Lucien Fontenelle

Lucien Fontenelle (1800 - 1840) was a prominent fur trader in the Nebraska area in the early-19th century who was born to Francois and Marie Louise Fontenelle on the family planation south of New Orleans. His parents were killed by a hurricane while he was away attending school in New Orleans. He left New Orleans in 1816 after having been raised for a time by an aunt, and was began working in the lower-Missouri fur trade in 1819.

Fontenelle left his home as child. He later became involved in the Missouri Fur Company. He married Bright Sun, a daughter of the Omaha Chief Big Elk. Among their children was Logan Fontenelle.

Early in his career Fontenelle was involved in fur trading into the rocky mountains. However starting in the late 1820s he was in command at Fontenelle's Post in what would beomce Bellevue, Nebraska, along the Missouri River.

Sources

• Nebraska Studies article on Fontenelle
• Trottman, Alan C. "Lucien Fontenelle" in Le Roy Hafen, Trappers of the Far West Glendale, California: Arthur H. Clark, 1983.