Jean-Baptiste Faribault
Encyclopedia
Jean-Baptiste Faribault (October 19, 1775 – August 20, 1860) was a trader with the Indians
and early settler in Minnesota
.
His father, Barthélemy Faribault, a lawyer of Paris, France, settled in Canada towards the middle of the 18th century and served as military secretary to the French
army in Canada. After the occupation of the country by the English, he retired to private life in Berthier and he held the office of notary public.
Faribault was born in Berthier, Lower Canada
, and received a good school education; after several years of mercantile employment in Quebec
, he entered the fur trade
, most probably in the employ of Parker, Gerrard, and Ogilvy. In May 1798, he went with others to the island of Michilimackinac
or Mackinac, one of the depots of this company. For over ten years, he traded with the Pottowatomic Indians at Kankakee, with the Dakota
or the Sioux
, Indians at Redwood, on the Des Moines river
, and at Little Rapids, on the Minnesota River
just upstream of present-day Carver, Minnesota
, on behalf of the Northwest Fur Company.
During his residence at Little Rapids, in 1805, he was married to Elizabeth Pelagie Ainse, a half-Dakota daughter of Joseph-Louis Ainse, a British superintendent at Mackinac. In 1809, he settled in the small village of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
, and commenced trading, on his own account, with the Indians of the Winnebago
, Fox, and Sioux tribes. In addition to that, he conducted an exchange of lead with Julien Dubuque
, at the point now occupied by the city of that name.
During the War of 1812
, Faribault refused to enlist in the English army, and suffered imprisonment and the loss of all his goods in consequence. After the conclusion of the war, in 1815, he became a citizen of the United States
, and recommenced his trade at Prairie du Chien. In 1819, he removed to Pike Island
in the Mississippi River
, and in 1826 to St. Peter (Mendota, Minnesota
), opposite the military post of Fort Snelling. There he remained until the last years of his life, which were spent with his children in the town of Faribault, Minnesota
. A county in southern Minnesota was named after him, and the city of the same name after his eldest son.
Faribault was always kind and generous to the Indians, and tried to elevate them by teaching them the useful arts
of life, and strove to teach them the principles of his religion, Christianity
. He was much attached to the Roman Catholic faith of his childhood and presented a house for a chapel to Father Lucien Galtier, the first resident missionary in Minnesota (1840). He died at Faribault, Minnesota, on August 20, 1860. Faribault County, Minnesota
is named after him.
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
and early settler in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
.
His father, Barthélemy Faribault, a lawyer of Paris, France, settled in Canada towards the middle of the 18th century and served as military secretary to the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
army in Canada. After the occupation of the country by the English, he retired to private life in Berthier and he held the office of notary public.
Faribault was born in Berthier, Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
, and received a good school education; after several years of mercantile employment in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, he entered the fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
, most probably in the employ of Parker, Gerrard, and Ogilvy. In May 1798, he went with others to the island of Michilimackinac
Michilimackinac
Michilimackinac is a name for the region around the Straits of Mackinac between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. Early settlers of North America applied the term to the entire region along Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Superior. Today it is mostly within the boundaries of Michigan, in the United States...
or Mackinac, one of the depots of this company. For over ten years, he traded with the Pottowatomic Indians at Kankakee, with the Dakota
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
or the Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
, Indians at Redwood, on the Des Moines river
Des Moines River
The Des Moines River is a tributary river of the Mississippi River, approximately long to its farther headwaters, in the upper Midwestern United States...
, and at Little Rapids, on the Minnesota River
Minnesota River
The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of nearly , in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa....
just upstream of present-day Carver, Minnesota
Carver, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,266 people, 458 households, and 349 families residing in the city. The population density was 328.6 people per square mile . There were 467 housing units at an average density of 121.2 per square mile...
, on behalf of the Northwest Fur Company.
During his residence at Little Rapids, in 1805, he was married to Elizabeth Pelagie Ainse, a half-Dakota daughter of Joseph-Louis Ainse, a British superintendent at Mackinac. In 1809, he settled in the small village of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Prairie du Chien is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 5,911 at the 2010 census. Its Zip Code is 53821....
, and commenced trading, on his own account, with the Indians of the Winnebago
Ho-Chunk
The Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago, are a tribe of Native Americans, native to what is now Wisconsin and Illinois. There are two federally recognized Ho-Chunk tribes, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska....
, Fox, and Sioux tribes. In addition to that, he conducted an exchange of lead with Julien Dubuque
Julien Dubuque
Julien Dubuque was a French Canadian from the area of Champlain, Quebec who arrived near what now is known as Dubuque, Iowa - which was named after him. He was one of the first men to settle in the area. He initially received permission from the Meskwaki Native American tribe to mine the lead in...
, at the point now occupied by the city of that name.
During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, Faribault refused to enlist in the English army, and suffered imprisonment and the loss of all his goods in consequence. After the conclusion of the war, in 1815, he became a citizen of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and recommenced his trade at Prairie du Chien. In 1819, he removed to Pike Island
Pike Island
Pike Island is an island at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers in the southwestern part of St. Paul in the Twin Cities metropolitan area of Minnesota. It is a portion of the 100,000 acres of land purchased from the Mdewakanton Sioux Indians by Zebulon Pike in September 1805,...
in the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, and in 1826 to St. Peter (Mendota, Minnesota
Mendota, Minnesota
Mendota is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. The name comes from the Dakota word for "where the waters meet." The population was 198 at the 2010 census.-History:...
), opposite the military post of Fort Snelling. There he remained until the last years of his life, which were spent with his children in the town of Faribault, Minnesota
Faribault, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,818 people, 7,472 households, and 4,946 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,644.8 people per square mile . There were 7,668 housing units at an average density of 605.8 per square mile...
. A county in southern Minnesota was named after him, and the city of the same name after his eldest son.
Faribault was always kind and generous to the Indians, and tried to elevate them by teaching them the useful arts
Useful arts
Useful arts are concerned with the skills and methods of practical subjects such as manufacture and craftsmanship. The word has now gone out of fashion, but it was used during the Victorian era and earlier as an antonym to the performing arts and the fine arts.The term "useful Arts" is used in the...
of life, and strove to teach them the principles of his religion, Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. He was much attached to the Roman Catholic faith of his childhood and presented a house for a chapel to Father Lucien Galtier, the first resident missionary in Minnesota (1840). He died at Faribault, Minnesota, on August 20, 1860. Faribault County, Minnesota
Faribault County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,181 people, 6,652 households, and 4,476 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile . There were 7,247 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
is named after him.