Charles Gratiot Sr-- Part 1.: Supplied George Rogers Clark

From Wikipedia.

1752- 20 April 1817.  Charles Gratiot's father.  Was a merchant trader during the American Revolution, whose declaration of Independence we are celebrating today, though he was not living in one of the 13 colonies.

he was born in Lausanne, Switzerland and emigrated to Montreal where his uncle was involved in the North American fur trade.  Later, he moved to Illinois country and opened a store in 1777 in Cahokia.  He provided supplies to George Rogers Clark in 1778 for his campaign against the British in Illinois and Indiana.  Gratiot provided Clark with $8,000 in supplies and was never reimbursed.

In 1781, Gratiot relocated to St. Louis, across the Mississippi River and married Victoire Chouteau, daughter of Pierre Laclede Liquest, another influential merchant of the city.  They had 13 children, including Charles and his brother Henry

--Brock-Perry