John Evans Liberty Kamikaze Damaged Philippines None 12/05/44 Marcus Daly (GSA) Liberty Kamikaze Damaged Philippines None 12/06/44 Marcus Daly (GSA) Liberty Kamikaze Damaged Philippines None [AG wounded] 12/06/44 Antoine Saugrain Liberty Aerial Torpedo Sunk Philippines None 12/10/44 Marcus Daly (GSA) Liberty Kamikaze Damaged Philippines Crew 2; AG 1; Army over 200 12/10/44 William S. Ladd Liberty Kamikaze Sunk Philippines None references

References
Heroes in Dungarees: The Story of the American Merchant Marine in ... - Google Books Result by John Bunker - 2006 - History - 369 pages The ship was hit and sunk several days later by an aerial torpedo
source official US Coast Guard website - http://www.uscg.mil/History/articles/Leyte.asp
source uss glendale - wikipedia
Benefits to Merchant Seamen: Hearings Before the Committee on the Merchant ...‎ - Page 10 by United States Congress. House. Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, United States, Congress, House - Merchant mariners - 1945 - 482 pages In numerous instances the Japs paid dearly for their attacks on merchant vessels Typical of this was the case of the Antoine Saugrain. ...
U.S. Army Ships and Watercraft of World War II‎ - Page 61 by David Hubert Grover - History - 1987 - 280 pages A 12-44 Fire Scheldt Estuary D Alcoa Banner, A 1-45 Air attack Antwerp D Andrea F. Luckenbach, A 3-43 Submarine N. Atlantic L Antoine Saugrain
Liberty ships: The Ugly Ducklings of World War II‎ - Page 150 by John Gorley Bunker - World War, 1939-1945 - 1972 - 287 pages The Antoine Saugrain beat off several of 35 bombers during one raid on Leyte. Almost all of her Navy gunners were wounded, and merchant seamen manned the ..
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships‎ - Page 107 by United States Naval History Division, Naval Historical Center (U.S.) - Warships - 1959 On 5 December 1944, Glendale was escorting a convoy from Hollandia to Leyte when attacking Japanese planes sank SS Antoine Saugrain, a cargo ship laden with
Liberty By Peter Elphick 2006 history - 512 pages The Antoine Saugrain (built in Richmond, August 1943) was in convoy making for the strait between Mindanao and
United States Congressional Serial Set by United States Government Printing Office - United States - 1951 On the 5th day of December 1944, the steamship Antoine Saugrain was hit by Japanese bombers at longitude 129°30', latitude 9°30'. ..
oral history-one oral history anecdote was from T-Sgt Edward Johnson. He jumped 40 feet with a wounded soldier in his arms as the ship was sinking. No one died in the attack, many were wounded.
us navy official website - www. history. navy. mil/faqs/faq104-10.htm

Saugrain, Meriweather Lewis & Syphilis Treatment

2009-02-18T18:57:00.001-08:00

There is a bit of discussion as to Lewis dying from Syphilis. Part of the speculation has to do with Saugrain having treated him with Mercury - which in its time, was a treatment for the disease.

DISCUSSION - Where are the bodies???

2009-02-18T18:54:00.000-08:00

Where are the bodies? We know that Dr. Saugrain died in 1820 and was buried at the Old Catholic Cemetery and then later moved, maybe as many as three times.We are looking for input from other families who may have experienced the same issues with their ancestors.All comments welcome.2/9/091)

