County of town: Linn County
Location of town: MO-36, west-central in county
Location of square: Front St., Pershing Dr., Olive St. & Vernon St.
Elevation: 774 ft (236 m)
Population: 335 (2012)
The Person:
"French-born Pierre Laclède Liguest arrived in New Orleans in 1755. He ventured up the Mississippi in 1763 to build a trading post after his firm won trading rights in the upper Louisiana Territory. Choosing a site near the mouth of the Missouri, he sent his stepson, Auguste Chouteau, to start the settlement in February 1764. Naming it St. Louis, Laclède laid out streets, made property assignments and governed until territorial officials arrived in October 1765. Laclède, who brought his library to the wild, owned the town’s first industry, a water-powered mill. St. Louis’ first citizen, Pierre Laclède envisioned his village becoming “one of the finest cities in America.”' ~ St Louis Walk of Fame
"Pierre Laclède Liguest or Pierre Laclède (22 November 1729 – 20 June 1778) was a French fur trader who, with his young assistant and stepson Auguste Chouteau, founded St. Louis in 1764, in what was then Spanish Upper Louisiana, in present-day Missouri." ~ Wikipedia
The Place:
"LACLEDE elevation 783 feet
"Laclede is located on Sec. 5, Twp. 57, R. 20. It is in nearly the center of Laclede Township east and west but is three miles from the northern boundary, while it is five miles north of the Chariton County line on the south.
"Laclede was laid out August 19, 1853, by Henry W. Cross of Brunswick, J. L. Worlow and Mr. Eastman. The name. "Laclede" was given to it by Mr. Cross and was in honor of the old pioneer of Missouri, and one of the founders of St. Louis, Laclede Liqueste.
"Among the first to erect residences were some of those who first laid out the town. Mr. Worley put up one, and Aaron Quick another, and they were living in them at the time the first business house was erected. This store was built by Thornton T. Easley of Linneus, for Jacob E. Quick. A post-office was established in 1855, and Aaron Quick was appointed postmaster.
"The first school house was built in 1857. This was also built by Jacob E. Quick. Mr. Quick employed E. G. Clough to put up the school-house for him. It was about sixteen feet square and cost $75.00. Miss Martha Quick, daughter of the owner, taught the first school.
"Laclede was incorporated as a village by order of the county court at the March term, 1866. W. J. Porter, John L. Reynolds, John F. Pershing, John Lomax, and T. W. Mitchell were appointed trustees of the corporation.
"In 1870 and again in 1880, the question arose regarding the removal of the county seat from Brookfield. Both elections failed." ~ History of Linn County, 1882, Birdsdall & Dean, pp. 582, 583, 585, 587