Dec 20, 2021
Laramie
La Ramie, as in the man
who has more things named after him than any other person in Wyoming. His name
(maybe) was Jacques LaRamie. In Wyoming, we have the Laramie Range, Laramie
Peak, Fort Laramie, the city of Laramie, the Laramie River, many Laramie streets,
and probably other things I cannot think of right now. Why the (maybe) when I
mentioned his first name was Jacques?
Some
historians tell us that Jacques was a popular French-Canadian name, and someone
writing history tagged him with it. Some believe his name was Baptiste. Others
are convinced his first name was Joseph. Doesn’t sound nearly as good as
Jacques. Joe Laramie – not much of a ring to it.
J.
Edmond Laramee, who claimes to be a descendant of Jacque, relates that his
parents were Joseph and Jeanne Laramee of Quebec. It sounds plausible, except
that Joseph and Jeanne had no children with the first name of Jacque. The
couple had five sons, one of which was Joseph, but no Jacque.
We
didn’t know his surname either, not for sure, as there were also multiple spellings
of his last name. At some time along the way, we modern agers settled on
Laramie because it was easier to say and spell. We also do not know how he
died. As most early histories were written (some fact and some fiction), he
died a heroic death, either killed by Indians (the Arapaho vehemently denied
this), or he fell on the ice, broke his leg, and fought on for days or weeks
before passing.
Was he
a great spokesman for and leader of the free trappers, or was he simply a man
who was friendly with all who, after his death, other trappers liked to tell
stories about? We will never know, but it doesn’t matter. He still represented
that early time in Wyoming history the way we want it to be – whether true or
not.
In my
many years teaching Wyoming history, I sometimes referred to Laramie as Pierre
or Joe as a reminder of how fickle history can be.
Hope all of you have a most Merry Christmas!
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