Joseph Duchene La Prairie or Mushkedewinn (Prairie man):
     It is unknown to me who the parents of Joseph were, but from census info he apparently was born between 1750 & 1760 in Canada. There is reference to him arriving in the area of Minnesota in 1775, but the earliest reference otherwise is that from 1795 to 1799 he was in charge of the Folle Avoine Department of  J.Sayer & Co. In 1799 John Sayer replaces Joseph with Joseph Reaume of the same trade territory, however by 1803 John Charles Sayer moves to the Folle Avoine Dept. to "curb the Generosity of Joseph Reaume & Joseph Laprairie". Between 1802 &1805 Joseph La Prairie is found at Clam Lake (Burnett Co., Wis.), Yellow River (near Webster, Wis.), "Namai-Kowagon", St.Croix Valley, Snake River & at "Grand Galle". In 1805 John Sayer is furloughed by the Northwest Co. to Lac des Chats on the Ottawa River and Joseph La Prairie drops out of sight until he is purchasing goods at Sault Ste.Marie in jul. 1815. He continue to purchase goods at Sault Ste.Marie annually through 1818 and that year he was employed by the Northwest Co. at posts in the St.Croix Valley & Lac Coutereille Districts. He also made the shift to the American Fur Co. in 1818, becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen empoyed at the Folle Avoine Dept. He retired from the fur companies (1827-28) and lost his eye sight shortly there after. In 1835 he is old & blind living near Frederick Ayer's Pokegama mission.
     Joseph's wife was an Ojibwe woman named Pimeegeeshigoqua and they had at least four children: Joseph Jr. (b.1800-10), Isabella (b.1790-1810)[married trader Daniel Dingley], Susanne [married trader Thomas Connors on 25 jul.1830] & Jean Baptiste.
 
 
 

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