Louis Campau (August 11, 1791 – April 13, 1871), also spelled Louis Campeau, was an important figure in the early settlement of Saginaw and Grand Rapids - two important Michigan cities in which he had established trading posts. Campau was also involved in negotiations between the local Native Americans and the federal government, including the Treaty of Detroit signed in 1855 by the local chief, Cobmoosa.
Early years and personal life
thumb|Charles H. Moore, Portraits of Louis Campau (1791-1871) and Sophie de Marsac Campau (1807-1869), 1852. The painting is in the Grand Rapids History & Special Collections of the Grand Rapids Public Library.
Campau was born in 1791 in Detroit, which at the time was functionally part of the Province of Quebec. He was a member of the prominent Campau family who were of French heritage. He began working the fur trade as a boy for his father, Louis Campau, Sr., and his uncle, Joseph Campau. During the War of 1812, he served under the United States Army.
His wife was Sophie Marsac, also born in Detroit. Sophie was the daughter of René Marsac, an early and notable family from New France. The Sophie de Marsac Campau Grand Rapids Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was created in her memory and in so doing "perpetuated the name of a woman of rare grace and character who was held in high esteem by the early pioneers." Campau arrived in the area at the suggestion of William Brewster, a fur trader with American Fur Company, who was his competitor. Campau became known as the official founder of Grand Rapids.
thumb|An 1833 plat map of Grand Rapids, depicting the two villages created by Louis Campau and Lucius Lyon that abutted at Pearl Street. Lyon followed the English grid system and Campau's plat followed Native American trails.
In 1831, a federal survey was performed of the Northwest Territory and land was offered for sale. Campau bought 72 acres around his trading post and near the Baptist mission for $90 on September 19 of that year. Living at the post were his wife and several members of his family.
Although Lyon was able to obtain land near the river and created Canal Street to meet up with Campau's Monroe Avenue, eventually the Kent Company was “forced out of existence”. The two villages were merged by Campau under the name of Grand Rapids. It was officially incorporated in 1838 and became a city in 1850.
Indian treaties
Both Louis and his brother Antoine were involved in treaty negotiations that made them a lot of money. Louis was involved in the Treaty of Denver in 1855, and he received a sizeable payout for the negotiations. The treaty was signed by 54 other leaders of Odawa and Chippewa tribes in Detroit. Much of it went to "white friends", like Campau; $500 went to the chiefs and $100 to headmen.