June 6: Chicago's Founding Father

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is June 6th, and our story is Chicago's Founding Father. Jean-Baptiste Pointe du Sable might have been Haitian, or he might have been French-Canadian. He might have been black, or he might have been white.

He might have lived at the mouth of the Chicago River as early as 1774, or he might not have settled there until June 6, 1790, the date most often listed by Chicago sources as the city's official founding by Pointe du Sable.

When it comes to Chicago's first permanent resident, separating fact from fiction is a near impossible task. So little was written about the man during his lifetime, and so much was invented after his death that few details are certain. What is known is that Pointe du Sable was a French-speaking Catholic who built both a successful trading post and a home for his wife, a Pottawatomie Indian, on the site of present-day Chicago, and that he did so well before any other European settled there.

It's also known that during the American Revolution, the British captured Point du Sable, a known colonial sympathizer, and imprisoned him in Fort Michilimackinac. Depending on which source you consult, the British may have held on to him for the entirety of the war, or they may have released him early on good behavior. Either way, by 1790, historical records agree that Pointe du Sable lived in Chicago, running a trading post and assisting new settlers as they arrived.

The historical records likewise agree that in 1800, for reasons unknown, Pointe du Sable sold his substantial holdings in Chicago and moved his family to St. Charles, Missouri, or Peoria, Illinois. Everybody has a different opinion. By 1810, however, the man was in St. Charles for certain, where he lived until his death in 1818 or 1819. Again, few can agree. Although the archdiocese of St. Louis' records show that he received a Catholic funeral and burial in St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery, his grave has never been found.

Pointe du Sable's life shows resilience, faith, and pioneering spirit. Despite uncertainty, cultural tensions, and personal risk, he built a thriving settlement that became Chicago. His adaptability and commitment to community remind us that progress requires courage, cooperation, and vision. We, too, are called to build, serve, and adapt while maintaining integrity and faith, even amid ambiguity and difficulty.

Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, June 7th, for another story of faith and courage in America.