Antoine Le Claire
| Antoine Le Claire | |
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A portrait of Le Claire derived from an oil painting
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| Born |
December 15, 1797 St. Joseph, Michigan |
| Died | September 25, 1861 (aged 63) Davenport, Iowa |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | U.S. Army Interpreter/Merchant |
| Known for | Founding Davenport, Iowa |
| Spouse(s) | Marguerite LaPage |
| Children | Informally adopted nephew Louis Le Claire |
| Parent(s) | Francois Le Claire |
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Antoine Le Claire (also "LeClaire"; December 15, 1797 – September 25, 1861) was a US Army interpreter, landowner in Scott County, Iowa and Rock Island County, Illinois, businessman, philanthropist and principal founder of Davenport, Iowa.
Le Claire was born on December 15, 1797 in present-day St. Joseph, Michigan, then in the Northwest Territory. His father, Francois Le Claire, was French Canadian and came to the Americas with Lafayette. His mother was a Native American from the Pottawatomie tribe. His father, Francois, opened a trading post in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he traded with several Native American tribes. Francois fought on the side of the United States during the War of 1812. He was captured by the British in Peoria, Illinois and held as a prisoner in Alton, Illinois. While his father was imprisoned, Antoine met General William Clark who was impressed with Le Claire's faculty with languages; Clark sent Antoine to school to learn proper English, and he entered government service. Le Claire spoke English, French, Spanish and a dozen Native American dialects. He came to Fort Armstrong in 1818 where he became the interpreter for Col. George Davenport. A short time later he moved to Peoria, where he met and married his wife Marguerite LePage in 1820. She was born on October 16, 1802 in Portage des Sioux, St. Charles County, Missouri. She was the daughter of a French Canadian, Antoine LePage, and the granddaughter of the Sac chief Acoqua. After Peoria the Le Claires spent a short time in Arkansas where he observed the movements of Native Americans before moving back to Fort Armstrong in 1827.
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