(baptized Sept. 7, 1749, New Orelans
died Feb. 24, 1829, St. Louis, Mo., U.S.) American fur trader and cofounder of St. Louis .
He moved to Missouri Territory with his mother and Pierre Liguest (1724?78), with whom he later cofounded St. Louis in 1764. The two men built a prosperous fur trade, which Chouteau later expanded. By 1794 he had a monopoly on the trade with the Osage and helped finance most of the fur-trading companies in Louisiana Territory. He became the unofficial banker to the St. Louis community and its largest landowner.