DATE: 24 July, 1811; 11 February 1813
CREATOR: Astor, John Jacob (1763-1848); German-American business magnate, merchant and investor who was the first prominent member of the Astor family and the first multi-millionaire in the United States.
EXTENT: Two letters, both dated autograph letters signed
SCOPE: Two letters. The first written to Charles Gratiot, Esq., St. Louis, Indian Territory concerning fur trade. The second to Ant. C. Cazenove, Alexandria, VA., concerning a business offer.
HISTORY: Astor came to the U.S. in 1784 and built a fur-trading empire that extended to the Great Lakes, Canada, and later to the American West and Pacific coast. His fur trading post of Astoria in 1811 was the first U.S. settlement on the Pacific coast. In the early 19th century he diversified into New York City real estate and later became a patron of the arts.
Charles Gratiot Sr. (1752-1817) was a French merchant in St. Louis during the American Revolution and the decades following. Born in Lausanne, Switzerland, he was a descendant of Huguenots. He emigrated to Montreal to work with an uncle involved in the fur trade. He later moved to the Illinois country and started his own business in 1777, opening a store at Cahokia and becoming an influential trader. When George Rogers Clark arrived in 1778, Gratiot provided supplies to Clark's men and loaned him $8,000 for his campaign against the British at Vincennes, Indiana. In 1781, Gratiot relocated to St. Louis, where he married Victoire Chouteau, a daughter of Pierre Laclede Liguest, (the influential founder of St. Louis as well as a respected business man), and his common law wife Marie Therese Bourgeois. They had 13 children, including General Charles Gratiot, Jr and Henry Gratiot.
View an extended history with additional information.
ACCESS: This is collection M-002. This collection is available for on-site use only in the Rare Book and Manuscripts Reading Room. Some of the collection may be photocopied, digitally scanned or photographed, depending on condition. Researchers are advised to call ahead concerning changes in hours due to University intersessions and holidays. The St. Louis Mercantile Library is located on levels one and two of the Thomas Jefferson Library building. More information about conducting research with the archival collections of the Library, including current building hours and reading room policies, can be found on our Research page.
RESTRICTIONS: None
Preferred Citation note: The preferred citation for this collection is “From the Special Collections of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri – St. Louis.”
Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Roman Beuc, St. Louis Mercantile Library Docent, for transcribing the letters and putting this information together.
INVENTORY
This collection has been digitized and is available through the UMSL Digital Library.
TRANSCRIPTION
Please note that this transcription preserves the original spelling, grammar, and line breaks, whenever possible.
Letter to Charles Gratiot, July 24, 1811, A.L.S.
New York 24 July 1811
Dear Sir
The last letter I have recv’d from Col. W.P. Hunt was dated the 9th April at Fort Oswego when he maintained that he had written to me more particularly on the day preceding which letter I have not recv’d _ Should you get any information relative to him or his partie (party) I will esteem it a great fav’r if you will be so kind as to communicate to me _ The fur trade as well as every other is very bade(bad) here and no kind of skins except some few for home consumption will sell nor have we at present any prospect of any favorable change. Deer skins that should have been sold at 20 cents a lb & are plenty in market.
I am Dear Sir your
very Humble Servant
John Jacob Astor
Letter is addressed to:
Charles Gratiot Esq
St. Louis
Indian Territory
Letter to Anthony Charles Cazenove, July 11, 1813, A.L.S
New York 11 July 1813
Dear Sir
I have recv’d your esteemed letter of the 8th and am greatly obliged by your good wishes as also the offer of your good services.
I am ____thy (generally?) in the way of buying _____(?) and as I know that it frequently passes through your place. I had it in contemplation to have made you a visit when last at Washington but was prevented and to have asked of you whether you would furnish some for me. At present and for 2 months to come I would take 15 to 20,000lbs if of good quality could be had at 25 cents a lb. I do not know whether you are a judge of the article but there is a good deal of difference in the quality and that which is not good will not answer ___ but if you meet with some that is good and of the price mentioned I will thank you to buy for me and draw on me as occasion may require. I have not been much in the way of making consignments and at present I believe it would not answer as ___(?) pretty(?) good ____(?) here at some other time. I may avail myself of your good offer. In the meantime I shall be glad if Jean be of any use to you here.
I am with great esteem
Dear Sir your most ob (obedient)
John Jacob Astor
Letter is addressed to:
Ant (Anthony) Chs (Charles) Cazenove Esq.
Alexandria
Va
New York Feb 11th, 1813
John Jacob Astor