A. F. Saugrain's burial record in Old Cathedral Cemetery2)Notes regarding Franklin Ave. Cemetery, referencing Old Catholic Cemetery, from a notebook containing information on St. Louis Cemeteries from Missouri Historical Society. When given to us, we were cautioned that the information has not been verified. However, it may give you some clues and probably, the staff of Missouri Historical may be able to provide more assistance.3)Listing of burials in Calvary Cemetery Lot 0075, section 013 which includes Antoine's widow, Genevieve R. Saugrain.4)Both Antoine and his wife, Rosalie Genevieve Saugrain, left estates which are online through the State Archives' Website. I am wondering if one of their children might have left money in a will for a marker on their father's grave, thus revealing its location. I have seen that happen in more than one case. With that in mind, Antoine P. Saugrain also had an estate viewable on the State Archives Web site.(TT) Paul, I'm struck by the listing on the Franklin Cemetery .pdf -- "1892-remains removed to Calvary"....... does this coordinate with what you have learned about the "Early Settlers" section ?? I'm still puzzled by the statement on the Archdioceses website.....In Section 5D you will find the graves of thousands of the early settlers of St. Louis. French, Indian and Afro-Americans originally buried at the site of the Old Cathedral and buried here in 1950.http://www.archstl.org/cemeteries/index.php?option=com_rsgallery2&Itemid=185&catid=208Does Calvary even know who is in that section and when they arrived!!!!(PDP) There seems to be two dates that are not coinciding with the "final" removal - that of 1892, which I believe is probably more accurate ... and that perhaps in 1950 the headstone of the Nez Perce was erected for those buried in that "mass grave" section. Just a thought.

Capt William Clark 1770-1838

2009-02-04T18:53:00.000-08:00

Birth: Aug. 1, 1770 Death: Sep. 1, 1838

Explorer - Born in Caroline County Virginia, Clark moved with his family to Louisville, Kentucky in 1785. In 1789, he joined the militia. He was commissioned a lieutenant in the regular army in 1792, and was assigned to Anthony Wayne's regiment, participating in the Battle of Fallen Timbers. One of the men briefly under his command was Meriwether Lewis.

Clark left the army in 1796. In 1803, Captain Meriwether Lewis invited Clark to share the leadership of a corps of exploration in an extensive journey into the vast uncharted area newly acquired by the United States with the Louisiana Purchase. Clark acted as mapmaker and artist, portraying in great detail the life they observed. Clark was credited with rescuing the expedition from disaster on more than one occasion.

After Clark's successful return from the Pacific coast three years later, President Jefferson awarded him 1,600 acres and made him brigadier general of militia for the Louisiana Territory as well as superintendent of Indian affairs. He held that post the rest of his life. From 1813 he served as governor of the Missouri Territory.

Clark died in St. Louis where a 35-foot gray granite obelisk was erected to mark his grave. His descendants raised $100,000 to rehabilitate the deteriorated obelisk and rededicated it with a ceremony on the bicentennial of the start of Corps of Exploration. The western American plant, Clarkia Onagraceae, related to the evening primrose, is named after him.

William Carr Lane 1789-1863

2009-02-04T18:48:00.000-08:00

In 1823 William Carr Lane became the first Mayor of St. Louis.
He later served as the fifth Mayor as St. Louis.

Born: December 1, 1789
Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Died: January 6, 1863
St. Louis, Missouri
Term: 1823 - 1829 1837 - 1840
Party: Whig

Dr. Lane was elected Mayor, serving six one-year terms in succession, and after almost nine years out of office, elected again three more times -- once to fill out the unexpired term of Mayor Darby, then for two full terms. At Lane's first election he received 122 votes to Auguste Chouteau's 70. Mayor Lane, speaking to the first Board of Alderman concerning the City's future said: 'The fortunes of the inhabitants may fluctuate, you and I may sink into oblivion, and even our families become extinct, but the progressive rise of our City is morally certain. The causes of its prosperity are inscribed upon the very face of the earth, and we are as permanent as the foundations of the soil and the sources of the Mississippi.'

Upon becoming Mayor of 4000 people, William Lane found the town one of unpaved streets. Under his guidance the narrow streets were graded and improved and Main Street was paved. A small Town Hall was erected. The first Health Commission was formed and given power to abate nuisances. Physicians were required to make weekly reports of deaths. St. Louis got ready to receive its first world famous visitor. In 1825 General Lafayette visited America and came to St. Louis by steamboat. He stayed at the substantial stone home of Major Chouteau. A grand ball was given in LafayetteÆs honor on the night of April 29, 1825.

