Post by Rivergal on Jun 12, 2012 7:22:42 GMT -6
Keokuk, Iowa, is an old river town. It was a station of the American Fur Company where the Des Moines River meets the Mississippi. The fur company headquarters. between what would become Main and Blondeau streets, was called "Rat Row". Here are a couple of useful links for researchers of the early settlers of Keokuk:
This is for everything pertaining to Lee County
iagenweb.org/lee/index.htm
This one lists many burials in the Old Catholic Cemetery
iagenweb.org/lee/cems/oakcath/oakcath.htm
In Virginia Ivins' memoir of old Keokuk, she mentions a very handsome man, whom she calls "Frank Labershier" and who was a French-Indian interpreter. "A leading Half-breed" of the town was his mother, Mrs. St. Amant. I had some trouble finding this "Labershier" because his actual name was Francois Labuxiere! Here he is
records.ancestry.com/Francois_Labuxiere_records.ashx?pid=137727569
Virginia mentioned that he died soon after she came to Keokuk to live with her uncle, Dr. Isaac Galland--and that is true. Virginia Wilcox first came to Keokuk in 1840 but then went away to school for awhile, not returning until 1842. Labuxiere/Labershier died in 1843. His father had also been called Francois Labuxiere, apparently, and the maiden name of his mother was Blondeau. They had one child and later Mrs. Labuxiere married a man named St. Amant with whom she had other children. One of her daughters married Alex McBride, as indicated by Virginia Ivins.
Addendum: I have found some more information on Francois/Francis/Frank Labuxiere II, the man Virginia Ivins thought so handsome. [BTW, researchers, I have also found that the surname "Labuxiere, which means "the boxwood" in French, was also written as "Labuniere" in the case of another person bearing the name.]
Several historical sources quote the following in response to the claim of Keokuk schoolmaster, John Robinson, that Labuxiere was among his pupils: "...Francis Labersure...was not less than 26 years old at the time (1829-1830) and was far advanced in educational accomplishments over Mr. R(obinson) or anyone else in Keokuk at that date. He was educated at the Jesuit College at Portage des Sioux under the supervision of the Chonteans (Chouteaus) and was their interpreter for the America(n) Fur Company at that town."
So that accounts for Virginia Ivins finding Frank Labershier to be a "polished" man, as he was evidently no mere rough-neck employed by the Chouteau brothers, engaged in the fur trade. It also means that Frank was about 40 years old when he died in 1843. If I find out more about the son of Madame St. Amant, I will post it here.
This is for everything pertaining to Lee County
iagenweb.org/lee/index.htm
This one lists many burials in the Old Catholic Cemetery
iagenweb.org/lee/cems/oakcath/oakcath.htm
In Virginia Ivins' memoir of old Keokuk, she mentions a very handsome man, whom she calls "Frank Labershier" and who was a French-Indian interpreter. "A leading Half-breed" of the town was his mother, Mrs. St. Amant. I had some trouble finding this "Labershier" because his actual name was Francois Labuxiere! Here he is
records.ancestry.com/Francois_Labuxiere_records.ashx?pid=137727569
Virginia mentioned that he died soon after she came to Keokuk to live with her uncle, Dr. Isaac Galland--and that is true. Virginia Wilcox first came to Keokuk in 1840 but then went away to school for awhile, not returning until 1842. Labuxiere/Labershier died in 1843. His father had also been called Francois Labuxiere, apparently, and the maiden name of his mother was Blondeau. They had one child and later Mrs. Labuxiere married a man named St. Amant with whom she had other children. One of her daughters married Alex McBride, as indicated by Virginia Ivins.
Addendum: I have found some more information on Francois/Francis/Frank Labuxiere II, the man Virginia Ivins thought so handsome. [BTW, researchers, I have also found that the surname "Labuxiere, which means "the boxwood" in French, was also written as "Labuniere" in the case of another person bearing the name.]
Several historical sources quote the following in response to the claim of Keokuk schoolmaster, John Robinson, that Labuxiere was among his pupils: "...Francis Labersure...was not less than 26 years old at the time (1829-1830) and was far advanced in educational accomplishments over Mr. R(obinson) or anyone else in Keokuk at that date. He was educated at the Jesuit College at Portage des Sioux under the supervision of the Chonteans (Chouteaus) and was their interpreter for the America(n) Fur Company at that town."
So that accounts for Virginia Ivins finding Frank Labershier to be a "polished" man, as he was evidently no mere rough-neck employed by the Chouteau brothers, engaged in the fur trade. It also means that Frank was about 40 years old when he died in 1843. If I find out more about the son of Madame St. Amant, I will post it here.
