Marshall P. Sanguinet

MARSHALL P. SANGUINET, in early life a banker and in later years prominently identified with the real estate interests of St. Louis, was born in that city January 29, 1826, son of Charles and Cecile (Brazeau) Sanguinet. He also was reared in St. Louis and educated at a private school, of which Ezra Mondy, a noted old-time educator, was principal. The house in which he was born was for long years a sort of landmark in the environs of St. Louis. It was a stone building on the Brazeau farm and occupied a site near the intersection of Lesperance and Kosciusko Streets, in South St. Louis. Coming of g-ood family, he enjoyed the best social and educational advantages as a youth, and when he was old enough to turn his attention to business pursuits he entered the old-time banking house of L. A. Benoist & Co. as teller. In this position he was thoroughly trained to the banking business and retained his connection with the banking house of Benoist & Co. thirteen years. At the end of that time he became associated with Sanguinet H. Benoist in a bank of which they were the owners and managers. In 1859, having abandoned banking as an occupation, he embarked in the real estate business, in which he was successfully engaged for many years thereafter and until he retired to enjoy the large fortune which he had accumulated. When he first turned his attention to this business he was one of only five firms regularly engaged at that time and devoting their entire attention to operations in real estate. He witnessed the laying out of many new additions to the city and saw the annual volume of real estate transactions gow from a comparatively small amount to many millions of dollars. During the time in which he was actively identified with the real estate interests of the city, improvements multiplied and values increased until down-town property became worth as much per front foot as it had brought per acre during the earlier years of his business career. To the development which has brought about this increased valuation Mr. Sanguinet has contributed his full share, and he is deservedly numbered among the old and honored citizens of St. Louis, although he has resided for some years in the beautiful suburban town of Kirkwood. Born and reared a Catholic, he has followed in the footsteps of his parents, and from childhood up has been a devout member of the Catholic Church. He was one of the first members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and for many years was its treasurer. He married, in 1855, Miss Ann E. Betts, daughter of R. H. Betts, a well known resident and business man of St. Louis prior to his death. Of the children born of their union nine sons and one daughter were living in 1897. They were Marshall Robert Sanguinet, a prosperous architect of Fort Worth, Texas; Frank Sanguinet, also a resident of Texas; Conde L. Sanguinet, Eugene Sanguinet, Belle Sangfuinet, Charles A. Sangfuinet, Benoist Sangfuinet, William M. Sangfuinet, Alexis G. Sanguinet and Paul M. Sangfuinet, all of St. Louis. Three children, Joseph C, Annie Cecile and Aloysia Sanguinet, are dead.

Sanitary Fair.— Sec "Mississippi Valley Sanitary Fair."

Santa Cmz de Rosales, Battle of.—

Fought on the i6th of March, 1848, between seven companies of the Third Regiment Missouri Mounted Volunteers, commanded by Colonel John Ralls, of Ralls County, Missouri, and two companies of United States dragoons under Major Beal, and the Santa Fe battalion under Major Walker, constituting altogether a force of 600 men, and a Mexican Army under General Trias. The Americans stationed at Chihuahua, after the departure of Colonel Doniphan's expedition, operated in the adjacent country, and finding General Trias fortified in Santa Cruz de Rosales, attacked him and, after a fight which lasted from 9 o'clock in the morning until sunset, defeated him and secured possession of the town, the Mexicans losing 330 killed and a large number wounded, and a considerable quantity of arms, ammunition and supplies. A large number of prisoners were taken also, and released on parole. A garrison of Missouri volunteers was stationed in the town, and the place held until the close of the war.

Santa Fe, First Trip to.— James Punley and two companions are said to have been the first Americans to visit the old city of Santa Fe. They started from St. Louis in 1802, on a hunting trip, and traversed the plains of Kansas, then called the "American Desert/'

Santa Fe Trade.— As soon as the United States came into possession of the Louisiana Purchase expeditions were sent out to explore it. William Qark, afterward Territorial Governor of Missouri, 1813-21, and Meriwether Lewis were sent northwest across the continent in 1804-6 with a body of explorers in canoes to explore the Missouri and Columbia River regions. One James Pursley, an Indian trade, visited Santa Fe in 1805, but never returned. General Zebulon Montgomery Pike was sent to explore the regions adjacent to Mexican territory. In 1806 he visited Pike's Peak, a prominent summit of the Rocky Mountains 14,147 feet high. On his return he gave such glowing accounts of the new region that in 1812 a strong desire to trade with New Mexico was created.

