Scottish Rite History
Pierre Choteau Jr.
(Jan 19, 1789-Sep 8, 1865)
Born: St Louis
1808 - Raised, Lodge L'Amenite No. 73, Philadelphia, Pa
Co-organizer, St. Louis Lodge No. 111, St. Louis, Mo
Pierre Choteau (1789-1865) was one of the founders of the American Fur Company and grandson of Laclede Choteau, founder of St. Louis. He was born January 19, 1789 in St. Louis. Entered fur trade as young man following Indians from point to point - St. Joseph, Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Fort Pierre, Fort Berthold, Fort Union and Fort Benton. He also established trading posts along the Mississippi from Keokuk to St. Paul. With two other Freemasons, Bernard Pratte and Bartholomew Berthold, he purchased the American Fur Company from John Jacob Astor another partner in 1839. The trading area of the new company (P. Choteau, Jr. & Co.) extended from Texas to the Blackfeet country on the north and also the trade of Santa Fe. He was a member of the first constitutional convention of Missouri, in 1820, together with his partner, Bernard Pratte. In 1807 he was associate judge of the court of common pleas and in 1808 was captain in a volunteer company of mounted troops in St. Louis.
Brother Choteau received his degrees in Lodge L'Amenite No. 73 at Philadelphia, Pa. and in 1808 was one of the organizers of St. Louis Lodge No. 111 in St. Louis of which Merriwether Lewis was the first Master. He died on September 8, 1865 in St. Louis.