Joseph Robidoux III was born in 1783, the son of Joseph Robidoux II and Catherine Rollet. He spent most of his childhood in St. Louis, Missouri, where his father introduced him to the fur trade at an early age. In 1799, at the age of 16, young Joseph was already accompanying fur traders up the Missouri River.

In 1803, Joseph's father sent him to organize a trading post at Fort Dearborn, IL, site of present-day Chicago. His early success there irritated other traders, who engaged Indians to harass Joseph and eventually drive him from the area.

In 1805, Joseph's wife of four years, Eugenie Delisle, died. She and Joseph had had two children, a daughter, Messanie, who preceded her mother in death, and a son, Joseph F. Robidoux.

In 1809, Joseph established a trading post near the site of present-day Council Bluffs, IA. In 1813, he married Angelique Vaudry, with whom he had six sons and a daughter (Faraon, Julius, Francis, Felix, Edmond, Charles and Sylvanie). Joseph remained in the Council Bluffs area until 1822, when the American Fur Company bought him out and offered him $1,000 a year not to compete with them.

Joseph returned to St. Louis, where he lived a tame life as a baker and confectioner. In 1826, he was hired by the American Fur Company to establish a trading post at the Blacksnake Hills (near the site of present day St. Joseph, MO.) He remained their employee for four years, at the salary of $1,800 a year, before becoming an independent trader.

Joseph prospered in the years between 1830 and 1843, employing as many as twenty Frenchmen to engage in trade with the Indians to the west of his post.

In 1843, Joseph engaged two men, Frederick W. Smith and Simeon Kemper to design a town for him. Under Kemper's plan the town was to have been called Robidoux, a feature Kemper thought would appeal to Joseph Robidoux. However, Joseph found Smith's plan more appealing as it would feature much narrower streets, thus leaving more land for Joseph to sell in the form of lots.

Plans for the town were filed with the clerk of Common Pleas in St. Louis on July 26, 1843. Shortly thereafter, Joseph began selling lots, with corner lots going for $150.00 and interior lots $100.00.

St. Joseph prospered quickly in the years after it's founding, growing from a population of 800 in 1846 to 8,932 in 1860. Joseph Robidoux remained a prominent citizen and led in many development issues until his death, at the age of 85, in 1868.added info obtained from "The Daily News History of Buchanan and St Joseph, MO" book.∼His body and stone were here at one time, but were moved to Mt. Olivet Cemetery when this cemetery went defunct. Many of the remains were never identified, but Joseph Robidoux's were.

Catholic Cemeteries : tell stories of faith and community

Fifty some miles north of Kansas City, Joseph Robidoux, fur trader and baker, landed at Roy's Branch, north of the present city of St. Joseph, then moved to Blacksnake Creek sometime before 1830 and built a small log house there. By 1830 he had become the proprietor of a valuable trading post and settled in what is now the city named for his patron saint. Robidoux is credited with building much of St. Joseph, and streets in the historic part of the city are named for his wife and children.

In 1805, Joseph's wife of four years, Eugenie Delisle, died. She and Joseph had had two children, a daughter, Messanie, who preceded her mother in death, and a son, Joseph F. Robidoux.
Robidoux died in 1868, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery, the first Catholic cemetery in St. Joseph. His wife, Angelique, who had died in 1857, also was laid to rest there.

Joseph Robidoux III was born in 1783, the son of Joseph Robidoux II and Catherine Rollet. He spent most of his childhood in St. Louis, Missouri, where his father introduced him to the fur trade at an early age. In 1799, at the age of 16, young Joseph was already accompanying fur traders up the Missouri River.

In 1803, Joseph's father sent him to organize a trading post at Fort Dearborn, IL, site of present-day Chicago. His early success there irritated other traders, who engaged Indians to harass Joseph and eventually drive him from the area.

In 1805, Joseph's wife of four years, Eugenie Delisle, died. She and Joseph had had two children, a daughter, Messanie, who preceded her mother in death, and a son, Joseph F. Robidoux.

In 1809, Joseph established a trading post near the site of present-day Council Bluffs, IA. In 1813, he married Angelique Vaudry, with whom he had six sons and a daughter (Faraon, Julius, Francis, Felix, Edmond, Charles and Sylvanie). Joseph remained in the Council Bluffs area until 1822, when the American Fur Company bought him out and offered him $1,000 a year not to compete with them.

Joseph returned to St. Louis, where he lived a tame life as a baker and confectioner. In 1826, he was hired by the American Fur Company to establish a trading post at the Blacksnake Hills (near the site of present day St. Joseph, MO.) He remained their employee for four years, at the salary of $1,800 a year, before becoming an independent trader.

Joseph prospered in the years between 1830 and 1843, employing as many as twenty Frenchmen to engage in trade with the Indians to the west of his post.

In 1843, Joseph engaged two men, Frederick W. Smith and Simeon Kemper to design a town for him. Under Kemper's plan the town was to have been called Robidoux, a feature Kemper thought would appeal to Joseph Robidoux. However, Joseph found Smith's plan more appealing as it would feature much narrower streets, thus leaving more land for Joseph to sell in the form of lots.

Plans for the town were filed with the clerk of Common Pleas in St. Louis on July 26, 1843. Shortly thereafter, Joseph began selling lots, with corner lots going for $150.00 and interior lots $100.00.

St. Joseph prospered quickly in the years after it's founding, growing from a population of 800 in 1846 to 8,932 in 1860. Joseph Robidoux remained a prominent citizen and led in many development issues until his death, at the age of 85, in 1868.added info obtained from "The Daily News History of Buchanan and St Joseph, MO" book.∼His body and stone were here at one time, but were moved to Mt. Olivet Cemetery when this cemetery went defunct. Many of the remains were never identified, but Joseph Robidoux's were.

Catholic Cemeteries : tell stories of faith and community

Fifty some miles north of Kansas City, Joseph Robidoux, fur trader and baker, landed at Roy's Branch, north of the present city of St. Joseph, then moved to Blacksnake Creek sometime before 1830 and built a small log house there. By 1830 he had become the proprietor of a valuable trading post and settled in what is now the city named for his patron saint. Robidoux is credited with building much of St. Joseph, and streets in the historic part of the city are named for his wife and children.

In 1805, Joseph's wife of four years, Eugenie Delisle, died. She and Joseph had had two children, a daughter, Messanie, who preceded her mother in death, and a son, Joseph F. Robidoux.
Robidoux died in 1868, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery, the first Catholic cemetery in St. Joseph. His wife, Angelique, who had died in 1857, also was laid to rest there.