Settlement FAQs

what european country first settlement in missouri

by Carlie Gleichner Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Founded in 1735 by French Canadian colonists and settlers from east of the river, it was the first organized European settlement west of the Mississippi River in present-day Missouri.
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Ste. Genevieve (French: Sainte-Geneviève [sɛ̃t ʒən.
Ste. Genevieve, Missouri
Area code(s)573
FIPS code29-64180
GNIS feature ID0727043
26 more rows

Full Answer

What is the history of Missouri?

Who was the first American to establish a semi-autonomous colony in Missouri?

How did Missouri's economy change?

How did the Great Depression affect Missouri?

What was Louisiana's territory called?

How many troops did Missouri have in the Civil War?

What was the cause of the French and Indian War?

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Who were the first Europeans to explore Missouri?

Europeans arrived in Missouri in the late 1600s. In 1673, French explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet entered Missouri traveling along the Missouri River. It was Father Marquette who first used the name "Missouri" when mapping out the region.

What was the first permanent European settlement founded in Missouri?

The beautiful Ste. Genevieve is Missouri's oldest town. It was founded by French Canadian colonists and settlers from the east in 1735, and was the first organized European settlement west of the Mississippi River.

What country first claimed Missouri?

First claimed for France by LaSalle in 1682, Missouri was ceded to Spain in 1762. Although Spain held the country for 40 years, its influence was slight. The early development of Missouri was closely associated with lead mining.

What nationalities settled Missouri?

American pioneers such as Daniel Boone with his sons Daniel Morgan Boone, Nathan Boone, and other family members, came to Spanish-controlled Missouri during the 1790s....Spanish settlement and government.SettlementFoundingSt. Louis1764Carondelet1767, St. Louis annex 1870St. Charles1769Mine à Breton1770, 1760-17808 more rows

Was Missouri settled by the French?

Concern about living under British rule led many French settlers to decamp for Missouri, especially with encouragement from Laclede; upon the arrival of the British at Fort de Chartres in October 1765,....Spanish period 1762–1803.SettlementFoundingCommerce1788Cape Girardeau1792Wolf Island17928 more rows

What was the first permanent settlement in what is now Missouri?

In 1735 the French established the village of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri's first permanent settlement.

Who were the first white settlers and explorers of St. Louis Missouri?

Starting in the late 17th century, French explorers arrived. Spain took over in 1763 and a trading company led by Pierre Laclede and Auguste Chouteau established the settlement of St. Louis in February 1764.

Who owned Missouri territory?

On August 10, 1821, Missouri entered the Union as the twenty-fourth state. Named after the Native American people who originally inhabited the land, Missouri was acquired by the U.S. as part of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. At that time, the territory's occupants were mainly French settlers.

Who first settled Ozarks?

The Ozark hills were settled by yeoman farmers who moved into the area from the mountains of the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Kentucky – individuals who were themselves descendants of farmers from Scotland, England, and Ireland. These hill people brought with them stories and tales from their ancient homelands.

Who immigrated to Missouri?

Missouri was home to 122,742 women, 111,553 men, and 24,095 children who were immigrants. The top countries of origin for immigrants were Mexico (15 percent of immigrants), China (8 percent), India (7 percent), Vietnam (5 percent), and Bosnia and Herzegovina (4 percent).

What immigrants settled in St. Louis?

For them, the first two groups immigrating to St. Louis were both foreign (American and English), although only one was technically an outsider. Those arriving from abroad in the early decades of the nineteenth century were English. The other group of earliest arrivals were Americans moving west.

What was the first permanent European settlement in the Southwest?

Santa Fe, the first permanent European settlement in the Southwest, was established in 1610. Few Spaniards relocated to the southwest due to the distance from Mexico City and the dry and hostile environment.

When was Ste Genevieve MO founded?

Founded in 1735 by French Canadian colonists and settlers from east of the river, it was the first organized European settlement west of the Mississippi River in present-day Missouri. Today, it is home to Ste.

Who settled Hermann Mo?

George BayerHermann Was a Vision of the German Settlement Society More than 1800 years later, George Bayer arrived in what is now known as Hermann, Missouri. Commissioned by the German Settlement Society of Philadelphia, George set out across the country in search for another settlement for the Germans in America.

When was Missouri settled?

July 4, 1776Missouri / Date settled

Missouri History Timeline: Missouri Important Dates and Events

Missouri was admitted to the United States in 1821 as part of the Missouri Compromise. Located on the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, the state was an important hub of transportation and commerce in early America

37 Interesting Facts About Missouri - The Fact File

Last updated on December 22nd, 2021. Missouri is the 18 th most populous and the 21 st most extensive of the 50 states of the United States. It lies in the Midwestern region of the United States. The state attained statehood on August 10, 1821, becoming the 24 th state to join the union. It shares its border with eight states (Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas ...

