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1825-1840
English
Missouri Historical Society ID 1949-105-0001
Title: Silhouette of Auguste Chouteau (1749-1829)
Silhouette on printed paper background.

This silhouette is a few years beyond the scope of the project, but it perfectly depicts the unique French culture that developed in St. Louis and the surrounding French towns. This is Auguste Chouteau, the wealthiest man in town who was mentioned in other entries. He is wearing a top hat, probably of beaver, and wearing fine European clothing along with moccasins instead of European-style shoes. He spoke French, English, probably Spanish, and also probably the Siouan language of the Osage tribe, his primary trading partner. He is overlooking a river, probably the Mississippi which was so important to his life and the lives of the French settlers in Pays des Illinois.

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Map of Louisiana and the Mississippi River

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Map of Louisiana and the Mississippi River

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1718, Published in Paris
Guillaume De l’Isle
French
Carte de la Louisiane et du cours du Mississipi: dressée sur un grand nombre de mémoires entrautres sur ceux de Mr. le Maire
From: Atlas Nouveau Contenant Toutes Les Parties du Monde.
St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri St. Louis
Map, Hand-colored, 47 x 64 cm

Guillaume De l’Isle’s “Map of Louisiana and the Mississippi River”  was considered to be one of the best maps in its day. It was the most accurate map available to track the course of the Mississippi for the next fifty years, primarily for its placement of the mouth of the Mississippi River.

It is hard to imagine a group of people going off into the wilderness with a map like this, which is clearly not correct with today's knowledge. It is included in this collection to show just how remote and isolated Illinois Country really was. People didn't know much about it. This isolation created a dependency on people of different cultures to help each other survive.

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Map of Louisiana and the Mississippi River

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English
c. 1748
Object Number UNI0008
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Royal United Service Institution Collection
Brass, cotton, gold alloy, silk, beaver felt.

This three-corned hat was half beaver, half felt. Beaver was used to make all types of hats, not just the commonly known top-hat.
Beaver fur was as good as gold to the French and English traders, and there was a lot of competition for resources. This involved forming alliances with different tribes. In fact, the French and later Spanish governments had trouble recruiting people to become farmers. Everyone wanted to be a trader or merchant because that's where the money was.

Trading in beaver pelts required strong bonds with more and more distant Native American tribes. Merchants would hire coureur de bois and traders to work acquire the necessary furs. They would then transport them for sale. The merchants in St. Louis were supposed to ship their furs to New Orleans for the Spanish market. This was not always done, though. Some of the furs would rot before arriving in New Orleans, and many of the merchants had family connections in Montreal. Even though Montreal was enemy (British) territory, the merchants would often ship their furs to their family and friends in Canada to be sold on the British market. All of this moving back and forth kept the French connections strong.

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First Cemetery of Ville-Marie (Montréal), 1643-1654

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First Cemetery of Ville-Marie (Montréal), 1643-1654

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Pointe-à-Callière Museum
Archaeological Site
Photograph by Leslie D. Rigsby, 2018

This excavated cemetery is inside the Pointe-à-Callière Museum in Montreal. It was the first cemetery of the city, which was originally called Ville-Marie. Included in the exhibit is a video loop in the back with silhouettes of people in period dress walking by, pausing for a few seconds, and then continuing on. There is an audio recording with a recitation of the names of those who were interred. When I saw this exhibit, I found it to be an emotional experience. his was a very touching way to remember those who were lost, at least one of whom was related to me.

According to the burial register, 38 people were interred here during the first 11 years of the city's history. 31 were male, 7 were female. 11 of the buried were Native Americans. Most of those were recorded with a French given name and indigenous surname. 16 of the buried have European origins, and 8 were of European descent but born at Ville-Marie. 3 of the dead were of unrecorded origin. There were 20 adults, 16 children, and 2 of unrecorded age. 17 people were killed by Iroquois, 4 by accidents, and 1 died by natural causes.  The cause of death for 16 of the people was not recorded.

The French and Natives had a good cooperative relationship. They lived together, loved each other, and worshiped together. The Native Americans took French names and shared the French religion, Catholicism. In return, they helped the French establish their colonies and survive the harsh conditions.

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St. Louis Basilica, First Church Register: Baptisms, marriages, burials 1766-1781.

