St. Louis Rising : The French Regime of Louis St. Ange De Bellerive

The standard story of St. Louis's founding tells of fur traders Pierre Laclède Liguest and Auguste Chouteau hacking a city out of wilderness. This book overturns such gauzy myths with the contrarian thesis that French government officials and institutions shaped and structured early city society. Of the former, none did more than Louis St. Ange de Bellerive. His commitment to the Bourbon monarchy and to civil tranquility made him the prime mover as St. Louis emerged during the tumult following the French and Indian War. Drawing on new source materials, the book delves into the complexities of politics, Indian affairs, slavery, the role of women, and material culture that defined the city's founding period. The alternative version of the oft-told tale uncovers the imperial realities—as personified by St. Ange—that truly governed in the Illinois Country of the time, and provide a trove of new information on everything from the fur trade to the arrival of the British and Spanish after the Seven Years War. The standard story of St. Louis's founding tells of fur traders Pierre Laclède and Auguste Chouteau hacking a city out of wilderness. St. Louis Rising overturns such gauzy myths with the contrarian thesis that French government officials and institutions shaped and structured early city society. Of the former, none did more than Louis St. Ange de Bellerive. His commitment to the Bourbon monarchy and to civil tranquility made him the prime mover as St. Louis emerged during the tumult following the French and Indian War. Drawing on new source materials, the authors delve into the complexities of politics, Indian affairs, slavery, and material culture that defined the city's founding period. Their alternative version of the oft-told tale uncovers the imperial realities—as personified by St. Ange—that truly governed in the Illinois Country of the time, and provide a trove of new information on everything from the fur trade to the arrival of the British and Spanish after the Seven Years' War. | Cover Title Copyright Contents List of Maps, Plans, and Illustrations Preface Chronology Introduction: Beyond the Laclède-Chouteau Legend Part 1. St. Ange de Bellerive and the Illinois Country 1. Fort d'Orleans and the Grotton–St. Ange Family 2. The Rise of Louis St. Ange de Bellerive 3. The Illinois Country in Transition, 1763–1765 4. Commandant St. Ange de Bellerive 5. The Village Emerges Part II. Contours of Village Life 6. Logs and Stones: Early St. Louis Buildings 7. The Coutume de Paris Rules 8. Slaves: African and Indian 9. In Small Things Forgotten 10. Foundations of the St. Louis Fur Trade 11. End of an Era Color Illustrations Conclusion: St. Louis and the Wider World Appendix A. St. Louis Counts Appendix B. St. Louis Indian Slave Census, 1770 Notes Index | Missouri History Book Award, State Historical Society of Missouri, 2016. A Choice Outstanding Academic Title, 2015. — State Historical Society of Missouri Missouri History Book Award, State Historical Society of Missouri, 2016. A Choice Outstanding Academic Title, 2015. — A Choice Outstanding Academic Title, 2015. | Carl Ekberg is a professor emeritus of history at Illinois State University. His many books include A French Aristocrat in the American West: The Shattered Dreams of Delassus de Luzières and Stealing Indian Women: Native Slavery in the Illinois Country , and he is a two-time winner of the Kemper and Leila Williams Prize. Sharon Person is a professor of English specializing in English as a Second Language at St. Louis Community College, St. Louis Missouri. Introduction: beyond the Laclede-Chouteau legend -- Part I. St. Ange de Bellerive and the Illinois Country -- Fort d'Orleans and the Grotton-St. Ange family -- The rise of Louis St. Ange de Bellerive -- The Illinois Country in transition, 1763-1765 -- Commandant St. Ange de Bellerive -- The village emerges -- Part II. Contours of village life -- Logs and stones: early St. Louis buildings -- The Coutume de Paris rules -- Slaves: African and Indian -- In small things forgotten -- Foundations of the St. Louis fur trade -- End of an era -- Conclusion: St. Louis and the wider world. Carl J. Ekberg, Sharon K. Person. Includes bibliographical references and index. A myth-busting history focusing on Louis St. Ange de Bellerive, the forgotten figure who guided a great American city through its infancy