Antoine LeClaire
Encyclopedia
Antoine LeClaire was a US Army interpreter, landowner in Scott County, Iowa
and Rock Island County, Illinois
, businessman, philanthropist and principal founder of Davenport, Iowa
, then in the Northwest Territory
. His father, Francois LeClaire, was French Canadian
and came to the Americas with Lafayette. His mother was a Native American
from the Pottawatomie tribe. He was educated in Michigan and opened his own trading post in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
where he traded with several Native American tribes. He fought on the side of the United States
during the War of 1812
. He was captured by the British in Peoria, Illinois
and held as a prisoner in Alton, Illinois
. There he met General William Clark
who was impressed with LeClaire’s faculty with languages.
After his release, LeClaire was sent to school to learn how to speak proper English, and he entered government service. LeClaire spoke English, French, Spanish and a dozen Native American dialects. He came to Fort Armstrong
in 1818 where he became the interpreter for Col. George Davenport
. A short time later he moved to Peoria, where he met and married his wife Marguerite LaPage in 1820. She was born on October 16, 1802 in Portage des Sioux
, St. Charles County, Missouri. She was the daughter of a French Canadian, Antoine LePage, and the granddaughter of the Sac chief Acoqua. After Peoria the LeClaires spent a short time in Arkansas
where he observed the movements of Native Americans before moving back to Fort Armstrong in 1827.
In 1832, at the end of the Black Hawk War
, LeClaire was present at the peace treaty signing as an interpreter. Sac and Mesquakie territories west of the Mississippi River
were purchased by the United States government. Because he was respected by the Native Americans, the LeClaires were given three parcels of land. One of the parcels was at the head of the Rock Island Rapids on the west side of the river. The second was given to Marguerite by Keokuk, the Sac chief. It was also located on the west side of the river and had been the location of the Mesquakie village. Keokuk stipulated that LeClaire build a house on the spot where the peace treaty was signed, or lose the land. After the United States Congress
approved the peace treaty in 1833, LeClaire built a house, now known as the Treaty House. The third parcel of land was given by the Potawatomie
on the Illinois side of the river where present day Moline, Illinois
is situated.
LeClaire was named the postmaster and the justice of the peace in 1833. His jurisdiction included all the lands that had been included in the Black Hawk Purchase
. He was responsible for resolving disputes between the Native Americans and the white settlers. He generally took a hands-off approach which the independent-minded settlers found appealing. In 1834 he established the area's first ferry service across the river. LeClaire also served as Black Hawk’s stenographer when the Sac warrior wrote his memoirs.
. Antoine LeClaire was part of the group. While he owned a great deal of land, he did not have a great deal of money. The other investors paid him $1,750 for the site that now lies between the river and Seventh Street and between Harrison Street to just past Warren Street.
While LeClaire was the driving force in the development of Davenport, the town was not named for him. Not only did he not have enough money to develop buildings on the land, but he was also a half-breed with a French surname and a devout Catholic. The other investors had English surnames, money to invest and government contracts. George Davenport also failed to have his name attached to the new town across the river (Stevenson), and so the town on the Iowa side of the river was named after him.
LeClaire had the town laid out in the conventional fashion of a grid pattern of 36 squares. Three of the squares were set aside for public squares: Lafayette Square, which is a public park today; Bolivar Square, site of the Scott County Courthouse
; and Washington Square, present site of the downtown YMCA
. The levee along the river was also left open for public use. The east-west streets but one were named for Native American tribes: Sac, Fox (another name for the Mesquakie), Ottawa, Chippewa, and Potawatomie. Later those streets would be renamed Second through Sixth Streets. Front Street, now River Drive, was along the levee. The north-south streets retain their original names: Ripley, Scott, Western, Gaines, Brown and Warren.
to lay the cornerstone
for the original St. Anthony’s Church
. The title to the property, named Church Square, was deeded to Bishop Mathias Loras
of Dubuque
in 1839 to support the Catholic Church in Davenport. Because of this support Davenport was named a See City
with its own bishop in 1881. When the church decided to establish a third parish in Davenport, LeClaire donated another square on a bluff on the east side of the city for St. Marguerite’s, also called St. Margaret’s. The LeClaires also built and furnished the rectory, and provided financial support for building the new church. LeClaire donated property two miles outside of Davenport for St. Marguerite’s Cemetery
. Both St. Anthony’s and St. Marguerite’s were named in honor of the LeClaires for their generosity. Antoine LeClaire had also been a member of the St. Anthony’s choir, where he played the bass viol. While they were devout Catholics their generosity was not limited to the Catholic Church. LeClaire also provided the land for the initial First Baptist Church
, Edwards Congregational, and other churches.