Missouri Early History:Missouri First Inhabitants - eReferenceDesk

Missouri First Early Inhabitants Timeline. Early Man Period (?-12,000 BC) - Some archaeologists accept this period and point to the Shriver site in Daviess County as evidence for a stone tool technology that pre-dates Clovis point tool technology. Other archaeologists have questioned if the Daviess site has been correctly dated and interpreted.

Colonial history of Missouri - Wikipedia

During the 1710s, the French government again began to pursue a course of increased development of Louisiana. In August 1717, King Louis XV accepted the offer of Scottish financier John Law to create a joint stock company to manage colonial growth. Law's Mississippi Company (renamed the Company of the West in 1717 upon receiving its charter) was given a monopoly on all trade, ownership of all ...

Where did the French settle in Missouri?

French settlers remained on the east bank of the Mississippi at Kaskaskia and Fort de Chartres until 1750, when the new settlement of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri was begun, During its early years, Ste. Genevieve grew slowly due to its location on a muddy, flat, floodplain, and in 1752, the town had only 23 full-time residents. Despite its proximity to lead mines and salt springs, the majority of its population came as farmers during the 1750s and 1760s, and they primarily grew wheat, corn and tobacco.

When did the French and Spanish colonize Missouri?

United States portal. v. t. e. The Colonial history of Missouri covers the French and Spanish exploration and colonization: 1673–1803, and ends with the American takeover through the Louisiana Purchase.

What led French settlers to decamp for Missouri?

Concern about living under British rule led many French settlers to decamp for Missouri, especially with encouragement from Laclede; upon the arrival of the British at Fort de Chartres in October 1765,. St. Ange was the interim commander of the entire upper Louisiana region until 1767. Early settlements in Missouri.

How did the Missourians travel?

Most Missourians traveled longer distances by water, and large cargo was transported by bateaux (shown above). By 1800, the population of Upper Louisiana was primarily concentrated in a few settlements along the Mississippi in present-day Missouri. Travel between towns was by the river.

How did the Spanish influence the Missouri colony?

With little return on their investment of time and money in the colony, the Spanish negotiated the return of Louisiana, including Missouri, to France in 1800, which was codified in the Treaty of San Ildefonso.

What is the history of Missouri?

The Colonial history of Missouri covers the French and Spanish exploration and colonization: 1673–1803, and ends with the American takeover through the Louisiana Purchase.

Why did Spain decamp from Illinois to Missouri?

To reduce the influence of British traders, Spain renewed efforts to encourage French settlers to decamp from Illinois to Missouri, and in 1778, the Spanish granted land and basic supplies to Catholic immigrants to Missouri; however, few settlers actually took up the offers to move to the region.

What was the first capital of Missouri?

St. Charles served as the first Missouri capital from 1821 to 1826, while the new city and capital (Jefferson City) was being built. It received the honor by beating out eight other cities. The first capitol building is located about a block from the Missouri River on Main Street.

What is the oldest town in Missouri?

The beautiful Ste. Genevieve is Missouri’s oldest town. It was founded by French Canadian colonists and settlers from the east in 1735, and was the first organized European settlement west of the Mississippi River.

What was the first non-European city to host the Olympics?

Two of the biggest events St. Louis history both happened in 1904. The city concurrently hosted the World's Fair and the Summer Olympics, and became the first non-European city to host the Olympics. Several permanent facilities and structures still remain in Forest Park, where the fair took place, such as the St. Louis Art Museum, the St. Louis Zoo and the Missouri History Museum.

What river was Missouri on?

The city was developed along the western bank of the Mississippi River and claimed first by the French but later lost to Spain. Missouri was part of Spanish Louisiana from 1762 until 1803, and acquired by the United States in the Louisiana Purchase.

What is the oldest Catholic church in Louisiana?

The Old St. Ferdinand Shrine is the oldest Catholic Church building in the Louisiana Purchase Territory. The convent wing was built in 1819, and the corner stone of the current church was laid in 1821, by Mother Duchesne and the Sacred Heart Nuns.

When was the first cemetery in Missouri opened?

Established in 1787, the Memorial Cemetery in Ste. Genevieve is Missouri’s oldest cemetery. Over 3,500 people were buried here before it was closed in 1880, including the tombs and grave markers of the area’s earliest French pioneers.

When did France sell Louisiana?

