Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-01-09
A FEMALE vOYAGEUR.
The First white woman 10 Ascend
the MtssOuri-The story Of the
First settlement of Kansas city.

The First white woman 10 Ascend
the MtssOuri-The story of the
First Settlement of Kansas city.
There are many unwritten incidents
directly connected with the history OF
Western Missouri which, if collected and
properly recorded would form volume
OF historical "reminiscences equally as
interesting as those associated with and
growing out of the early settlement OF
Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky.
The early history of the first white
settlement at the mouth of the Kansas
river is hidden beneath such vail Of
romance and mystery that it is only by q
close and keen research, among the few
remaining children of the early French
settlers, that the incidents connected
with the earliest white settlements upon
the extreme frontiers of Missouri are
brought to Light. These incidents,
handed down through three generations,
have never before been published,
although there are people residing in
Kansas City to-day who remember the
incidents related
There stood in the present channel of
the Missouri river, opposite the junction
of Fifth and Bluff streets, twenty-five
years ago, small, rough log cabin.
The site Of the cabin has long since dis
appeared by the enoroachments of the
Missouri river. The cabin was ooou-
pied at the time mentioned (l847) by an
old French Creole woman named Mad
anne GrRndlouis then about seventy
years of age. She was discovered by
the present pastor of st. Mary's Church,
Rev. Father Donnelly, soon after his ar
rival at that place in l845. He visited
ser, and from her learned the story of
her FIRST coming to Jackson county,
nearly fifty years before, which must
have been about 1898 or 1900. This
woman was the first white woman to as
cend the Missouri river within sight Of
the present site of Kansas City.
Madame Grandlouis story is full Of
peculiar interest, and was told with that
simplicity and brevity so peculiar to
the early French settlers, who followed
close in the footsteps of the jesuit mis-
sionaries. She was q native OF the
French settlement of St. DhaFles, and
married Monsieur Louis Grandlouis
when about twenty or twenty-five years
of age. Her husband had heard OF the
new settlement made by the Choteaus,
who had established fur trade among
the Kaw Indians, near the mouth OF the
Kansas river. They determined to as
cend the Missouri river and join the new
trading post, and with that intention
Joined a party Of Yoyagers who we're
about to ascend the river.
In those days steamboats, were un-
heard of, and stage coaches and wagon
roads unknown in Missouri. The only
wav 10 reach the Chouteau trading post
with family and stores was by means
of aatboats which must be propelled
against the stream by sweeps, aud ropes
drawn by men Upon the bars and shores
Of the river. This rope.wRlking was
called BY the voyageurs cordelhng.
After three months hard toll, varied BY
many adventures and incidents, the
party arrived in sight Of the present site
Of Kansas City. and landed at Randolph
Bluff ia the bend below the city.
MadameGrandlouis described Jackson
county at that period as the home and
hunting grounds Of the kaw Indians,
Who claimed exclusive right and juris-
diction over the country now incorpor-
ated in Lafayette, Cass, Johnson and
jackson counties Their villages were
located on the Little Blue, which, on ac-
count Of the high, rank grass found in