The LeClaires' philanthropy existed in other areas of society as well. He donated Bolivar Square to Scott County, which sealed Davenport’s attempt to be named the county seat. In 1846 he donated the land for the establishment of Iowa College, which eventually left Davenport and became Grinnell College
. In 1855 he built a new house and donated the Treaty House to the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad
and it became Davenport’s first railroad station. The LeClaires hosted members of the Sac and Mesquakie tribes, who camped on their estate and were allowed to stay as long as they liked.
as “my boy.”
During the Panic of 1857
many banks in the Midwest failed, and the Cook and Sargent Bank in Davenport appeared to be in danger. LeClaire called for calm among the citizens of Davenport and to keep their money in the bank. He assured them the bank was secure and guaranteed its safety with his own money. The bank, however, failed for other reasons and LeClaire still made good on his promise. The strain may have hastened his death.
Antoine LeClaire died on September 25, 1861. His funeral was held in St. Marguerite’s Church and he was buried in the church yard. The Rev. J.A.M. Pelamourgues
from St. Anthony’s presided at the funeral with two other priests. The Rev. John Donlan preached the funeral sermon. Marguerite LeClaire died on October 18, 1876 and was buried next to her husband. When Sacred Heart Cathedral was built in 1891, and St. Marguerite’s was torn down, the LeClaires' bodies were moved to St. Marguerite’s Cemetery, now Mount Calvary Cemetery
.
area of Iowa and Illinois are named for LeClaire. They include:
Scott County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 165,224 in the county, with a population density of . There were 71,835 housing units, of which 66,765 were occupied.-2000 census:...
and Rock Island County, Illinois
Rock Island County, Illinois
Rock Island County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 147,546, which is a decrease of 1.2% from 149,374 in 2000. Its county seat is Rock Island...
, businessman, philanthropist and principal founder of Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
Early life
LeClaire was born on December 15, 1797 in present-day St. Joseph, MichiganSt. Joseph, Michigan
St. Joseph is a city in the US state of Michigan. It was incorporated as a village in 1834 and as a city in 1891. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,789. It lies on the shore of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, about east-northeast of Chicago. It is the county...
, then in the Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
. His father, Francois LeClaire, was French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
and came to the Americas with Lafayette. His mother was a Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
from the Pottawatomie tribe. He was educated in Michigan and opened his own trading post in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
where he traded with several Native American tribes. He fought on the side of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
. He was captured by the British in Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
and held as a prisoner in Alton, Illinois
Alton, Illinois
Alton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...
. There he met General William Clark
William Clark
William Clark was an American explorer, soldier, Indian agent, and territorial governor. A native of Virginia, he grew up in prestatehood Kentucky before later settling in what became the state of Missouri...
who was impressed with LeClaire’s faculty with languages.
After his release, LeClaire was sent to school to learn how to speak proper English, and he entered government service. LeClaire spoke English, French, Spanish and a dozen Native American dialects. He came to Fort Armstrong
Fort Armstrong
Fort Armstrong , was one of a chain of western frontier defenses which the United States erected after the War of 1812. It was located at the foot of Rock Island, Illinois, in the Mississippi River between present-day Illinois and Iowa. It was five miles from the principal Sac and Fox village on...
in 1818 where he became the interpreter for Col. George Davenport
George Davenport
Colonel George Davenport was a 19th-century American frontiersman, trader and US Army officer. A prominent and well-known settler in the Iowa Territory, he was one of the earliest settlers in Rock Island and spent much of his life involved in the early settlement of the Mississippi Valley and the...
. A short time later he moved to Peoria, where he met and married his wife Marguerite LaPage in 1820. She was born on October 16, 1802 in Portage des Sioux
Portage Des Sioux, Missouri
Portage Des Sioux is a city in St. Charles County, Missouri, United States. The town sits on the Mississippi River roughly opposite Elsah, Illinois, and is the home of the riverside shrine of Our Lady of the Rivers. The population was 367 at the 2007 census. The city was founded in 1799 by...
, St. Charles County, Missouri. She was the daughter of a French Canadian, Antoine LePage, and the granddaughter of the Sac chief Acoqua. After Peoria the LeClaires spent a short time in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
where he observed the movements of Native Americans before moving back to Fort Armstrong in 1827.