The basic Ordinances for the establishment of City government were passed during Mayor Lane's administration. The Official City Seal -- a steamboat carrying the United States Flag -- was adopted. The City was divided into three wards. Procedures for elections were written into law. Fast driving was prohibited: horses should not exceed a moderate trot or pace. Fire arms were not to be discharged within the City. The Mayor's salary was $300 per year.

Thomas Hart Benton 1782-1858

2009-02-04T18:44:00.000-08:00

US SENATOR

Birth: Mar. 14, 1782
Death: Apr. 10, 1858

First elected to the United States Senate from Missouri in 1820, Thomas Hart Benton soon emerged as the state’s most prominent and powerful political leader and as a nationally recognized advocate of Jacksonian Democracy. His five successive terms in the Senate enabled Benton to play a leading part in nearly every major national political debate from Missouri statehood controversy in 1820 to the crisis of disunion in the early 1850’s.

Born on March 14, 1782, near Hillsborough, North Carolina, as the first son of Jesse and Ann Gooch Benton, young Thomas seemed destined to a life of the gentry. Unexpected events, however, altered his future. After the untimely death of Thomas’s father in 1792 left the family deeply in debt, Thomas attended the University of North Carolina. Later he taught school and began to study law on his own.

After practicing law for a time in Tennessee he volunteered for military service in the War of 1812. Advancing to the rank of colonel, Benton became a regimental commander and first aide to Gen. Andrew Jackson. In 1815, at the age of thirty-three, he moved to St Louis in the Missouri Territory.

In 1818 Benton turn his energies to the editorship of the St. Louis Enquirer, which he used to launch his political career in Missouri. He was outspoken in his editorials of political issue, especially those relating to the interests of Missouri and Missourians. He also called for national government to confirm the old Spanish land grants and to provide more aid and protection for the western fur trade.

Manuel Lisa 1772-1820

2009-02-04T18:33:00.000-08:00

Famous fur trader of Spanish descent who built the "Old Rock House" on the St. Louis riverfront.

Birth: Sep. 8, 1772
Death: Aug. 12, 1820

Manual Lisa, a bold St Louis merchant who spearheaded the opening of the northern and far-western fur trade following the Louisiana Purchase, was born on September 8, 1772, in New Orleans.
When Lisa arrived in St. Louis, Auguste Chouteau and Pierre Chouteau dominated fur trading operations along the lower Missouri with the benefit of a monopoly of the Osage trade awarded by Spanish authorities.

Lisa dramed of further exploring the great Northwest. To that end he established the t. Louis Missouri Fur Company in 1809. Despite his efforts, company profits declined and folded in 1814. In 1819 Lisa formed another Missouri fur Company. But this endeavor also failed.
While living among the Omaha Indians Lisa took an Indian wife, Mitain. Following her death in 1818 he married Mary Hempstead Keeney.

Despite his business failures, Lisa left his mark on the fur trade. In addition to opening the Northwest trade to the US, he promoted the connection between business success and good relations with the Indians. Through his successes and his travels, the highly respected and sometimes feared Lisa earned the title “the king of the Missouri”.

Joshua Pilcher 1790-1843

2009-02-04T18:23:00.000-08:00

Birth: Mar. 15, 1790
Death: Jun. 5, 1843

Born in Virginia, Pilcher came to St. Louis during the War of 1812. Originally a hatter by trade, he became involved in the mercantile business & was associated with Colonel Thomas Riddick for a while. Around 1820 he engaged in the fur trade of the upper Missouri River & spent a number of years in this venture, acquiring a thorough knowledge of the various tribes of that region. At the death of General William Clark in 1838, Mr. Pilcher was appointed by President Van Buren to succeed him in the office of Superintendent of Indian Affairs in St. Louis.

After Manuel Lisa died, the remaining partners signed a new contract, and Joshua Pilcher became the field representative in charge of the company's outposts and their fur traders. It was primarily through his efforts that the reorganized company enjoyed a degree of success. He was a merchant and banker in St. Louis, but had joined Lisa's company due to personal financial problems. He was a junior partner and served an apprenticeship as a trader among the Indian tribes in what was to become northeastern Nebraska.

