George Drouillard facts for kids

George Drouillard (born 1773, died 1810) was an important explorer and guide. He helped the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition explore the western United States. This journey happened between 1804 and 1806. Their goal was to find a water path to the Pacific Ocean through the new Louisiana Purchase lands. Drouillard was a skilled interpreter, scout, hunter, and mapmaker. Later, he worked as a guide and trapper for the Missouri Fur Company. He was likely killed in Montana while trapping beaver.

Early Life and Skills

George Drouillard was born around 1773 in what is now Windsor, Ontario, Canada. His father, Pierre Drouillard, was French Canadian. His mother, Asoundechris Flat Head, was from the Shawnee nation.

During the American Revolutionary War, George's father worked for the British. He was a trader and interpreter. He even helped save the life of explorer Simon Kenton from the Shawnee.

As a boy, George learned to read and write. He also learned important frontier skills. He became a great hunter, trapper, and mapmaker. He could speak Shawnee, French, and English. He was also very good at the sign language used by many Native American groups. This skill helped him talk to people from different tribes.

Joining the Lewis and Clark Expedition

When he was about 28, Captain Meriwether Lewis hired Drouillard. This was for the United States' official journey into the new Louisiana Territory. In late 1803, Drouillard went to Tennessee. He helped bring eight volunteers to St. Louis. The expedition, called the Corps of Discovery, was spending the winter there.

The expedition left St. Louis in early 1804. Lewis often wrote about Drouillard in his journals. He called him "Drewyer." Lewis praised Drouillard as the best hunter in the group. Drouillard often caught six elk a day. One day, he even caught eleven elk!

His hunting and language skills were key to the expedition's survival. This was especially true during the harsh winter of 1804–05. Drouillard built good relationships with the Mandan people. They helped the expedition members. The Corps built Fort Mandan as their winter home.

Lewis knew Drouillard's language skills were vital. This was clear when they looked for the Shoshone people in Montana. Lewis wrote in 1805:

"The way I could talk to these people was through Drewyer [Drouillard]. He perfectly understood the common language of signs. This language seemed to be understood by all the Nations we have seen. It is true this language is not perfect, but it is much better than you would expect. The main ideas are rarely misunderstood."

Work with the Missouri Fur Company

In 1807, Drouillard traveled up the Missouri River again. This time, he was with an expedition led by Manuel Lisa. Lisa was a Spanish fur trader. Other members included John Potts and John Colter. They had also been part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

During the winter of 1807–08, Drouillard explored the lands of the Crow Indians. He gathered information about the Bighorn Mountains. He gave this information to William Clark when he returned to St. Louis. Clark used it to make his maps better.

In 1809, Drouillard joined Lisa's Missouri Fur Company. This company was based in St. Louis. The city was growing fast because of the fur trade. Lisa sent his trappers to the upper Missouri River to find furs.

Death and Legacy

In 1810, Drouillard went on a beaver-trapping trip. He was in the Three Forks area of the upper Missouri River. This was a dangerous area where the expedition had met the Blackfeet and Gros Ventre tribes. Drouillard did not return.

A search party found his remains and his horse. From what they saw, his friends believed he fought bravely. They thought he killed several Native Americans before he died. His comrades quickly buried him in an unmarked grave.

Honors and Recognition

• Mount Drouillard in Teton County, Montana, is named after him. It used to be called Mount Drewyer.
• The George Drouillard Museum opened in 1996. It is near Bellefontaine, Ohio. The Shawnee Nation, URB created it.
• In March 2013, the Grundy County Heritage Museum in Morrison, Iowa, had an exhibit about George Drouillard.

In Popular Culture

James Alexander Thom wrote a novel about George Drouillard's life. It is called Sign-Talker (2000).

See also

In Spanish: George Drouillard para niños