Term: Paquette, Pierre 1799? - 1836

Definition:

half-breed Indian trader, scout, interpreter, b. Missouri. He moved to the portage of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers (Portage, Wis.) about 1818 where for several years, as agent for Joseph Rolette and the American Fur Co., he conducted a trading post and a transportation service between the two rivers. He was known for his remarkable physical strength and for his fluency in French, English, and several Indian languages. He frequently acted as Winnebago interpreter in the treaty making of the 1820's and 1830's, and during the Black Hawk War (1832) served as government scout, and participated in the Battle of Wisconsin Heights (near Sauk City). He later served as translator for Henry Dodge (q.v.) until assassinated by an Indian during treaty proceedings in 1836. Colls. State Hist. Soc. Wis., 5 (1868), 8 (1879), 12 (1892); Galena (Ill.) Advertiser, Dec. 22, 1836.

The Wisconsin Historical Society has manuscripts related to this topic. See the catalog description of the Pierre Paquette Land Patent for details.

View newspaper clippings at Wisconsin Local History and Biography Articles.