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St. Louis Basilica, First Church Register: Baptisms, marriages, burials 1766-1781.

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FamilySearch.org
FHL Film #007856505
Item 8, Image 467
Original record held at the Office of Archives and Records, Archdiocese of St. Louis.

These pages are from the original parish register of the first Catholic church in St. Louis, St. Louis King of France Church. There was not always a priest or even a church building in St. Louis, so people often traveled to Cahokia or Ste. Genevieve to marry. Baptisms were usually performed when a priest visited, and burials were done by syndics of the church. No matter who performed the sacrament, they were carefully recorded.

The French who left Quebec and ventured into the interior of the North American continent took their traditions with them. A big part of that was the concept of an integrated, multicultural society. Native Americans and Africans, both free and enslaved, were recorded in the same registers as the French settlers. They appear in chronological order. No matter what the ethnicity, they all had French names and everything was recorded in French. Godparents could by anyone in the community and they were not chosen based on race but by family ties and friendships.

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Artist Unknown
1791-1797
Missouri Historical Society, ID
Pastel portrait on paper.

Education was important the the residents of early St. Louis.

Sylvestre L'Abaddie, Jr., son of Sylvestre L'Abaddie mentioned above, was born in St. Louis under the Spanish regime, a Spanish citizen. He is pictured here wearing the uniform of the military school he attended in France.  In addition to sending their children to France, wealthier residents sent their children to New Orleans, Montreal, and Bardstown (now in Kentucky) during the early days. Later, there was a school for boys followed by a school for girls in St. Louis that attracted students from other nearby French towns.

About half of the residents were literate, but this pattern did not necessarily follow social status at this time. One prominent merchant, Hyacinthe St. Cyr, had come from Quebec. He was illiterate, and his wife, Hélène Hébert, signed for him, in her own name, when things required his signature. All of their children were well educated, some in Montreal, and others locally.

Rose Philippine Duchesne, a nun of the Sacred Heart order and later canonized, came to Illinois country from France in later (American)  days. She opened a boarding school for girls of both European and Native American descent. She taught a lot of the French-speaking girls in what is now Florissant. This is beyond the scope of this project, but shows that the French children of the original residents continued to speak French and identify as French well into the American period. In fact, the Americans referred to them as "French" even though they had technically been Spaniards.

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Indian Certificate Signed by Francisco Cruzat, July 26, 1780

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Indian Certificate Signed by Francisco Cruzat, July 26, 1780

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1780
Missouri Historical Society, ID A2276-00002
Certificate

This printed certificate, in Spanish, was signed by the governor of Spanish Louisiana, which included the Illinois Country. It is an agreement with an Indian tribe to accept the Spanish monarchy as their leader. The names are illegible.

In their dealings with the indigenous peoples, the French and Spanish used words like "father" when discussing the European monarch, stressing to the Indians that their "father" loved them and would take care of them. In this way, the Indians agreed to sign documents like this promising their respect an honor to an unknown and unseen ruler. They trusted their French and Spanish friends because of their close family and trade relationships.

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French Silver Sugar Bowl of Sylvestre L'Abaddie

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French Silver Sugar Bowl of Sylvestre L'Abaddie

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Jean-Baptiste-François Chéret, silversmith
Bordeaux, France
c. 1788
Missouri Historical Society, ID 1956-178-0001
Silver.

Sylvestre L'Abaddie was a wealthy St. Louis fur trader. He was born c. 1755 in France and emigrated to the New World. In 1776 he married Marie-Pelagie Chouteau, the sister of August Chouteau mentioned in a previous entry. As part of the St. Louis aristocracy, L'Abaddie had access to the finer things in life, including imported French silver.

Sylvestre was from France and likely held on to that strong French identity his entire life. The woman he married, however, had a different life story. She was born out of wedlock in New Orleans in 1760 to Marie-Thérèse Bourgeois Chouteau and Pierre Laclede. Her mother, also born in New Orleans, had a French father and Spanish mother. There is a portrait of Marie-Thérèse wearing a tignon, usually worn by Creole women of African descent.

Although both families were wealthy, they certainly had different life experiences. In his own family, French L'Abaddie added a little French culture back into the creole mix of his wife.

