Juneau, Solomon Laurent

Juneau, Solomon Laurent (jnō`, j`nō), 1793–1856, French Canadian fur trader and founder of Milwaukee, Wis., b. near Montreal. In 1818, as an agent of the American Fur Company, he moved to their new post at Milwaukee. He amassed a fortune in independent trade, acquired large tracts of land there, and was revered by the indigenous population. He became an American citizen in 1831. He surveyed the town site, built the first store and first tavern, became Milwaukee's first postmaster (1835) and first president of the village (1837). His fortune was reduced by the Panic of 1837, but he remained a leading citizen of Milwaukee, becoming its first mayor in 1846.