After being traded to France in 1800, France promptly sold it to the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Wikimedia/ By Mariano Salvador Maella - http://www.bernardodegalvez.eu/retrato-de-bernardo-de-galvez/, Public Domain. Governor Bernardo de Gálvez.

What is the name of the land patent that was issued to Porter in 1843?

A land patent for 40 acres in Section 13 in T27N R22W was issued to Porter in 1843. Another patent was issued to Porter in 1848 for 168.37 acres in Section 18. The latter patent is marked "preemption," meaning Porter had settled on the land before the official government land surveys were undertaken in 1835.

Where did Pettijohn and his sons live?

Pettijohn and his sons went back to Ohio, but he and his son John returned to their old home site (s) after the Delaware removal to the Kansas City area in 1830-1831. In their absence, the Delaware had resided in the area Where the Wilson Meets the James, giving the area the name “Delaware Town” (Holcombe 1883:134).

Where did Porter move to?

He moved to Tennessee in 1812 and subsequently migrated to Missouri in the early 1830s. According to Mrs. Ralph Dennison, a 6th generation direct descendant, land was taken over by Porter "…who ‘bought’ them (improvements by Pettijohn or subsequent trading-post owners) from [the] Delaware for [an] undetermined sum.

Who discovered Missouri?

1673 - First Europeans, Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet, discovered the land that would later become Missouri were were the during their voyage down the Mississippi River. 1750 - St Genevieve established a trading post, the first permanent white settlement.

What were the names of the Missouri tribes?

The names of the Missouri tribes included the Caddo, Dakota, Delaware, Fox, Il linois, Iowa, Kickapoo, Missouri, Omaha, Osage (see above picture), Otoe, Sauk and Shawnee.

When were fluted points discovered?

Paleoindian Period (12,000 - 8,000 BC) - This time period is associated with a specific variety of hunting tool called a fluted point; in Missouri, Clovis fluted points and Folsom fluted points have been discovered at a variety of sites. Clovis points were found at the Kimmswick site (Mastodon State Historic site) directly associated ...

What was the Woodland Period?

Early Woodland Period (1000 - 500 BC) - This time period saw a continuity of tool technology for some of the Native-American cultures, but also innovation and change for others. One of the few changes in technology occured in the northern half of the state where Black Sand incised ceramics have been identified.

What was the Mississippian period?

Mississippian Period (AD 900-AD 1700) - This time period is marked by large permanent villages where populations relied upon corn cultivation for a major component in their diet. A handful of the villages grew in population and wealth until they became large, fortified towns with impressive temple mounds, plazas, and astronomical observatories.

What is early history?

Early history examines the archaeological record that tells the story of the first inhabitants of Missouri. Learn about the history and culture of the first inhabitants, and what lessons it might teach us about the early history of Missouri.

Where is the oldest burial mound in Missouri?

The Hatten mound, constructed in northeast Missouri during the Late Archaic, is the oldest documented burial mound in the state. Different burial patterns and variations in stone tools reflect three or four distinct tribes distributed across the state.

What was Missouri's German heritage?

Missouri's German Heritage. No other immigrant group has had a greater influence on Missouri than the Germans. They influenced our agriculture, our arts, our sciences, and our beer. Their passionate antislavery position helped keep Missouri in the Union during the Civil War.

Who published Explore Missouri's German Heritage?

A new book, Explore Missouri’s German Heritage, by W. Arthur Mehrhoff, published by Missouri Life Inc., probes this history and influence on our state and highlights more than eighty places to explore this heritage today. What follows are excerpts from the book, edited for length. Wir feiern und unterstützen unser Kulturerbe!

Where did the Pelster family come from?

Emigrating from the village of Dissen, near Osnabruck, Hannover, in northern Germany, Pelster arrived in Missouri in 1842 with his wife Maria Katherine and sons Rodolph and Wilhelm. Strikingly familiar, a hamlet named Dissen lay a few miles north of the Pelster farm.

What was the German Heritage Corridor?

With the exception of St. Louis and St. Charles proper, the German Heritage Corridor remained almost entirely rural and remote until well into the 1900s. The Highway 19 bridge across the Missouri River did not open until 1931, while the bridge over the Missouri River at Washington did not open until 1936. The few state roads throughout the counties of the German Heritage Corridor consisted of gravel, while the county roads were dirt. Many properties were only accessible by two-track dirt trails for horses and wagons, and the trails frequently followed the creeks.

How many levels are there in Missouri?

Missouri has one of the few remaining housebarns that German settlers built in the United States. It has four levels, with the bottom level built into the hillside and serving as a stable and storage. The front porch welcomed visitors.

Does Lafayette County touch the Missouri River?

