Pierre Chouteau Jr., who often went by the Creole nickname “Cadet” (meaning second-born), or the anglicized version of his name, Peter, was a grandson of the founder of St. Louis, Pierre Laclede. Chouteau was born in 1789 and began trading with the Osage Nation in 1804. From 1810 to 1812, he operated lead mines in Iowa and in 1827, he began work as a western agent for the Astor Fur Company, run by John Jacob Astor. During his exploration in the west, he built a trading fort, Fort Pierre Chouteau, in what is today South Dakota. The fort’s name was shortened to Fort Pierre, and later became Pierre, the state’s capital. In 1834, Chouteau took over all of the Missouri River interests of the Astor Fur Company, and continued their work supplying pelts to the beaver hat industry. By 1850, the beaver hat industry started to decline, and Chouteau switched to selling buffalo hides. Also in 1850, Chouteau operated a rolling mill located in St. Louis. The following year, he assisted in the incorporation of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad. In 1859, an ailing Chouteau lost his sight, and in 1865, he died.

Chouteau was born to Jean Pierre Chouteau Sr. and Pelagie Kiersereau. He had two brothers: Auguste Pierre Chouteau and Paul Liguest Chouteau, one sister Pélagie Chouteau, and he also had four half-brothers: Francois G. Chouteau (the founder of Kansas City), Cyprien Chouteau, Pharamond Chouteau and Frederick Chouteau. He married his first cousin, Emilie Gratiot, and they had at least three children: Charles Pierre Chouteau, Emilie Chouteau Sandford, and Julia Ann Chouteau Maffitt. Emilie married John F. A. Sandford, who is still well-known for his involvement in the infamous court case Dred Scott v. Sandford.  

It is important to acknowledge that Chouteau Jr. was an enslaver. In the 1860 Census, Pierre Chouteau Jr. enslaved four men aged between 18-65 and a 45 year old woman. In the 1850 Census, he enslaved 7 men between the ages of  23-58 and a 2 year old boy as well as seven women between the ages of 20-67. In the 1845 Partial Census, he enslaved two girls between the ages of 17-20 and a man and woman between the ages of 21-44. Three women named Susan, Cecile and Eugenie were emancipated. 1840 records show several enslaved children. Additionally, when Missouri became a state, Chouteau worked to influence the state constitution to allow slavery.  

Pierre owned land from 1862-78 on the property that would later belong to Tyson Research Center.