Jean Ferdinand Rozier
| Jean Ferdinand Rozier | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 9, 1777 Nantes, France |
| Died | January 1, 1864 Ste. Genevieve, Missouri |
| Occupation | Merchant, Businessman |
| Spouse(s) | Constance Pelagie Roy |
Jean Ferdinand Rozier (1777–1864) was a French-American businessman whose partners included naturalist John James Audubon and lead mogul Firmin Rene Desloge.
He was born in Nantes, France, to Francois Claude Rozier (November 20, 1739, in Orleans, France – September 6, 1806, in Nantes, France) and Renee Angelique Colas (July 17, 1745 – February 9, 1824). In 1802, he served in the French Navy.
In 1806, he became business partners with John James Audubon in France:
Nantes, France, March 23, 1806
We, the undersigned, Ferdinand Rozier and John Audubon, who are intending to go to the United States, are agreed to form a partnership in business upon the following conditions:
Done in duplicate and in good faith between us. Nantes, this 23 March 1806.
(signed) John Audubon
(signed) Ferdinand Rozier
The partners traveled to the United States, and continued the partnership at Audubon's father's property in Pennsylvania. Shipping goods ahead, Audubon and Rozier started a general store in Louisville, Kentucky. Located on the Ohio River, Louisville was the most important port between Pittsburgh and New Orleans. Rozier finally settled in Ste. Genevieve, some 70 miles south of St. Louis in the Louisiana Territory (later to become the Missouri Territory). The village was the first European settlement west of the Mississippi River.
On April 6, 1811, Audubon sold his portion of the business to Rozier in order to continue his studies and art interests. Rozier agreed to pay Audubon $3,000 ($43,182 today): one-third in cash within six months and the rest later.
Audubon wrote:
I John Audubon, having this day mutual consent with Ferdinand Rozier, dissolved and forever closed the partnership and firm of Audubon and Rozier, and having Received from said Ferdinand Rozier payment and notes to the full amount of my part of the goods and debts of the late firm of Audubon and Rozier, I the said John Audubon one of the firm aforesaid do hereby release and forever quit claim to all and any interest which I have or may have in the stock on hand and debts due to the late firm of Audubon and Rozier assign, transfer and set over to said Ferdinand Rozier, all my rights, titles, claims and interest in the goods, merchandise and debts due to the late firm of Audubon and Rozier, and do hereby authorize and empower him for my part, to collect the same in any manner what ever either privately or by suit or suits in law or equity hereby declaring him sole and absolute proprietor and rightful owner of all goods, merchandise and debts of this firm aforesaid, as completely as they were the goods and property of the late firm Audubon and Rozier.
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