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Mexico City Mint
1754
Missouri Historical Society ID X06289
Silver coin with small hole punched in the top.

This silver coin would have been the preferred currency in Spanish Illinois, that is, if they had used money. Most transactions took place by way of promissory notes. Everyone owed money to everyone else, even the "wealthy" merchants. The promissory notes very often mention that the borrower will pay the amount due in furs, not cash.

It is hard to know when or why the hole was punched in this coin, but coins like this were often punched and then pinned into clothing for later use. When needed, pieces of the coins would be broken off (pieces of eight).

This coin, in the collection of the Missouri Historical Society, serves as a reminder of when St. Louis was technically a Spanish colony.

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Jesuit Martyrs. Death of Father Antoine Daniel and Father Charles Garnier

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Jesuit Martyrs. Death of Father Antoine Daniel and Father Charles Garnier

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Adriaen Lommelin (1636-1673), Flemish engraver
Print from c. 1680
McCord Museum (Montreal) M2210
Print from engraving.
29 x 18.6 cm

In this engraving, Lommelin illustrates the deaths of two Jesuit priests at the hands of the Iroquois. Interestingly, these men died in separate attacks. The priests are two of the eight Canadian martyrs. The Native Americans are scantily dressed, which may not be an accurate depiction given that they were in Canada and one of these attacks took place in December. I did not find any reference that the artist had travelled to the New World. It seems that he based his work upon that of other artists.

Father Antoine Daniel lived among the Wendat (Huron) and was fluent in their language.  In July of 1648, the British-allied Iroquois attacked the village of Teanaostaye while most of their men were away. He rounded up the women, children, and elderly and had them shelter in the chapel. He then went out to try to distract the Iroquois. They killed him, set the chapel on fire, and threw his body in to burn with the others.
Father Charles Garnier died a over a year later. While preaching to the friendly Huron, the British-allied Iroquois attacked the village. Despite being shot twice with musket balls, Garnier continued to minister to and baptize the dying Huron around him. He was eventually killed by a hatchet-blow to the head and was stripped naked and left to die.

This engraving serves as a reminder that although the French had close relationships with some of the indigenous tribes, they did not get along with all of them. Some were allies of the British, often because the British had more governmental oversight of their colonies which gave them access to better trade goods.

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Ceramic Plate with Chinese Figure

c. 1780

French

Missouri Historical Society ID 1960-041-0006

French faience, tin-glazed earthenware plate.

This plate belonged to the Chouteau Family of St. Louis, Missouri.

St. Louis was founded as a fur-trading town. It's purpose was commercial, right from its inception. Pierre Laclede and his step-son, August Chouteau, have been credited with founding the city, although some credit must be given to the Osage Nation, their primary trading partner. Because of August Chouteau's business acumen and his strong ties to the Osage, he became the wealthiest merchant in St. Louis.

French faience was commonly used in France. It was even used at the court of Louis XIV. Each faience-producing city developed its own style. Chinese motifs were popular in Rouen, Normandy. In Nevers more whimsical scenes were added. A quick google search provided information that this dish was from Les Islettes near Verdun in Northeastern France.

Most St. Louisans imported household items from Europe, including French faience. Many fragments have been found during archaeological excavations. Most people used more simple types, usually white with blue patterns or white with a brown glaze.  Chouteau  was not to be outdone. This plate imported from France shows that Chouteau enjoyed exotic items, just like his counterparts in France, and was able to keep up with the current trends in France. Important visitors to St. Louis and were usually entertained by its most prominent citizen, and having items like this reinforced his "Frenchness".

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La Danse Ronde. Circular Dance of the Canadians

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La Danse Ronde. Circular Dance of the Canadians

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c. 1799
George Heriot (1759-1839)
Royal Ontario Museum
Watercolour over graphite, on laid paper, mounted
20.9 × 29.9 cm oval

George Heriot was a Scottish artist who traveled to the New World twice. On his first trip, he visited the West Indies where he sketched much of what he saw. He returned to London in 1781, enrolled in school, and learned landscape drawing. He went to Quebec in 1792 for about four years, then returned in 1799 and was appointment the post-master general for British North America. The watercolor below is likely a scene from a French village in Quebec.

