Auguste Chouteau (1749-1829), one of the founders of St. Louis, Missouri, was also a fur trader, territorial judge, and patriarch of the most influential French family in early St. Louis history. Written in English, Spanish, and French, the documents relate to exclusive trading rights among the Osage, including receipts; relationship between the Spanish and Chouteau; and treaty of peace with Great Britain and suppression of Indian hostilities.
The journal is a fragment of Chouteau's "Narrative of the Settlement of St. Louis." It is the only eyewitness documentation on the activities surrounding the founding of St. Louis. A literal translation from the original manuscript by J. Givin Brown and J. Wilmer Stith was published by the St. Louis Mercantile Library Association in 1857 in the 12th Annual Report and again in 1989., 1 journal ca. 1810-1820, unsigned but in Chouteau's handwriting on ledger paper, 14pp. [in French]
Based on surveys conducted only a few years after the Treaty of Paris ceded lands east of the Mississippi to England, Lieutenant Ross’s detailed map was a significant advance over such distinguished French cartographers as D’Anville. On a scale like few others for the length of river depicted, the Ross map was widely held to be the most reliable map of the river produced in the 18th century—it clearly evidences the Mississippi Valley’s growing social, political, commercial and agricultural significance., Details Mississippi River in 1765. Published in 1778 edition of: The American atlas : or, A geographical description of the whole continent of America: wherein are delineated at large, its several regions, countries, states, and islands ; and chiefly the British colonies, composed from numerous surveys / several of which were made by order of government by Major Holland ... [et al.] ; engraved on 49 copper-plates by Thomas Jefferys and others.
Copy of a portion of a "Map of the Mississippi River from Pain-Court (St. Louis) to Cold Water Rock" by Guy Dufossat of Rui's expedition in October 1767. Earliest known map which shows the Village at Saint Louis.