07/24/2026
Jim Thorpe played for the Milwaukee Brewers. Jim and his mother Charlotte Vieux came from a long line of movers and shakers.
The Patriarch: Jacques Vieau (Vieux)The historical "town development" footprint of the family stems from Jacques Vieau (1757–1852), a prominent French-Canadian fur trader.The Settlement: In 1795, Vieau established a highly successful trading post for the North West Company on the south bank of the Menomonee River.The Legacy: Because of this post, he is widely recognized as the first permanent white settler in Milwaukee. His trading routes and early infrastructure effectively laid the groundwork for what would become Wisconsin's largest city.Family Ties: He married Angelique Roy, the niece of Potawatomi Chief On-au-ge-sa, cementing deep foundational and familial ties between French traders and Native communities in early Green Bay and Milwaukee. Today, a monument dedicated to him stands in Milwaukee's Mitchell Park.The Next Generation: Louis VieuxHis son, Louis Vieux (1810–1872), was born on the shores of Lake Michigan and initially continued the family's trading business, expanding early commerce around Milwaukee. However, the family's "town development" narrative shifted out of state due to historical events:The Removal: Following the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the 1833 Treaty of Chicago, Louis Vieux—who married Sha-note (Charlotte), daughter of a prominent Potawatomi leader—chose to stay with his people.The New Town: They were forced westward, eventually settling in Kansas. There, Louis Vieux became an influential business leader, a chief of the Citizen Potawatomi, and an official town developer—founding the crucial Red Vermillion Crossing infrastructure that facilitated the Oregon Trail migration.
