Théophile Bruguier facts for kids
Theophile Bruguier (born August 31, 1813 – died February 18, 1896) was a French-Canadian fur trader. He worked for the American Fur Company, which was a big business in the early United States. Many people believe Bruguier was the first white settler to live in the area that later became Sioux City, Iowa.
Contents
Early Life and New Beginnings
Theophile Bruguier was born in a town called L'Assomption, near Montreal, Canada. This was on August 31, 1813. His mother, Elizabeth Kipp, was from England, and his father, Jean Bruguier, was French-Canadian. Theophile studied law and even started working as a lawyer. However, a sad event changed his path. His fiancée passed away, and because of this, Bruguier decided to leave Quebec on October 12, 1835, seeking a new life.
Adventures as a Fur Trader
Bruguier arrived in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 15, 1836. He was very good at languages, speaking both French and English. This skill made him a great interpreter and fur trader for the American Fur Company. He worked in the Missouri River area, which was important for the fur trade.
On January 13, 1836, he started his next job at Fort Pierre in the Dakota Territory. Here, he learned the Dakota language of the Sioux people. He became good friends with Chief War Eagle, a leader of the Yankton Sioux. Bruguier later became an independent fur trader. He also helped calm tensions between white settlers and Native Americans.
Founding a Settlement in Iowa
In 1849, Bruguier started a farm and a trading post where the Big Sioux River meets the Missouri River. Chief War Eagle and his family joined him there. Bruguier's original land claim stretched from the Big Sioux to the Floyd River. This land later became the first part of Sioux City, which was a French settlement around 1852.
Bruguier continued his trading business. He also worked as a wagon freighter, moving goods, and as an Indian commissioner, helping with Native American affairs. In August 1853, he was one of only 17 people who voted in the very first election in Woodbury County.
Family Life and Legacy
Theophile Bruguier married two of Chief War Eagle's daughters, named Dawn and Flaming Cloud. He had thirteen children with them. Sadly, both of his wives passed away by the late 1850s. Later, during a visit to St. Louis, he met a widow named Victoria Turnott. They married, and she moved back with him to Sioux City.
In the 1860s, they settled on a large farm of about 500-acre (2.0 km2) near Salix, Iowa. Theophile Bruguier died on February 18, 1896, from pneumonia. He was first buried in a Catholic cemetery near Salix. In 1926, his remains were moved to be buried near his first two wives and his friend, Chief War Eagle.
|