Long before the French came to Canada, the First Nations people enjoyed music and dancing that was different from the more formal European style. Due to the close relationship between the French colonists and their indigenous neighbors, they were both able to share in this entertainment, often blending the two cultures. Heriot's watercolour depicts a multi-cultural community enjoying the round dance. Their style of dress is unique. Note the sashes (see other post) worn by some of the people. Many are barefoot. The type of music being played is not shown, but the French settlers often played the fiddle. The French were often criticized by British and later American colonists in America who felt they were lazy and spent too much time partying and dancing.
Link to French Colonial music:
http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=5739

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1750-1800
French-Canadian
Minnesota Historical Society
Dyed wool sash, finger woven in an arrow sash pattern.

During colonial times, the French settlers learned this finger-weaving technique from the indigenous people of Quebec, which is a good example of the close relationship they shared. These colorful sashes, made by women and usually worn around the waist by men, were popular articles of clothing for both French and Native Americans. They were worn for both every day and ceremonial dress. The sash below is associated with the L'Assomption, Quebec area and is possibly Métis (mixed-race French and Native American) in origin. Going out to trade or collect pelts was dangerous work. Enemy tribes, rival traders, wild animals, and accidents were a constant threat. Over time, voyageurs and fur traders wore sashes with particular color patterns associated with their home villages. This allowed them to be identified as a friend by their trading partners and also provided clues to their origins if they were found dead.

Initially, there were few French women in New France. The coureur de bois (Frenchmen who would go off into the wilderness for long periods of time to trade) often married native women. One can speculate that the tradition of having different color patterns evolved because the wives and children at home wanted their husbands and fathers (or news of them) to return home. They cared about them. These were not purely business relationships meant to establish diplomatic ties. These were families who cared about one another.

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Around 1755
Probably made by François-Noël Levasseur
Musée canadien de l’histoire (Gatineau, Québec
Carved from white pine, with original silver gilt leaf over gesso
91(h) x 27(diameter) cm

This was probably made by François-Noël Levasseur
for the church at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Québec. He came from a family of master carvers and sculptors who supplied Québec's churches. His uncle Pierre-Noël was quite famous during his time and earned his living making large, expensive wood carvings. François-Noël and other family members worked on smaller pieces or furniture, often for more rural parishes like Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. As was customary during that time, few people had money and so they were sometimes paid in tobacco, produce, wheat, or other goods.

Religion was important to the French colonists in Québec. The people wanted their churches to resemble the ones they left behind. They may not have been able to afford or obtain solid silver candlesticks (there were a few silversmiths in Québec and other places in the Americas), but they found a compromise. A display of wealth would have also impressed the native population.

The French settlers maintained their religious practices even in remote regions without churches or priests. They prayed, observed holy days, and fasted as they had before when in France. These customs were passed along to their descendants and to indigenous members of the community and helped maintain the Catholic French culture in America.

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1700-1750
Wendake
Musée de la civilization (Québec, Québec, Canada)
Small, round basket made from bark. Sewn together using coniferous roots. Embroidered decoration of dyed moose hair depicting a coat of arms and the initials X L surrounded by a floral pattern.

The coat of arms is that of the Beauharnois family. Charles, Marquis of Beauharnois (1671-1749), was the fifteenth governor of New France. This piece is thought to be a carafe coaster given to Governor Charles de Beauharnois by the Huron-Wendat people.
The Huron-Wendat people were closely tied with European settlers early in the history of French colonization of Canada. In 1615, the Récollet missionaries were working to Christianize the Wendat.  Ten years later the Récollet priests were replaced by the Jesuits. By the mid-1600s, they were the most important native partners of the French fur trade. After their numbers had been reduced by disease and warfare with rival tribes, several remaining groups of Huron-Wendat split apart and went with different tribes to other parts of North America. One group remained in Québec and maintained a close relationship with the French. By that time in the late 1600s, many were (and still are) Catholic and French-speakers. In addition to trade partnerships, gift-giving was important in the relationship between European and native cultures.

This is an example of an item produced by Native Americans and given as a gift to a Frenchman. The use of the family crest shows that the artist knew the symbol was meaningful to the receiver, and that the two groups had a friendly relationship. The crest also shows that the French Canadian settlers were still using French family crests.