Lafayette County doesn’t touch the Missouri River in our graphic, but indeed the river turns back south and runs along much of the county’s border. It’s part of the Corridor, too, especially because of Concordia’s strong German heritage.

When did the first white settlers arrive in the Ozarks?

Early White Settlers of the Ozarks. The first documentation of white settlers in the Ozark Plateau came around 1705. They were initially mostly French with the first American settlers probably arriving around 1790 into the area. Arkansas Post was established in 1686 as the first settlement in Arkansas.

Why did the Ozarks settle in the 1830s?

In the 1830s a lot of settlers came from the Appalachians because the Ozarks were a lot like the area of their former homes. Many of those who settled early sent word back to the Appalachians, and entire family clans frequently made the move to the Ozarks. The town of Ozark, Arkansas was founded in 1836.

Why did the Cherokee come to the Ozarks?

It was the period from 1810 to 1819 that the Cherokee started coming into the Ozarks to escape white advancement. In 1828 treaties moved most of them to the Oklahoma Ozarks, where the Cherokee Nation still is located today. They came to the area at three different times and civil war between the groups occurred until 1840s.

How many tribes passed through the Ozarks?

All five tribes passed through Ozarks and Arkansas River Valley. Several different routes were used over the nine years that would pass before the last tribes of the Cherokee Nation arrived in 1839. Hundreds of members of each of the tribes died on the long trek to Indian Territory.

What were the early travel routes of the Ozarks?

Early Travel Routes of the Ozarks. Osage Indians and other tribes traveled among a variety of routes later called Osage Trails or Osage Trace by white settlers. The Osage moved south during summer months for hunting, then north during the winter.

How much did the Ozarks pay for land?

They paid as much as $2.50 an acre for this choice land. In 1854 Congress passed the Graduation Act which gave a reduction in the price of unsold public lands. In the interior Ozarks, the more rugged land with thin cherty soils sold for as little as 12 1/2 cents an acre.

What factors influenced the settlements in the Ozarks?

Continued Expansion of Settlements in the Ozarks. An important factor that influenced many as to where in the Ozarks they settled was the price of land . The wealthier settlers, such as the slaveholders, settled along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and obtained the best land.

What is the history of Missouri?

The history of Missouri begins with settlement of the region by indigenous people during the Paleo-Indian period beginning in about 12,000 BC. Subsequent periods of native life emerged until the 17th century. New France set up small settlements, and in 1803 Napoleonic France sold the area to the U.S. as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Statehood for Missouri came following a compromise in 1820 that allowed slavery. Settlement was rapid after 1820, aided by a network of rivers navigable by steamboats, centered in the dominant city St. Louis. It attracted European immigrants, especially Germans; the business community had a large Yankee element as well. The Civil War saw numerous small battles and control by the Union. After the war, its economy became more diverse, and railroads, centered in Kansas City, opened up new farmlands in the west. In the early 20th century Progressive reforms sought to modernize state and local government and minimize political corruption. During the 20th century, Missouri's economy diversified further, and it developed a balanced agricultural and economic sector. By the 21st century manufacturing was fading, as service industries grew, especially in medicine, education and tourism. Agriculture remained profitable, as the farms grew larger and fewer people lived on them.

Who was the first American to establish a semi-autonomous colony in Missouri?

As part of this effort, in 1789 Spanish diplomats in Philadelphia encouraged George Morgan, an American military officer, to set up a semi-autonomous colony in southern Missouri across from the mouth of the Ohio River.

How did Missouri's economy change?

The Missouri economy grew steadily from the end of the war to the early 20th century. Railroads replaced the rivers, trains supplanted steamboats. From 817 miles of track in 1860, there were 2000 miles in 1870 and 8000 by 1909. Railroads built new towns as needed to provide repair and service facilities; the old river towns decline. Kansas City lacking a navigable river, became the rail center of the West, exploding from 4400 population 1860 to 133,000 by 1890. Cities of all sizes grew, as the proportion of Missourians living in communities over 2000 population jumped from 17 percent in 1860, to 38 percent in 1900. Coal mining providing the locomotives, factories, Stores and homes with fuel, grew rapidly, as did the lumbering industry in the Ozarks which provided the timber for cross ties and smaller bridges. St. Louis remained the number one railroad center, unloading 21,000 carloads of merchandise in 1870, 324,000 in 1890, and 710,000 in 1910. The total tonnage of freight carried on all Missouri railroads doubled and redoubled again from 20 million tons in 1881 to 130 million in 1904.

How did the Great Depression affect Missouri?

