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The fur trading posts

    The Indians soon came to rely on the white men for such useful goods as kettles, cloth, blankets, and firearms. In exchange for these goods they gave the furs of the bear, the deer, the raccoon, the muskrat, the beaver, the buffalo, the otter and the other animals; and sometimes also deer tallow, bees wax and feathers. The fur traders brought their goods to the Indian camps or villages. Sometimes they even followed the Indians on their summer and winter hunts. As the trade grew, trading posts were established. These usually consisted of one or more rude log buildings, where the trader lived and kept his stock of goods. There were such posts at various points in Iowa before the coming of the white settlers. Since the trading posts also became business centers for the settlers, some of the posts grew into towns and cities. Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Eddyville, Iowaville, Muscatine and Keokuk were originally fur trading posts.

The fur traders

    A number of the fur traders were French Canadians. Others were Spanish Americans with headquarters in St. Louis. Some were half-breeds, that is, of Indian and white parentage, for frequently white fur traders married Indian women and lived in general Indian style. Some of the traders were independent, but more were employees of fur companies.

    Manuel Lisa, a Spanish American with headquarters in St. Louis was the most prominent trader operating among the tribes along....

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.... the Missouri River. He was a member of the Missouri Fur Trading Company. Other members of this company were the explorers Lewis and Clark. Lisa traveled widely to buy furs from the Indians. He traded with the Otoes, the Omahas, the Sioux and many other tribes.

George Davenport

    Another well-known fur trader was George Davenport, an Englishman by birth, who in 1816 came with the soldiers to Fort Armstrong on Rock Island, the beautiful island in the Mississippi, from which the city of Rock Island took its name. Davenport established trading posts in both Illinois and Iowa. Being a good business man, his furs, feathers, bees wax and deer tallow brought good prices in St. Lois, and for ten years he remained an independent trader. But in 1826 he joined the American Fur Company. The Indians had great confidence in him. Often he represented them in dealing with the United States government. At one time it was said that he controlled all of the Sacs and Foxes except Black Hawk and his band.

    Bandits killed George Davenport in broad daylight at his home on Rock Island on the Fourth of July, 1845. The country seat of Scott County was named in his honor.

"Trusting" the Indians

   Eddyville was named for the fur trader, J. P. Eddy. The trading post, however, on the site of present Eddyville, was called Hardfisher because it was in the village of chief Hardfish. Like the other traders, Eddy often sold goods to the Indians on credit. Chief Kish-ke-kosh once had the following good charged to his account: broadcloth, 8 yards of ribbon, a pair of stockings, one coffin, more ribbons, a saddle, lard, pins, a pen knife, a looking glass, sugar, coffee, a parasol. The account of Neo-pope shows her had a bad daughter. The account ran: powder ($7), one bolt ribbon (stolen by daughter), credit of 11 coon skins, five deer skins and one bear skin.

The profits of the fur trader

    The furs collected at the trading posts were sent by boat or canoe to the larger trading centers at Prairie du Chien in Wisconsin and St Louis in Missouri. From there shipments were made to New York, England and China. In China there was a special demand for otter skins.

    To most of those who took part in the fur trade, it was a profitable business. In addition to board and lodging the common laborers....

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.... of the fur companies received from $100 to $200 a year; and clerks from $200 to $1,200 a year. These were considered food wages at that time. The independent traders and the fur companies often made 50 cents to a dollar on every dollar invested. Though the Indians frequently bought on credit, and at times owed the traders large sums of money, such debts were usually paid when the Indians sold their lands to the United States.

Benefits and drawbacks of the fur trade to the Indians

    The fur traders supplied the Indians with many of their necessities. Knowing the Indians better than most other white men, they were often able to render them valuable aid in time of urgent need or danger. The thoughtful fur trader did not want the Indian braves to become drunkards or spend most of their time on the war path since then there would be less time for hunting. To the fur traders the "Good Indian" was the good hunter. Yet, many fur traders sold the Indians whisky unlawfully, cheated them in trade, and even stirred them up against one another and against the white settlers.

Questions and exercises: Write a list of Iowa towns which were originally fur trading posts. Name two classes of fur traders. Why were the furs then so valuable? Are they still today? Why was it or was it not right for the fur traders to credit the Indians?