From mountain man to millionaire
Subtitle: the "bold and dashing life" of Robert Campbell
By: William R. Nester.
Series: Missouri biography series
Publisher: University of Missouri Press; Univ of Missouri Pr
Published: 1999
Place of publication: Columbia
Language: eng
Number of pages: 270
Subjects: Campbell, Robert, 1804-1879.; Pioneers -- West (U.S.) -- Biography.; Fur traders -- West (U.S.) -- Biography.; Businessmen -- Missouri -- Saint Louis -- Biography.; Fur trade -- Rocky Mountains -- History -- 19th century.; Saint Louis (Mo.) -- Biography.; Missouri -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
Description: Robert Campbell (1804-1879) came to America from Ireland in 1822 and entered the fur trade soon thereafter. He quickly rose from trapper to brigade leader to partner, all within a half dozen years. In the mid-1830s, Campbell retired from the mountains, having already amassed considerable wealth, and embarked on a new career. He returned to St. Louis and built up a business empire that embraced mercantile, steamboat, railroad, and banking interests.

Through these ventures he not only gained more wealth but also became a leading force behind the development of the region's economy. Exploring the enormous treasure trove of letters, journals, and account books that Campbell left behind, William Nester places Campbell in the context of the times in which he lived, showing the economic, political, social, and cultural forces that provided the opportunities and challenges that shaped his life.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 251-266) and index.