The Great Depression affected nearly every aspect of Missouri's economy, particularly mining, railroading, and retailing. In 1933, the Missouri Pacific railroad declared bankruptcy; retail sales declined statewide by 50 percent, and more than 300 Missouri banks failed in the early 1930s. St. Louis manufacturing declined in value from more than $600 million in 1929 to $339 million in 1935; despite industrial diversification in the city, output fell more and unemployment was greater than the rest of country by the mid-1930s. The brick and tile industry of St. Louis virtually collapsed, dramatically altering the economic conditions of neighborhoods such as The Hill. In response to rising discontent with the economy, the St. Louis police surveilled and harassed unemployed leftist workers, and in July 1932, a protest by the unemployed was violently broken up by police. The Depression also threatened Missouri cultural institutions such as the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, which nearly folded in 1933. Kansas City suffered from the Depression as well, although not as severely as St. Louis. Manufacturing fell in value from $220 million in 1929 to $122 million in 1935; charities were feeding 10 percent of the population by late 1932. Unlike St. Louis, Kansas City was able to supply work to many of its unemployed citizens via a $50 million bond issue that allowed for several large public works projects.

What was Louisiana's territory called?

The land south of the thirty-third parallel, then-known as the Territory of Orleans, became the state of Louisiana in 1812, and the Louisiana Territory was renamed the Missouri Territory.

How many troops did Missouri have in the Civil War?

By the end of the war, Missouri had supplied 110,000 troops for the Union Army and 40,000 troops for the Confederate Army. During the Civil War, Charles D. Drake a former Democrat, became a fierce opponent of slavery, and a leader of the Radical Republicans.

What was the cause of the French and Indian War?

Disputes between France and England over control of the Ohio Valley resulted in the outbreak of the French and Indian War in 1754. The British won and France lost all its holdings. France gave Spain control of Louisiana in November 1762 in the Treaty of Fontainebleau. Meanwhile, the French governor of Louisiana granted a trade monopoly over Missouri to New Orleans merchant Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent and his partner, Pierre Laclède. In August 1763, Laclede and his stepson Auguste Chouteau departed New Orleans for Missouri, where in February 1764 they established St. Louis on high bluffs overlooking the Mississippi. Concern about living under British rule led many French settlers east of the Mississippi River to decamp for Missouri.

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Overview

Competition with the British

Local administrators of Ste. Genevieve also were Spaniards, but frequently were forced to acquiesce to local customs. Throughout the 1770s, Spanish officials were forced to contend not only with the wishes of their predominantly French populations, but also with repeated incursions from British traders and hostile indigenous tribes. Furthermore, American settlers were starting to arrive.

Early explorations and indigenous peoples

In May 1673, Jesuit priest Jacques Marquette and French trader Louis Jolliet sailed down the Mississippi River in canoes along the area that would later become the state of Missouri. The earliest recorded use of "Missouri" is found on a map drawn by Marquette after his 1673 journey, naming both a group of Native Americans and a nearby river. However, the French rarely used the word to refe…

French settlement and government

During the 1710s, the French government again began to pursue a course of increased development of Louisiana. In August 1717, King Louis XV accepted the offer of Scottish financier John Law to create a joint stock company to manage colonial growth. Law's Mississippi Company (renamed the Company of the West in 1717 upon receiving its charter) was given a monopoly on all trade, ownersh…

Spanish period 1762–1803

Shortly after the founding of Ste. Genevieve, disputes between France and England over control of the Ohio Valley resulted in the outbreak of the French and Indian War in 1754. The British won and France lost all of its holdings. France gave Spain control of Louisiana in November 1762 in the Treaty of Fontainebleau. About 1000 French settlers lived in Missouri, in small farming …

Spanish rule

The first Spanish military commander, Captain Francisco Ríu y Morales, 1767–68, proved incompetent. Many of his soldiers grumbled and others deserted; rations ran short; he had trouble hiring laborers. Antonio de Ulloa, the first Spanish governor of Louisiana, was based in New Orleans, and he removed Ríu y Morales. The next rulers proved more confident, but even so, Spain was stretched to the limits in its ability to govern the vast region.

Social life in Spanish Missouri

Religion in Spanish Missouri was a strong element of cultural life, and the Catholic Church had been a significant part of life among the colonists since the earliest settlements. Although the Jesuits were the primary religious authority in the region, the French expelled the order in 1763 due to its growing wealth and power. Combined with the expulsion of the Jesuits, the transfer of the colony to Spain also caused a shortage of priests, as French priests under Canadian jurisdiction …

See also

• List of commandants of the Illinois Country
• History of the Midwestern United States
• Timeline of St. Louis
• Timeline of Missouri

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