Papers of the St. Louis Fur Trade

Scope

This collection is comprised of three parts:

Part 1. The Chouteau collection, 1752-1925.  The Chouteau family was a leading family in St. Louis whose primary business was the fur trade.  The letters in the collection primarily concern business matters. The collection is one half in French. There are some translations and abstracts in English.

Part 2. Fur company ledgers and account books, 1802-1871.  The ledgers are written mostly in French and remain un-translated.

Part 3. Robert Campbell family collection from the St. Louis Mercantile Library Association. Robert Campbell was a fur trapper and businessman in St. Louis.  He was also a real friend to Indians.  He was Chouteau’s primary competition.  The letters and business accounts in this collection are in English.

Researchers might also want to consult:

Foley, William E. The First Chouteaus: River Barons of Early St. Louis. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1983. General Collection F 474 S2 A24 1983