Bernard Walter Brisbois facts for kids
Bernard Walter Brisbois (born October 4, 1808, died June 15, 1885) was an important agent for the American Fur Company. He was involved in the fur trade and later ran a business in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
Who Was Bernard Brisbois?
Bernard Brisbois was born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, in 1808. His father, Michel Brisbois, was a French-Canadian fur trader called a voyageur. His mother was Domitelle (Madelaine) Gautier de Verville.
Like his father, Bernard started his career in the fur trade. He worked as an agent for the American Fur Company. Bernard married Thérèse Lachappelle. Her mother, Pélagie LaPointe, was Métis.
Later, Bernard ran a store in Prairie du Chien. He did this until 1873. Then, he was chosen to be a consul in Verviers, Belgium. A consul is like a representative for a country in another country. He returned to Prairie du Chien in 1874 and lived there until he passed away in 1885.
Bernard Brisbois is buried at Brisbois Cemetery. This cemetery is on a bluff (a high, steep cliff) overlooking Prairie du Chien.
The Brisbois Store
The historic Brisbois Store is located on St. Feriole Island in Prairie du Chien. Bernard Brisbois built this stone building in 1851-52.
This land has a long history with the North American fur trade. Before the War of 1812, many important traders owned the property. During the war, American soldiers used a log building here for housing. This was while Fort Shelby was being built nearby.
After the war, the land became a U.S. Fur Factory. In the 1820s, the American Fur Company bought the land. They owned it until Bernard Brisbois bought it in 1850.
For much of the 1900s, the building was known as the Riverside Boat Repair. In the 1970s, the Wisconsin Historical Society bought the Brisbois Store. They turned it into the Fur Trade Museum. The Brisbois Store is now a National Historic Landmark. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a very important historical site.
The Brisbois House (II)
- For the first Brisbois House, see Michel Brisbois House.
The second Brisbois House is also on St. Feriole Island. Joseph Rolette built this house in 1836. He built it for his wife, Jane Fisher Rolette. The house was made of limestone. The stone came from extra material left over from building Fort Crawford.
After Joseph Rolette died, Jane married Hercules Dousman. She then gave the property to her cousin, Bernard Brisbois. The house stayed in his family until the late 1900s. In the 1950s, the Cornelius family restored the house. They then gave it to the Wisconsin Historical Society. Like the Brisbois Store, the second Brisbois House is a National Historic Landmark. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