Landowner
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
, LeClaire was present at the peace treaty signing as an interpreter. Sac and Mesquakie territories west of 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...
were purchased by the United States government. Because he was respected by the Native Americans, the LeClaires were given three parcels of land. One of the parcels was at the head of the Rock Island Rapids on the west side of the river. The second was given to Marguerite by Keokuk, the Sac chief. It was also located on the west side of the river and had been the location of the Mesquakie village. Keokuk stipulated that LeClaire build a house on the spot where the peace treaty was signed, or lose the land. After the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
approved the peace treaty in 1833, LeClaire built a house, now known as the Treaty House. The third parcel of land was given by the Potawatomie
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
on the Illinois side of the river where present day Moline, Illinois
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
is situated.
LeClaire was named the postmaster and the justice of the peace in 1833. His jurisdiction included all the lands that had been included in the Black Hawk Purchase
Black Hawk Purchase
The Black Hawk Purchase, sometimes called the Forty-Mile Strip or Scott's Purchase, was a land acquisition made in what is now Iowa by the United States federal government. The land, originally owned by the Sauk, Meskwaki , and Ho-Chunk Native American people, was acquired by treaty following...
. He was responsible for resolving disputes between the Native Americans and the white settlers. He generally took a hands-off approach which the independent-minded settlers found appealing. In 1834 he established the area's first ferry service across the river. LeClaire also served as Black Hawk’s stenographer when the Sac warrior wrote his memoirs.
Davenport
George Davenport gathered a group of investors at his home on February 23, 1836 to create a company in order to develop a new town. It was to be located on the Iowa side of the Mississippi River opposite the town of Stevenson, Illinois, which is now the city of Rock IslandRock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
. Antoine LeClaire was part of the group. While he owned a great deal of land, he did not have a great deal of money. The other investors paid him $1,750 for the site that now lies between the river and Seventh Street and between Harrison Street to just past Warren Street.
While LeClaire was the driving force in the development of Davenport, the town was not named for him. Not only did he not have enough money to develop buildings on the land, but he was also a half-breed with a French surname and a devout Catholic. The other investors had English surnames, money to invest and government contracts. George Davenport also failed to have his name attached to the new town across the river (Stevenson), and so the town on the Iowa side of the river was named after him.
LeClaire had the town laid out in the conventional fashion of a grid pattern of 36 squares. Three of the squares were set aside for public squares: Lafayette Square, which is a public park today; Bolivar Square, site of the Scott County Courthouse
Scott County Courthouse (Iowa)
The Scott County Courthouse in Davenport, Iowa, United States was built in 1955 and extensively renovated over a ten year period between 1998-2009. It is the third building the county has used for court functions and county administration...
; and Washington Square, present site of the downtown YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
. The levee along the river was also left open for public use. The east-west streets but one were named for Native American tribes: Sac, Fox (another name for the Mesquakie), Ottawa, Chippewa, and Potawatomie. Later those streets would be renamed Second through Sixth Streets. Front Street, now River Drive, was along the levee. The north-south streets retain their original names: Ripley, Scott, Western, Gaines, Brown and Warren.
Businessman
LeClaire joined with George Davenport to develop the first public house in the area, which was named the LeClaire House. He also established the first foundry in the young town, and with A. C. Fulton he built the first mill. He was also involved with a group of investors who brought the railroad to Davenport in the 1850s.Philanthropy
When the first addition was made to Davenport, LeClaire set aside one of the squares for a Catholic church. In April 1837 he joined with the missionary priest Samuel Charles MazzuchelliSamuel Charles Mazzuchelli
Father Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, O.P. was a pioneer Italian Catholic missionary who helped bring the church to the Iowa-Illinois-Wisconsin tri-state area. He founded a number of parishes in the area, and was the architect for a number of parish buildings.-Background:Father Mazzuchelli was born...
to lay the cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
for the original St. Anthony’s Church
St. Anthony's Catholic Church (Davenport, Iowa)
Saint Anthony's Catholic Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. The church is located in Davenport, Iowa, United States, at the corner of 4th and Main Streets. It is the first church congregation organized in the city of Davenport and the second, after St. Raphael's...
. The title to the property, named Church Square, was deeded to Bishop Mathias Loras
Mathias Loras
Bishop Mathias Loras was an immigrant French priest to the United States who later became the first bishop of the Dubuque Diocese in what would become the state of Iowa.-Early Life & Ministry:...
of Dubuque
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States. It includes all the Iowa counties north of Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, and Clinton counties. ...
in 1839 to support the Catholic Church in Davenport. Because of this support Davenport was named a See City
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
with its own bishop in 1881. When the church decided to establish a third parish in Davenport, LeClaire donated another square on a bluff on the east side of the city for St. Marguerite’s, also called St. Margaret’s. The LeClaires also built and furnished the rectory, and provided financial support for building the new church. LeClaire donated property two miles outside of Davenport for St. Marguerite’s Cemetery
Mount Calvary Cemetery (Davenport, Iowa)
Mount Calvary Cemetery is located in north-central Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was established as St. Marguerite’s Cemetery in the 1850s on of property donated by Antoine LeClaire. At the time the cemetery lay outside the city of Davenport...
