There are so many slightly-known but integral figures in the history of the Council Bluff area (the Missouri River valley between today’s Fort Calhoun and Plattsmouth on both sides of the river).
One of the most fascinating and accomplished was: Manuel Lisa. Born in 1772, he was a Spanish rebel with a cause from New Orleans. He made his way to the Mecca of American fur traders, St. Louis in 1799. From there he launched a career in river fur trading and riling those around him. He was once imprisoned by the French for writing a vulgar letter to the Crown regarding his French competitors! Over the next few years, Louisiana territory changed hands from the Spanish to the French to the United States.
He outfitted Lewis and Clark in 1804 and made a huge impression upon them. Lisa outfitted the Expedition in 1803 with supplies, a keelboat , and a crew. They didn’t always get along. “Damn Manuel [Manuel Lisa] and triply Damn Mr. B. [Francis Marie Benoit] They give me more vexation and trouble than their lives are worth. I have dealt very plainly with these gentlemen, in short I come to an open rupture with them; I think them both great scoundrels…” -wrote Lewis to Clark after an order was flubbed. Lisa hired several of the Lewis and Clark crew on the way back down river. They hired Colter over Floyd since Colter was more lively. In 1806, Lisa raced national fur trading giant, John Jacob Astor up the Missouri to trade with the natives for pelts. After purchasing two keelboats and hiring fifty men, he started up the river 19 days after Astor. The Spaniard planned to use Astor’s group as protection from the Lakota and other menacing native tribes. The ploy worked and Lisa caught him!
Lisa set up America’s first “chain” of fur trading posts along the entire Missouri River between St. Louis and Montana, seven posts in all!. He was tremendously successful and earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues and competitors.
Matters were becoming increasingly unsettled on the upper Missouri and unrest among the Indians was fanned by the British after the outbreak of the War of 1812 in June. By March 1813, Lisa abandoned Fort Manuel and retreated to Cedar Island, and in May he returned to St. Louis. He had to give up his fur trading national chain and was angry. On the way back he established Fort Lisa just north of today’s Omaha a few miles on the Nebraska side. He set about using his influence among the native American tribes to thwart British and British-allied incursions into the Missouri Valley area. He was immensely successful and helped the United States win the War of 1812!
In 1814, William Clark, then the governor of the Missouri Territory, appointed Lisa as subagent to the Indian tribes located above the mouth of the Kansas River.
Lisa had in all three wives, two white and one native, Mitain. She was the daughter of an Omaha chief. He married his last wife, Mary Hempstead known as “Aunt Manuel” for money and social connection.
In 1819 Lisa assisted the Yellowstone Expedition which had established its headquarters near Lisa's trading post. Lisa returned to St. Louis and died there on August 12, 1820.
Article by Troy Stolp. Mr. Stolp is a graduate of Lewis Central High School in Council Bluffs and holds degrees in Anthropology and Religious Studies from Iowa State University (BA) and History from Buena Vista University (BA) and University of Nebraska at Omaha (MA). Mr. Stolp serves on the board of directors of Preserve Council Bluffs and teaches at Lewis Central.
Recording of a live presentation by Troy Stolp about Manuel Lisa.