American Furniture, Folk & Decorative Arts

Manuel Lisa was purportedly born in New Orleans when the territory was still under Spanish rule. He was an active and extensive fur trader, especially along the Missouri River, and was one of the founders of the Missouri Fur Company. He established a base in St. Louis and a connection with Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who, after their explorations, encouraged him to expand his business into the upper regions of the Missouri River. Lisa developed and maintained relationships with several Native American tribes and served as a US Indian agent during the War of 1812. In 1814, he married a daughter of Big Elk, the chief of the Omaha tribe until 1846.