First in a series

History found in local cemeteries

(Editor's note: Since watching my kids' reaction to Arlington Cemetery in Washington, D.C., I've know that sparking kids' interest in the nation's history can be a simple as letting them see historic burial places. Author Kevin Amsler has done that for this area in his book, "Final Resting Place: The Lives and Deaths of Famous St. Louisans."

(For the next 12 editions, Young Saint Louis.com will excerpt from Amsler's book. We'll tell what made those St. Louisans famous and where they are buried. We hope it will encourage your interest in the area's history and its historic cemeteries.

(For more about the author and where to buy the book, see sidebar below.)

--Ed Heins of YSL.com.

Author Kevin Amsler starts his history book with historic vignettes about famous St. Louisans buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery. And the first sketch in the book is of William Clark of Lewis&Clark fame.

This article also tells about entrepreneur Joseph Charless, statesman Thomas Hart Benton, doctor Bernard Farrar, riverboat operator Henry Miller Shreve, doctor William Beaumont and former mayor William Carr Lane.

All people in this first article are buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in north St. Louis.

William Clark
(August 1, 1770-September 1, 1838)

The national fame of William Clark and Meriwether Lewis was tied to their two-year exploration from St. Louis west to the Pacific Ocean. But, much of Clark's local fame was tied to his life in this area after the 1804-1806 journey.

After Lewis and Clark presented their findings to President Thomas Jefferson, the two were awarded $1,228 and 1,600 acres of land. Also, Lewis was appointed governor of the Louisiana Territory and Clark was named superintendent of Indian affairs.

Clark made his home in St. Louis and because one of the city's most accomplished citizens. He accumulated vast real estate holdings in Missouri and Kentucky.

He was a founding member of the St. Louis Missouri Fur Company, along with other famous St. Louisans such as Auguste and Pierre Chouteau. He also was chairman of the St. Louis Schools' board of trustees.

In 1813, President James Madison appointed him governor of the Missouri Territory. He died in 1838 and was buried on the farm of Clark's nephew, Col. John O'Fallon.

When Bellefontaine Cemetery was opened 11 years later, Clark and several family members were reburied in the north corner. An obelisk and bust of Clark mark his grave.

Joseph Charless
(July 16, 1772-July 28, 1834)

Joseph Charles was born in Ireland and he added the 2nd "s" to his name in order to differentiate him from other Charles. In 1808, Meriwether Lewis contacted Charless with an offer to come west to start a newspaper.

He published the first edition of the Missouri Gazette on July 12, 1808. It was the first newspaper published west of the Mississippi River. As a newspaper publisher, he gained some enemies, including one who shot him while he was working in his home garden.

Charless also was involved in one of the duels in St. Louis' colorful past. He was a friend with Charles Lucas, who had two duels with Thomas Hart Benton on Bloody Island, an island in the middle of the Mississippi River.

After Benton became editor of the competing St. Louis Enquirer, the two men kept up a running feud until Benton left St. Louis to serve in the U.S. Senate.

When Charless died, he was eulogized as the "father of St. Louis journalism."

Thomas Hart Benton
(March 14, 1782-April 10, 1858)

Thomas Hart Benton was one of Missouri's most noted statesmen. His career spanned the time from presidents Jefferson to Lincoln. He was a soldier, lawyer, editor and politician.

He also had a violent temper and was involved in plenty of gunfights. One involved president Andrew Jackson. In that fight, Benton was slightly wounded by gunshots but also stabbed five times.

He moved to St. Louis and ended up having two duels on Bloody Island in the Mississippi with Charles Lucas. In the second duel, Benton killed Lucas.

In 1820, Benton was elected as one of the two first Missouri senators to Congress.

He died of cancer in 1858 in Washington, D.C.

Bernard Farrar
(July 4, 1785-July 1, 1849)

Bernard Farrar was credited as being the first physician to practice west of the Mississippi. He was married to William Clark's niece.

His first surgery in St. Louis was on George Shannon, who was on the Lewis&Clark expedition. He successfully amputated Shannon's leg. Shannon later became a Kentucky judge.

Farrar became ill and died in the massive 1849 cholera epidemic.

Henry Miller Shreve
(Oct. 21, 1785-March 6, 1851)

Henry Shreve was born in New Jersey and grew up in Pennsylvania. But, his passion was river travel and historians have called him the "father of the Mississippi riverboats."

He came to St. Louis in 1807 and met prominent fur trader Auguste Chouteau. For the next three years, Shreve ran a St. Louis-to-Pittsburgh fur-trading business.

But, he was known mainly for his innovation in riverboat construction. He favored ships with engines on deck. His ships had more maneuverability on shallow rivers.

He also invented a snagboat. The ship was used to break up huge debris jams that hampered river travel, especially on shallow rivers like the Missouri.

He also helped build a port in Louisiana. It was later named Shreveport.

William Beaumont
(November 21, 1785-April 25, 1853)

Much of Dr. William Beaumont's medical fame stemmed from an operation on a French-Canadian by the name of Alexis St. Martin. He had been shot accidentally in the stomach.

St. Martin survived but the hole in the stomach never closed. For years, Dr. Beaumont did experiments involving putting bits of food directly into St. Martin's stomach.

His book, "Experiments and Observations on the Gastric Juices and the Physiology of Digestion," became a classic.

William Carr Lane
(December 1, 1789-January 6, 1863)

Dr. William Carr Lane moved to St. Louis in 1819 after a career as a military surgeon.

Just four years later he was elected St. Louis' first mayor, defeating Auguste Chouteau. He was also active in religion, helping to establish the first Episcopal church in St. Louis.

Lane finished his political career as governor of the New Mexico Territory.

about the author Local author's love of history Author Kevin Amsler's love of history has included a "This Month in St. Louis" column in the West End Word newspaper since 1997. But, he liked other subjects too. He has written a novel and two screenplays and has just finished a book of humor. The publisher of the "Final Resting Place" book is Virginia Publishing Co. of St. Louis. To purchase the book, visit local bookstores or sign-on to www.STL-Books.com.