Solomon Juneau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Solomon Laurent Juneau
|
|
|---|---|
1856 portrait of Juneau by Samuel Marsden Brookes
|
|
| Born | August 9, 1793 |
| Died | November 14, 1856 (aged 63) |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Other names | Laurent-Salomon Juneau |
| Occupation | Politician, fur trader, land agent |
| Known for | Helped found the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. |
| Title | 1st Mayor of Milwaukee |
| Term | 1846-1847 |
| Predecessor | Office Established |
| Successor | Horatio N. Wells |
| Spouse(s) | Josette (m. 1820-1855) |
| Parent(s) | François and Thérèse Galerneau Juneau |
| Relatives | Joseph Juneau (cousin), founder of the city of Juneau, Alaska |
Solomon Laurent Juneau (born August 9, 1793 – died November 14, 1856) was an important person in the early history of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was a French Canadian fur trader, a land seller, and a politician. He helped create the city of Milwaukee.
Juneau was born in Repentigny, Quebec, Canada. His parents were François and Thérèse Galarneau Juneau. His cousin, Joseph Juneau, founded the city of Juneau, Alaska.
Solomon Juneau's Life Story
Solomon Juneau arrived at Fort Michilimackinac in 1816. He worked as a clerk in the fur trade. Later, he became an agent for the American Fur Company in Milwaukee.
Jacques Vieau, another French-Canadian fur trader, asked Juneau to come to Milwaukee. Vieau was the first permanent white settler in the area. In 1818, Vieau hired Juneau because he was good with numbers. Juneau was also known for getting along well with local Native Americans.
Juneau later married Josette, one of Vieau's daughters. Together, they helped found what would become the City of Milwaukee.
In 1818, Juneau settled an area east of the Milwaukee River. This area was called Juneautown. Today, it is known as East Town. Juneautown later joined with two other settlements. These were George H. Walker's Walker's Point and Byron Kilbourn's Kilbourntown. Kilbourntown is now Westown. These three areas combined to form the City of Milwaukee.
In 1831, Juneau began to learn English. He also started the process to become a U.S. citizen. By 1835, he was selling pieces of land in Juneautown. He built Milwaukee's first store and its first inn. People saw him as a leader among the new settlers in Milwaukee.
In 1837, he started the Milwaukee Sentinel newspaper. This newspaper became the oldest business in Wisconsin that ran without stopping. Juneau was the first mayor of Milwaukee. He served from 1846 to 1847. He was also the city's first Postmaster.
A high school built in 1932 is named after him. It is called Solomon Juneau High School. The school is located in Milwaukee. The large hour bell in the Milwaukee City Hall clock tower is also named after him. This bell was put in place in 1896.
Family and Later Life
In 1820, Juneau married Josette. She was a Métis woman. This means she had both Native American and French ancestry. Her father was Jacques Vieau, the fur trader. Her mother was from the Menominee tribe. Josette was the oldest of 12 children.
Juneau was popular with the Menominee people. This was partly because of Josette's family ties. It was also because of his fur trading business. After a treaty between the U.S. and the Menominee in 1848, Juneau registered his family. He listed his wife and children as having Menominee heritage.
In 1854, Juneau and his family moved to Dodge County, Wisconsin. There, they started a village called Theresa. It was named after Juneau's French-Canadian mother. Josette died there in 1855. Solomon Juneau died one year later, in 1856. He passed away in Keshena, Wisconsin. He was visiting the Menominee tribe at the time. He died in the arms of his friend, Benjamin Hunkins. Six Menominee chiefs helped carry his coffin at his funeral. He is buried at Calvary Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Juneau's grandson, Paul O. Husting, became a member of the United States Senate. The place where Juneau's home is believed to have been is now the site of the Mitchell Building. This building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
See also
In Spanish: Solomon Juneau para niños