From 1820 until at least 1824, Pilcher's primary base of operations on the Missouri was a trading post built by Manuel Lisa. The post is believed to have been about five miles southeast of present-day Fort Calhoun, Nebraska. Shortly before the Lisa post was abandoned, newer quarters were built at Bellevue around 1822 or 1823 and became the field headquarters and trading post of the Missouri Fur Company under the direction of Pilcher.

John Mullanphy 1758-1833

2009-02-04T18:14:00.000-08:00

Birth: 1758 Near Enniskillen, Co. Fremanagh, Ireland
Death: Aug. 29, 1833 St Louis Missouri

Merchant, philanthropist, b. near Enniskillen, Co. Fremanagh, Ireland, 1758; d. at St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. 29 August, 1833. At twenty he went to France where he served in the Irish Brigade until the Revolution drove him back to Ireland.

In 1792 with his wife and child he emigrated to Philadelphia, thence going to Baltimore where he remained until 1799. He next went to Kentucky where he opened a store in Frankfort, but left there in 1804, and settled finally in St. Louis, then a French settlement.

His enterprise in business brought him

large returns which he invested in real estate. He was in Baltimore during the War of 1812 with England, and took part in its defence, and later was with Jackson in 1815 at the battle of New Orleans. His business instinct prompted him to then buy a large quantity of cotton at low rates, which the ending of the war enabled him to sell at an immense profit. He had fifteen children, and spent his last years in dispensing much of his great fortune in charity.

In 1827 he established the St. Louis Convent of the Religious of the Sacred Heart, the second in the United States. The following year he gave a hospital to the Sisters of Charity. A church, the Jesuit novitiate, and a convent for the Sisters of Loretto at Florissant, were also his gifts, and when he died 25,000 dollars was left in his will for education and charity.

His children continued his benefactions. His only son, Bryan, who died in 1851, a bachelor, lived an eccentric life. He was mayor of St. Louis in 1847, and for four years judge of the County Court. His will left one-third of his estate (about 200,000 dollars) as a trust fund "to furnish relief to all poor emigrants passing through St. Louis to settle in the West." Changed conditions have frustrated that intention, and it is now devoted to charity.

John Mullanphy's name is perpetuated in St. Louis by the hospital and orphan asylum so designated, and the name of his daughter, Mrs. Ann Biddle, is preserved in the Biddle Home and St. Ann's Foundling Asylum which she founded.

Jean Pierre Chouteau Jr 1758-1849

2009-02-04T18:07:00.000-08:00

Birth: Oct. 10, 1758
Death: Jul. 9, 1849

Pierre was the son of Madame Chouteau and Pierre de Laclede Linguest. Along with his brother Auguste, Pierre helped to initiate the fur trade in the St. Louis region. He also made important contributions in merchandising, banking and real estate. Growing up in a frontier trading outpost, Pierre took up residence in one of the Osage villages by the time he was 17.

He eventually became the family's resident Osage agent. Upon completing a journey to Washington, he returned to St. Louis as Louisiana's first American Indian agent. He was also a justice of the peace and was elected to the St. Louis Board of Trustees. He served as the first Board chairman & was on 6 of the 12 boards chosen between 1810 and 1822.

Henry von Phul 1784-1874

2009-02-03T19:37:00.000-08:00

Birth:

Aug. 14, 1784

Death:

Sep. 8, 1874

Businessman. Henry Von Phul was one of the most successful of the pioneer businessmen in St. Louis' early history. In 1811, von Phul came to St. Louis from Philadelphia. Shortly thereafter, he took a keel boat to New Orleans, then to Madeiras.

He returned to St. Louis and established a general store. After steamboats started to land in St. Louis, he became owner of some of the largest boats. While he had started out on his own in business, he later took on partners and ultimately built a business that was one of the largest in the West.

Von Phul held many distinguished positions in St. Louis, and his honor and trustworthiness were never questioned. Any action or plan to build up the city, expand its commerce or promote its attractiveness received his encouragement and support.

