Antoine Ouilmette
Encyclopedia
Antoine Ouilmette was a fur trader and early resident of what is now Chicago
, Illinois
. He was of French Canadian and possibly Native American ancestry. The village of Wilmette, Illinois
(phonetic spelling of Ouilmette) is named in his honor.
of French Canadian
ancestry. However, "Ouilamette" was a name associated with the Potawatomi
tribe decades before Antoine Ouilmette's birth, and so in 1977 anthropologist James A. Clifton speculated that Antoine Ouilmette was "probably a Métis
descendant" of Ouilamette, a Native American who was prominent in the Lake Michigan
region beginning in the 1680s. Grover wrote that Ouilmette was born in Lahndrayh, near Montreal
, in 1760, although another source says that he was baptized as "Antoine Louis Ouimet" in 1758.
Ouilmette was employed by the American Fur Company, and moved to Chicago in July 1790 where he built a log cabin on the north side of the main branch of the Chicago River
, just to the west of the property of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. In 1796 or 1797 he married Archange Marie Chevalier, a French-Potawatomi woman, at Grosse Point (now Evanston and Wilmette). He was employed by John Kinzie
after Kinzie settled in Chicago in 1804. Ouilmette and his Métis family were friendly with most of the local native American population and so they remained in Chicago in the four years that followed the Battle of Fort Dearborn in 1812.
In 1829 he was instrumental in persuading local Native Americans to sign the second Treaty of Prairie du Chien
; in recognition of this the U.S. government awarded 1280 acres (5.2 km²) of land in present-day Wilmette
and Evanston
to Ouilmette's wife Archange and her children. Shortly after this Ouilmette and his family moved to a cabin on this reservation. In 1836 the Potawatomi were relocated west of the Mississippi River
and Ouilmette and his family moved with them. He died at Council Bluffs, Iowa
in December 1841.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. He was of French Canadian and possibly Native American ancestry. The village of Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located north of Chicago's downtown district and has a population of 27,651. Wilmette is considered a bedroom community in the North Shore district...
(phonetic spelling of Ouilmette) is named in his honor.
Biography
Little is known about Ouilmette's background and early life. In 1908, amateur historian Frank Grover wrote that previous claims that Ouilmette was an "Indian chief" were false, and that he was instead a white voyageurVoyageurs
The Voyageurs were the persons who engaged in the transportation of furs by canoe during the fur trade era. Voyageur is a French word which literally translates to "traveler"...
of 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...
ancestry. However, "Ouilamette" was a name associated with the Potawatomi
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...
tribe decades before Antoine Ouilmette's birth, and so in 1977 anthropologist James A. Clifton speculated that Antoine Ouilmette was "probably a Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
descendant" of Ouilamette, a Native American who was prominent in the Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
region beginning in the 1680s. Grover wrote that Ouilmette was born in Lahndrayh, near Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, in 1760, although another source says that he was baptized as "Antoine Louis Ouimet" in 1758.
Ouilmette was employed by the American Fur Company, and moved to Chicago in July 1790 where he built a log cabin on the north side of the main branch of the Chicago River
Chicago River
The Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of that runs through the city of the same name, including its center . Though not especially long, the river is notable for being the reason why Chicago became an important location, as the link between the Great Lakes and...
, just to the west of the property of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. In 1796 or 1797 he married Archange Marie Chevalier, a French-Potawatomi woman, at Grosse Point (now Evanston and Wilmette). He was employed by John Kinzie
John Kinzie
John Kinzie was one of Chicago's first permanent European settlers. Kinzie Street in Chicago is named after him.-Early life:...
after Kinzie settled in Chicago in 1804. Ouilmette and his Métis family were friendly with most of the local native American population and so they remained in Chicago in the four years that followed the Battle of Fort Dearborn in 1812.
In 1829 he was instrumental in persuading local Native Americans to sign the second Treaty of Prairie du Chien
Treaty of Prairie du Chien
The Treaty of Prairie du Chien may refer to any of several treaties made and signed in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin between the United States, representatives from the Sioux, Sac and Fox, Menominee, Ioway, Winnebago and the Anishinaabeg Native American peoples.-1825:The first treaty of Prairie du...
; in recognition of this the U.S. government awarded 1280 acres (5.2 km²) of land in present-day Wilmette
Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located north of Chicago's downtown district and has a population of 27,651. Wilmette is considered a bedroom community in the North Shore district...
and Evanston
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
to Ouilmette's wife Archange and her children. Shortly after this Ouilmette and his family moved to a cabin on this reservation. In 1836 the Potawatomi were relocated 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...
and Ouilmette and his family moved with them. He died at Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, known until 1852 as Kanesville, Iowathe historic starting point of the Mormon Trail and eventual northernmost anchor town of the other emigrant trailsis a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States and is on the east bank of the Missouri River across...
in December 1841.