Pierre Laclède Liguest

Pierre Laclède Liguest was a French fur trader and explorer who played a significant role in the early development of St. Louis, Missouri. In 1764, he directed the establishment of a village on the west bank of the Mississippi River, which he named St. Louis. This settlement became a major hub for the fur trade in the region.1

Laclède's stepson, Auguste Chouteau, took over his prosperous fur-trading business after Laclède's death and significantly expanded it, eventually holding a monopoly on trade with the Osage tribe. Pierre Chouteau, Jr., a relative of Auguste and grandson of Laclède, also became a prominent figure in the fur trade and a successful entrepreneur, launching the first steamboat on the upper Missouri River. These individuals were instrumental in the French fur trade operations in North America, particularly in the Louisiana Territory.123