Nez Perce Indian Warrior Graves - St Louis
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 38° 42.338 W 090° 14.124
15S E 740400 N 4287739
This is the grave site of two Nez Perce Indian warriors from present day Idaho buried in St Louis in 1831. Location of grave is Calvary Cemetery in north St Louis.
Waymark Code: WM81R
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 02/26/2006
Views: 27
In the fall of 1831 a group of four Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) came to St Louis to meet with William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame. The Nez Perce had befriended the Lewis and Clark party and provided much needed supplies nearly 25 years earlier. The Nez Perce feeling pressure from encroaching white presence in their home land came to learn more about the white culture and a greater understanding of the "Book of Heaven" or Bible. The group of Nez Perce met with Clark after their arrival. Two in the party became ill (Black Eagle and Speaking Eagle) and died a couple weeks after they met with Clark. Both were provided Catholic rites and Christian names at burial (Black Eagle - Paul and Speaking Eagle - Narcisse). Over the years their graves were moved a few time due to cemetery closures. In 2000 the tribe's historian working on the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial project sought the help of historians at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Through old church records the burial site was found. The other two in the Nez Perce party (Rabbit-Skin-Leggings and No-Horns-On-His Head) left St Louis but died in route back to Idaho, their location is not known.