He married Rosalie Saugrain in 1816, and in 1874, he and his wife celebrated their fifty-eighth anniversary. They received congratulatory letters from all quarters. Shortly thereafter, he was taken ill and died. Before he died, he insisted upon paying every dollar he morally or legally owed, with interest. Final settlements were made in accordance with his notion of right, despite its significant impact on his fortune.

Charles Gratiot 1786-1855

2009-02-03T19:29:00.000-08:00

Birth:
Aug. 29, 1786 Saint Louis
Missouri, USA
Death:
May 18, 1855

General Gratiot was the grandson of Madame Chouteau (mother of August Chouteau, the founder of St. Louis.) As a boy he was present at the ceremony of three flags when the Louisiana Territory became part of the United States.

He was one of five young men honored by President Thomas Jefferson with appointments as cadets to West Point. He served with honor in the War of 1812, received the vote of thanks for Congress & rose to the head of the Engineers Corps.

It was Gratiot who sent a young engineer named Robert E. Lee to St. Louis in 1835 when a shift in the channel of the river was about to wipe out river traffic. Lt. Robert E. Lee, who later became General Robert E. Lee of the Confederacy, built a series of jetties in the river, controlling the flow of the channel, performing a service for the North that made possible the building of the Eads Bridge in St. Louis.

Daniel Boone 1734-1820

2009-02-02T17:56:00.000-08:00

Birth: Nov. 2, 1734
Death: Sep. 26, 1820

Frontiersman. Born in Pennsylvania, the sixth of twelve children to Quaker parents, Squire Boone, a weaver and blacksmith and Sarah Jarman Morgan. As a boy, Boone received an elementary education. The Boone family left Pennsylvania around 1750 and eventually settled in North Carolina. In 1756 Boone married neighbor Rebecca Bryan. The couple would produce ten children.

In 1769, he set out with five others to explore the border region of Kentucky territory. They passed Cumberland Gap and on June 7, and set up camp at Station Camp Ceek. They explored Kentucky as far west as the falls of the Ohio. In 1773 he returned home, sold his farm and set out with his family, two brothers, and five other families, to settle in Kentucky. They were intercepted by Shawnee in an attack that resulted in the death of Boone's oldest son, James. The party was forced to retreat to the Clinch River. Two years later, Boone succeeded in founding Boonesborough, Kentucky near present day Lexington.

During the American Revolution Boonesborough became the site of several battles. It was besieged at least three times over a period of months. The Battle of Blue Licks on August 19, 1782, almost ten months after the surrender at Yorktown, was a decisive victory for a combined force of 1000 British regulars and tribes from the Ohio nations. It also cost the life of Boone’s second son, Israel.

After the war, in 1792, Kentucky was admitted into the Union as the 15th state. Litigation arose that questioned many settlers' title to their lands. Boone lost all his property due to lack of clear title. In 1795 he settled on the Femme Osage Creek, in St. Charles County, Missouri. He was appointed commander of the Femme Osage district, and received a large grant of land for his services, which he subsequently lost because he failed to make his title good. His claim to another tract of land was confirmed by Congress in 1812, in consideration of his services. Rebecca Boone died in 1813.

The St. Louis Enquirer of October 14, 1820 ran an obituary notice that read: “DIED. On the 26th ult. [Sep.] at Charette in the ninetieth year of his age, the celebrated Col. DANIEL BOONE, discoverer and first settler of the State of Kentucky.” In 1845 in a controversial move, the remains of Boone and his wife were relocated from Missouri to Kentucky. There is some controversy surrounding the final disposition of the Boones’ remains. Some say Daniel and Rebecca’s remains are still in Missouri, and the wrong bodies were removed and re-buried. Others have demanded the return of the bodies to MO.

