Pierre Parrant | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1777 |
| Died | 1872/1886 |
| Other names | "Pig's Brown Eye" |
| Occupations | bootlegger,fur trader |
Pierre "Pig's Brown Eye"Parrant was the first official resident of the city ofSaint Paul, Minnesota.[1]: 134 His exploits propelled him to local fame and infamy, with his name briefly adorning the village that became Minnesota's capital city.
Sources disagree about Parrant's exact history before settling in theMinnesota Territory, but most indicate that he was ofFrench Canadian origin (or perhapsMétis)[2] and born nearSault Ste. Marie, Ontario, around 1777.[3] For most of his adult life Parrant made his living as a fur trapper while working for a company called McKenzie and Chouteau.[4]: 64
During his days as a fur trapper "Pig's Brown Eye" Parrant, so called because he was blind in one eye, started to gain a somewhat dubious reputation with law enforcement, most likely due to his dabbling as a bootlegger.[5] With the onset of age and thefur trade's decline Parrant began seeking new endeavors to earn a living. His search brought him to a fledgling new settlement near a military outpost calledFort Snelling in theMinnesota Territory.
Arriving atMendota in 1832, Parrant began to carve out a new life for himself while residing in a squatter's colony nearFort Snelling.[4]: 64 His new career found him distilling liquor, which he sold to other squatters, the indigenous people of the area, and even the soldiers at the fort.[6] This new business served "Pig's Brown Eye" (French:L'Œil de Cochon) until 1838, when the squatters were forced off the land surrounding the fort due to their strain on surrounding resources. It was at this time that the 60+-year-old Parrant made a claim on a tract of land at the entrance of what was known as Fountain Cave.[6]
This cave was situated on the east bank of theMississippi River just downstream from what is nowDowntown Saint Paul. Around June 1, 1838, Parrant completed a small shack that, according to an 1892 publication by Albert A. Jones, became "the first habitation, and the first business house of Saint Paul."[1]: 134 Thus Parrant became the first inhabitant of the future city ofSaint Paul. That such a distinction belongs to a man with Parrant's reputation has irked some historians, such as J. Fletcher Williams, who lamented:[4]: 65
Such was the man on whom Fortune, with that blind fatuity that seems to characterize the jade, thrust the honor of being the founder of our good city! Our pride almost revolts at the chronicling of such a humiliation, and leads us to wish that it were on one worthier and nobler that such a distinction had fallen. But history is inexorable, and we must recordfacts as they are.
Fountain Cave was an excellent location for Parrant's claim, as the spring inside it provided a steady water supply for his still. It was at Fountain Cave that Parrant opened a tavern that became wildly popular with the surrounding community. The bar, known as "Pig's Brown Eye" or "Pig's Brown Eye Pandemonium", was easily accessible to local residents, riverboat crews working on the river, and the soldiers from nearbyFort Snelling.[1]: 147
Parrant became so popular, that when a nearby resident namedJoseph R. Brown sent a letter to a friend in 1839 he gave the return address simply as "Pig's Brown Eye". Not long after, Brown received correspondence at the address he had given,[7] showing that the growing community around Pierre's bar was becoming known as "Pig's Brown Eye".
The city's name might have remained Pig's Brown Eye had it not been for the arrival of a Catholic priest namedLucien Galtier. So aghast was Galtier that the village on the river derived its name from a man of such ill repute that, when he built his small chapel in the area in 1841, he reportedly stated, "Pig's Brown Eye, converted thou shalt be, like Saul; Arise, and be, henceforth, Saint Paul!"[1]: 147 It is disputed whether Galtier actually said those words, but the story is part of the city'sfolklore.
Parrant produced bootlegwhiskey, likely a simple grain-based spirit distilled using rudimentary equipment. Historical accounts suggest that the whiskey was not refined but served its purpose for trade with soldiers, settlers, and Indigenous people. The spring water from Fountain Cave was essential for the distillation process, giving Parrant a competitive advantage in producing liquor in a remote frontier setting.[8]
In 1844, Parrant lost his claim at Fountain Cave and was forced to vacate the land. John Fletcher Williams, first librarian of the Minnesota Historical Society who wrote a history of early St. Paul, says there was an eviction order in May 1838. This Eviction Order came fromFort Snelling as Parrant was selling alcohol to both the soldiers at the fort and the Dakota they were fighting at the time.[9]
What happened to Parrant after he left Saint Paul is a mystery. Some sources say he was so upset about losing his claim that he decided to leave the Minnesota area and return toSault Ste. Marie, only to die along the way in 1844.[3] Others say he eventually settled nearWinnipeg,Manitoba, Canada, where he died between 1872 and 1886.[5]
