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Famous Residents
Father Jacques Marquette was one of the first Europeans to bring Christianity to the Native American Indians at Starved Rock. He was born in France in 1637. As a young man he decided to become a Jesuit priest and upon becoming a priest traveled to Canada where he brought Christianity to Indian tribes throughout Canada and the Northern United States. In 1673 Louis Joliet invited Marquette to help him map the Mississippi River. They were among the first Europeans to travel the great river. Marquette was able to work as a missionary among many Illinois tribes. They traveled the Illinois River and spent time witnessing to local Indians. Marquette died in 1675 but lives on through a University, railroad, lake, river, park, and several towns named for him.
Henri de Tonti was born in 1650. As a French explorer he traveled throughout the Mississippi River Valley with Robert LaSalle in the late 1600's and helped to claim a large portion of this area as French territory. He was responsible for building Fort St. Louis in 1682. The local Indians called him, “Iron Hand.” He lost his hand during a battle in France and used a metal device as a prosthesis. Because of his hand, some Indians believed he possessed special powers. He was able to maintain French control in the area for nearly 20 years. He stayed at Fort St. Louis until 1702 and died two years later.
Louis Joliet was born near Quebec in 1645. He traded and trapped on the Great Lakes while exploring the region. In 1672 he was appointed leader of an expedition to explore the Mississippi River Valley. Joliet was joined by Father Marquette and five others. They became the first Europeans to explore the Mississippi River. During their expedition, Joliet and Marquette spent time with Illinois Indians around the Joliet area. Louis Joliet never lived in the town named for him as he died in 1700, more than one hundred years before Joliet was founded.
William Gooding was born in Bristol, New York in 1803. He worked as an engineer on the Wabash and Erie Canal as well as the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. In 1836 he was named the chief engineer on the Illinois & Michigan Canal where he served until its completion in 1848. He earned $3,500 per year which was the highest government salary in Illinois. In 1848 he was appointed secretary of the Canal Commission and stayed involved with the canal until 1871. He died in 1878.