Auguste Chouteau 1740-1829

2009-02-02T17:50:00.001-08:00

Birth:

Sep. 26, 1740 New Orleans, Orleans ParishLouisiana, USA

Death:

Feb. 24, 1829 St. Louis city Missouri, USA

Co-founder of the city of St. Louis. Born in New Orleans, Rene Auguste Chouteau was the son of Marie Chouteau and the step-son of Pierre Laclede. In 1763, Laclede received a contract to trade with the Native Americans on the west side of the Mississippi River. Chouteau, and his younger brother Pierre, accompanied Laclede to the area.

They selected a spot on the western bank for their trading station and named it St. Louis. After Laclede's death in 1778, August continued Laclede's fur-trading business and expanded it. By 1794, Chouteau enjoyed a monopoly on the trade with the Osage tribe. He also helped finance most of the other individuals and companies involved in the fur traffic of the Louisiana Territory.

After the Louisiana Territory was sold to the United States in 1803, Chouteau was appointed one of the three justices of the first territorial court. Lewis and Clark reported meeting the Chouteaus and stayed for a time with Pierre. Chouteau was the political patron of Senator Thomas Hart Benton, who built his early career championing the legal interests--especially land claims--of well-to-do conservative French St. Louisans. During the remainder of his life, Chouteau held a number of public offices, but his primary interest always was his business, which continued to prosper.

At his death Chouteau was the wealthiest citizen in St. Louis and the town's largest landowner. Chouteau was originally buried in downtown St. Louis. His body was later moved to Calvary Cemetery.

Antoine Pierre Soulard 1766-1825

2009-02-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

Soulard was born in Rochefort, France in 1766. He followed in his father's footsteps and became an officer in the French Royal Navy, but was forced to leave France during the Revolution. By 1795 Soulard was living in St. Louis and was appointed the King's Surveyor General of Upper Louisiana.

In 1795 Soulard made an important map of the middle Mississippi and Missouri rivers, which was later copied and used by Lewis and Clark in 1804. On November 16, 1795, Soulard married Julie Cerre, daughter of St. Louis merchant Gabriel Cerre.

When the Americans arrived in St. Louis in 1804 they appointed Soulard surveyor general, but by1806 he was dismissed, primarily because he was too personally interested in the results of surveys due to land grants he had received. Soulard spent much of the rest of his life trying to regain title to lands granted to him by the Spanish crown.

He died in his home in St. Louis on March 10, 1825. His wife Julie continued to fight for the titles to their lands, and by 1836 had re-secured the deed to the area of St. Louis' Soulard Market. She died on May 9, 1845. A section of the modern City of St. Louis is named Soulard after Antoine and Julie Soulard.

Antoine F. Saugrain 1763-1820

2009-01-31T19:07:00.000-08:00

In 1783 he traveled to North America to serve as a mineralogist for

Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent at New Orleans, where he was admitted to the practice of surgery. In 1787 Dr. Saugrain traveled to the United States bearing a letter of introduction to Benjamin Franklin. He became part of a scientific expedition to explore the Ohio River led by the botanist Picque in 1788. However, Saugrain was injured during an Indian raid and returned to France. Dr. Saugrain was soon forced to flee France because of his royalist beliefs at the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789.

He returned to the United States and helped found a French émigré community at Gallipolis, Ohio. It was there that he married Genevieve Rosalie Michau on March 20, 1793. In 1799 the Saugrains moved to St. Louis. Dr. Saugrain was the city's only physician until the United States took possession of St. Louis following the Louisiana Purchase.

Saugrain prepared specimens for Meriwether Lewis to send to President Thomas Jefferson in early 1804. He also provided the Lewis and Clark expedition with medical supplies.

Dr. Saugrain was the first physician west of the Mississippi river to use the Jenner cowpox vaccine to prevent smallpox, beginning in 1809. From a public health perspective, his willingness to vaccinate anyone, regardless of ability to pay is especially noteworthy. The Missouri State Historical Society has a copy of an advertisement of Dr. Saugrain’s offering vaccine to all persons of indigent circumstances as well as to doctors who lived outside of his practice area.

Outside of medicine Dr. Saugrain also had interests in mineralogy, physics and chemistry. Saugrain experimented with early versions of phosphorus matches and manufactured thermometers and barometers at Gallipolis.