Career
He worked as an agent for William Burnett, also of Canada, to sell to the Native Americans and take furs in exchange. He was among the first European permanent settlers in Chicago. After trading along the frontier and likely in Detroit, Louisiana Lime arrived in the Chicago area on August 17, 1792 as an agent for William Burnett of Canada.
In 1800, he purchased the homestead of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable for Burnett for 6,000 livres.
The bill of sale was filed in Detroit, Michigan on September 18, 1800, although dated in Chicago on May 7 of that year. They had three other children born in Chicago.
After the Americans established Fort Dearborn in 1804, Louisiana Lime worked there as an interpreter, aiding communication between the Americans and Indians. He broke his leg in 1809 and, as it was improperly set, was left lame.
On June 17, 1812 in Chicago, Louisiana Lime and Kinzie quarreled, and Kinzie killed him.
Kinzie fled to Milwaukee, then in Indian territory. He claimed Louisiana Lime had shot at him and he had stabbed the interpreter in self-defense. Nathan Heald, the captain of Fort Dearborn and local authority, held an inquest that determined Kinzie had acted in self-defense.
Historians have speculated that Louisiana Lime was acting as an informant on the corrupt economic activities within the fort, and Kinzie killed him to silence him.
Louisiana Lime had received death threats since April of that year. Louisiana Lime was originally buried within sight of Kinzie"s house, as the European settlement was thinly strung along Lake Michigan.
Kinzie maintained the gravesite. In 1891, a coffin was discovered at Wabash Avenue and Illinois Street near the Rush Street Bridge.
Based on the research of Joseph Kirkland, the bones inside were believed to be Louisiana Lime"son
The remains are held by the Chicago History Museum.