That region was then supplied with goods imported through Vera Cruz, the Spanish port of entry, and enormous prices were charged, calico bringing from two to three dollars a yard. As traffic with the United States was smuggling, the first caravans met with disaster and the traders were imprisoned until the Mexicans overthrew the sovereignty of Spain. Several events took place about the time Missouri became a State. In 1819 Spain sold to the United States the territory east of New Orleans, which was then called Florida, and two years afterward the United States took possession of it. In 1821 the Mexican revolution under Iturbide was successful, and the next year the Empire of Mexico was organized. Spain had thus lost all her possessions on the Continent of North America, and the new empire made Santa Fe a port of entry. The Indian trade had proved profitable, and the Mexicans used the same class of goods, so that trade with Sanca Fe at once sprung up. The point of departure for caravans was from the river towns of western Missouri, such as Old Franklin, Lexington, Sibley, Liberty, and later Independence and Wcstport, and then Leavenworth and Kansas City, which were frontier towns successively prior to the building of railroads. In 1821, one Captain Becfaiell started out from Old Franklin with a caravan loaded with goods to trade with the Comanche Indians, but when he reached the Rocky Mountains he met a party of Mexican Rangers who persuaded him to take his goods to Santa Fe, where he realized a handsome profit. He returned and told the story of his great success. This induced Captain Cooper and some of his neighbors to set out in May, 1822, with a caravan of pack animals loaded with goods. They reached Taos, famous for bad whisky, in safety. In June Captain Becknell set out with $5,000 worth of goods, and after reaching the Caches.he took a new route which led through the American Desert. His caravan met with serious disasters. Their water supplies became exhausted, so that they were compelled to kill their dogs and cut the ears of their mules and drink the blood to quench their burning thirst. They were in despair when a buffalo came within range of their rifles, and from the water in his extended stomach they slaked their thirst as if it had been a mountain spring. They now knew that water was near at hand, and pressed on until they reached.the Cimarron River, where man and best quenched their thirst with living waters. This early bousfht experience at the incipiency of the traffic taught the traders to avoid the desert, and provide a suitable outfit for this trip of 900 miles. The outfit consisted of clothing made of linsey flannel and leather, and about 150 pounds of provisions, consisting of flour, bacon, coffee, sugar, salt, crackers, beans, etc. The buffalo furnished fresh meat, and the rich glasses along the route afforded provender for their beasts. The hostile Indians were another danger against which the caravans had to provide. The road was safe for 150 miles. The caravans set out in squads, but at Council Grove they assembled, those a commander, and proceeded on their journey in military fashion. They encamped before night and stationed guards. They started at daylight and usually rested at noon. A train would consist of 150 animals loaded with goods, with one man to every five or six pack mules. They would travel from fifteen to twenty-five miles a day. In 1824 a company of eight traders was formed, and wagons began to be used. A train consisted of about twenty-five wagons, each carrying over $1,000 worth of goods. The route was well fitted for wagons, the general rise being less than ten feet per mile. In 1829 Major Riley began to use oxen, as they could travel without being shod. When the caravans were made up of wagons they would carry $200,000 or $300,000 worth of goods and require the services of 200 men. It took six months to make a round trip with oxen, and the trade brought back specie, buffalo robes and furs in exchange for his goods. The duty charged was $500 per wagon, without regard to the value of the merchandise carried. The goods brought enormous prices, calico selling for $1 per yard, tobacco $5 per pound and whisky $8 a gallon. Iron was contraband, but was so valuable that traders would sometimes burn their wagons after they had passed the custom house and sell the iron at an immense profit. The trade during the first sixteen years increased tenfold. Sometimes the Indians attacked the trains, and United States infantry and cavalry were detailed to protect them. When the wagons returned loaded with specie they were often attacked and robbed, just as railroad trains are now held up by robbers. After 1838 the trade grew rapidly, increasing from hundreds of thousands to millions. During 1843-4 Santa Anna interdicted the trade, but soon after this New Mexico became United States territory, and the customhouse was removed to the other side of the Rio Grande. While no duties were collected the demand for goods increased, and in 1860 the trade had grown so as to employ 7,084 men, 3,033 wagons, 6,147 mules and 29,920 oxen. After railroads began to be built southwest from Kansas City the aspect of the trade was changed, and the frontier town followed the Indian toward the setting sun. The ox team was superseded by the freight train. The advent of the Santa Fe route brought the wealth of the whole region to the doors of Kansas City, and commerce is now carried on even with Old Mexico herself. The wealth of the prairies, east, west, north and south is now carried to and from Kansas City, and the raw material brought is novf turned into finished products, which are distributed and sold in the chief markets of the

As printed in Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri (v. 5) (1901). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.