Frank Grouard
| Frank Grouard | |
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Frank Gourard in 1876
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| Born | September 20, 1850 The Society Islands |
| Died | August 15, 1905 St. Louis, Missouri |
| Buried at | Ashland Cemetery, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri, United States |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Rank | Chief Scout |
| Unit | 7th U.S. Cavalry |
| Battles/wars | |
Frank Grouard (also known as Frank Gruard) (20 September 1850 – 15 August 1905) was a Scout and interpreter for General George Crook during the American Indian War of 1876.
Grouard's origins are the center of much speculation and controversy. He is variously described as having been American Indian, half-Indian, French-Creole or half-Black, the son of the early Black American Fur Company mountain man, John Brazeau. Grouard himself, in his biography dictated to journalist Joseph DeBarthe in 1891, stated he was born in the Society Islands in the south Pacific Ocean, the second of three sons born to Benjamin Franklin Grouard, an American Mormon missionary, and a Polynesian woman.
He moved to Utah with his parents and two brothers in 1852, later moving to San Bernardino in California. After a year in California, Grouard's wife returned to the South Pacific with two of the children, leaving Benjamin with the middle son, Frank. In 1855 he was adopted into the family of Addison and Louisa Barnes Pratt, fellow Mormon missionaries of his father. Grouard moved with the Pratt family to Beaver, Utah, from where he ran away at age 15, moving to Helena, Montana and becoming an express rider and stage driver.
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