. Both St. Anthony’s and St. Marguerite’s were named in honor of the LeClaires for their generosity. Antoine LeClaire had also been a member of the St. Anthony’s choir, where he played the bass viol. While they were devout Catholics their generosity was not limited to the Catholic Church. LeClaire also provided the land for the initial First Baptist Church
First Baptist Church (Davenport, Iowa)
First Baptist Church is located at 1401 Perry Street, Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Calvary Baptist Church/First Baptist Church.-Development:...
, Edwards Congregational, and other churches.
The LeClaires' philanthropy existed in other areas of society as well. He donated Bolivar Square to Scott County, which sealed Davenport’s attempt to be named the county seat. In 1846 he donated the land for the establishment of Iowa College, which eventually left Davenport and became Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
. In 1855 he built a new house and donated the Treaty House to the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad
Mississippi and Missouri Railroad
The Mississippi and Missouri Railroad was the first railroad in Iowa and was chartered in 1853 to build a line between Davenport, Iowa on the Mississippi River and Council Bluffs, Iowa on the Missouri River and was to play an important role in the construction of the First Transcontinental...
and it became Davenport’s first railroad station. The LeClaires hosted members of the Sac and Mesquakie tribes, who camped on their estate and were allowed to stay as long as they liked.
Later life and death
The LeClaires had no children of their own. When his half brother Alexis died in 1849 Antoine and Marguerite informally adopted his son Louis. He even introduced Louis to former President Millard FillmoreMillard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
as “my boy.”
During the Panic of 1857
Panic of 1857
The Panic of 1857 was a financial panic in the United States caused by the declining international economy and over-expansion of the domestic economy. Indeed, because of the interconnectedness of the world economy by the time of the 1850s, the financial crisis which began in the autumn of 1857 was...
many banks in the Midwest failed, and the Cook and Sargent Bank in Davenport appeared to be in danger. LeClaire called for calm among the citizens of Davenport and to keep their money in the bank. He assured them the bank was secure and guaranteed its safety with his own money. The bank, however, failed for other reasons and LeClaire still made good on his promise. The strain may have hastened his death.
Antoine LeClaire died on September 25, 1861. His funeral was held in St. Marguerite’s Church and he was buried in the church yard. The Rev. J.A.M. Pelamourgues
J.A.M. Pelamourgues
Jean-Antoine-Marie Pelamourgues was a French missionary who was one of the first Roman Catholic priests to serve in the Diocese of Dubuque in the state of Iowa. He served as the first pastor of St. Anthony's Church in Davenport, Iowa from 1839-1868.-Early Life & Ministry:Pelamourgues was born in...
from St. Anthony’s presided at the funeral with two other priests. The Rev. John Donlan preached the funeral sermon. Marguerite LeClaire died on October 18, 1876 and was buried next to her husband. When Sacred Heart Cathedral was built in 1891, and St. Marguerite’s was torn down, the LeClaires' bodies were moved to St. Marguerite’s Cemetery, now Mount Calvary Cemetery
Mount Calvary Cemetery (Davenport, Iowa)
Mount Calvary Cemetery is located in north-central Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was established as St. Marguerite’s Cemetery in the 1850s on of property donated by Antoine LeClaire. At the time the cemetery lay outside the city of Davenport...
.
Legacy
Numerous places in the Quad CityQuad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
area of Iowa and Illinois are named for LeClaire. They include:
- Le Claire, IowaLe Claire, IowaLe Claire is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,765 in the 2010 census, an increase from 2,847 in the 2000 census. Le Claire is part of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area.- History :...
, established on LeClaire's property above the Rock Island Rapids - LeClaire HotelLeClaire HotelLeClaire Hotel is an historic building located in downtown Moline, Illinois, United States. It was named a Moline Historic Landmark in 1993 and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. The building is now an apartment building known as the LeClaire...
, Moline, Illinois - LeClaire ParkLeClaire ParkLeClaire Park is a public park located along the Mississippi River in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is situated between two other riverfront parks: Centennial Park on the west and a new park that is being developed to the east. The park includes monuments, a bandshell. a baseball...
, Davenport - LeClaire Street, Davenport