CHOUTEAU, AUGUSTE (1739-1829), American pioneer, was born in New Orleans, La., in 1739. With his younger brother Pierre (1749-1849), he was the founder of the city of St. Louis, Mo. In August, 1763, they joined the expedition of Pierre Li gueste Laclede who had received a commission from the director general of Louisiana to establish the fur trade in the country west of the Mississippi. In this party Auguste was given command of the boat, and in October, 1763, they reached the settlement of Sainte Genevieve. In the winter they ascended to a point some 6o miles upstream and chose a site on the western bank for their chief trading station, which they named St. Louis. On Feb. 15, 1764, a party under the direction of Auguste Chouteau began ac tive trading operations. The two brothers remained permanently in the new settlement and built up a large and profitable fur trade with the Indians of the North and West. Auguste died in St. Louis on Feb. 24, 1829. His son Pierre Chouteau (1789-1869), developed an immense business in furs, becoming an associate of John Jacob Astor (q.v.).