CHOUTEAU, Berenice, pioneer, was born in Kaskaskia, Ill., in 1801, daughter of Col. Peter Menard, first territorial governor of Illinois. The official position of her father afforded her educational and social advantages beyond those of the average young women of her locality and time. She was married when eighteen years old to Francis F., son of Pierre Chouteau, Jr., and partner in the firm of P. Chouteau, Jr., & Co., fur traders. The newly married couple decided to make their home at a point on the Missouri river near Black Snake Hills, which location became the site of the city of St. Joseph, Mo. The journey was made on a flat-boat, and after living there two years they removed to the present site of Kansas City, Mo., where they established the first trading post and built in the woods the first log house erected in that section. Here her husband acquired title to large tracts of land and extended his domain to the mouth of the Kansas river, making it to include all the valuable farming land in the vicinity. The city of Kansas City was subsequently built upon a portion of this property, and squatters located on other sections and gave title to new settlers. The question of ownership in this way became much involved, and long and expensive litigation ensued, in which Mrs. Chouteau after her husband's death sought to recover possession, her claims amounting to over $5,000,000. The statutes of limitation operated to deprive her of her rights, the decision being made by the highest courts, in November, 1888, but two weeks before her death. She was a lib-oral [sic; liberal?] benefactress and distributed her large fortune in promoting the interests of the Roman Catholic church, of which she was a devout member. She built in Kansas City the first church edifice, and her liberality during her life expanded with the growth of the church and its institutions in that locality. She lived to witness Kansas City create a diocesan see, and a cathedral take the place of her first little chapel. She died in Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 20, 1888.

The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans: Volume II C; by Pierre Chouteau
(The Biographical Society, 1904)


1840 United States Federal Census

Name: Baenice Choutean
[Berenice Chouteau]
County: Jackson
State: Missouri
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5: 2
Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49: 1
Slaves - Males - Under 10: 3
Slaves - Males - 10 thru 23: 1
Slaves - Males - 24 thru 35: 2
Slaves - Females - 10 thru 23: 1
Slaves - Females - 24 thru 35: 1
Total - All Persons (Free White, Free Colored, Slaves): 12
Persons Employed in Agriculture: 3
Free White Persons - Under 20: 3
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 1
Total Free White Persons: 4
Total Slaves: 8
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 12


1850 United States Federal Census

Name: Berenice F Chotean
[Berenice F Choteau]
Age: 50
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1800
Birth Place: Illinois
Gender: Female
Home in 1850 (City,County,State): Kaw, Jackson, Missouri
Family Number: 93
Household Members: Name Age
Berenice F Chotean 50
Edmund F Chotean 28
Pierre M Chotean 26
Benj F Chotean 21
Frederic B Chotean 19
Mary P Chotean 21
Bridget Chotean 16
Mary Raeford 5
William Raeford 2
Cecile Thomas 5


1860 United States Federal Census

Name: Berenice F Choteau
Age in 1860: 55
Birth Year: abt 1805
Birthplace: Illinois
Home in 1860: Ste Genevieve, Ste Genevieve, Missouri Gender: Female
Post Office: Ste Genevieve
Value of real estate: View image
Household Members: Name Age
Berenice F Choteau 55
Frederic D Choteau 29
A C Hopkins 32
Mary B Hopkins 25
William C Hopkins 19
Milton B Crane 25
William Ekle 26
A W Bunson 21
Julius Raith 41
George Hassel 20
William Steller 37
John Koar 35


1870 United States Federal Census

Name: Peter M Chouteau
Birth Year: abt 1822
Age in 1870: 48
Birthplace: Missouri
Home in 1870: Kansas City Ward 2, Jackson, Missouri
Gender: Male
Value of real estate: View image
Household Members: Name Age
Peter M Chouteau 48
Mary H Chouteau 38
Frank Chouteau 19
Delia Chouteau 15
Mary Chouteau 6
Bernice Chouteau 4/12
Jane Barr 22

[Peter M. Chouteau, aka Pierre Menard Chouteau, was Berenice's son. T.N.]


1870 United States Federal Census

Name: Cyprian Chouteau
Birth Year: abt 1804
Age in 1870: 66
Birthplace: Missouri
Home in 1870: Kansas City Ward 1, Jackson, Missouri
Gender: Male
Value of real estate: View image
Household Members: Name Age
Cyprian Chouteau 66
Nancy Chouteau 45
Fred L Chouteau 17
Edmond Chouteau 10
Mary Chouteau 7
William Francis 18
Maria Francis 24

[I have been unable, so far, to locate Berenice on the 1870 federal census. Cyprian, I believe, was Berenice's brother-in-law. T.N.]


1880 United States Federal Census

Name: Bernice Chouteau
Home in 1880: Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri
Age: 77
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1803
Birthplace: Illinois
Relation to Head of Household: Mother
Father's birthplace: Canada
Mother's birthplace: Canada
Neighbors: View others on page
Marital Status: Widowed
Race: White
Gender: Female
Cannot read/write:
Blind:
Deaf and dumb:
Otherwise disabled:
Idiotic or insane: View image
Household Members: Name Age
Pierre M. Chouteaw 58
Mary Chouteaw 49
Mamie Chouteaw 16
Delia Rice 24
Bernice Chouteau 9
Bernice Chouteau 77
Fred'k. D. Chouteau 48
Adelaide Miles 39
Anna Miles 15
Lockett Miles 12
Frank Miles 9
Jno. C. Allendorf 39
Anna Allendorf 26
Gertrude Allendorf 5
Frank C. Jocelyn 35
Harriett M. Jocelyn 28
Robt. Mc Coy Jocelyn 7
Berenice H. Jocelyn 4
Robert Vance 21
Harry H. Ely 24
Patk. Mc Grath 30
Herbert Mathews 18
Mary Ralston 35
Nora Ralston 11
Dick Turpen 18

Here is the obituary for Berenice as published by the New York Times.

And here is a list of her children, taken from the Wikipedia article about her husband Francois:

Edmond François Chouteau, b. 1821 in St. Louis–d. 1853 in Jackson County, Missouri
Pierre Menard Chouteau, b. 1822 in St. Louis–d. 1885 in Jackson County, Missouri; married Marie Anne Polk
Louis Amédée Chouteau, b. 1825 in St. Louis–d. 1827 in St. Louis
Louis Sylvestre Chouteau, b. 1827 in St. Louis–d. 1829 in St. Louis
Benjamin Chouteau, b. 1828 in St. Louis–d. 1871 in St. Louis; married Anne E. Toler
Frederick D. Chouteau, b. 1831 in Independence, Missouri–d. after 1870; married Adèle Gregoire
Benedict Pharamond Chouteau, b. 1833 in Jackson County, Missouri–d. 1834 in St. Louis
Mary Brigite Chouteau, b. 1835 in Jackson County, Missouri–d. 1864 in St. Louis; married Ashley C. Hopkins
Thérèse Odile Chouteau, b. 1837 in Jackson County, Missouri–d. 1837 in Jackson County
James G. Chouteau, b. before 1825; Note: He was identified by name to receive 640 acres (one section) of land reserved for "half-breeds" according to a provision in Article 5 of the 1825 Osage Treaty.


No pictures remain of Kansas City's first homemakers. As far as is known, none was ever made of Francois Gesseau Chouteau. His wife had a picture of herself but destroyed it before her death because she did not want her likeness to be perpetuated without her husband's.