Desloge Lead Mining Company Papers

Collection

Identifier: A3035

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists mainly of land record documents showing the activity of Firmin V. Desloge in St. Francois County and Washington County, Missouri. The collection is mostly made up of Trust Deeds, various deeds of conveyance, and Chattel Mortgages. Also included are notes for loans made, communication with purchasers of ore from the Desloge Lead Mine Company and volumes relating to the purchase of the Bogy Lead Mine and the creation of the Desloge Consolidated Lead Company. Documents found in the collection include the following: Trust Deed (or Deed of Trust): There are three parties to this document: Party of the 1st Part, the Borrower; Party of the 2nd Part, the Trustee; Party of the 3rd Part, the Lender. The document is recorded, in the county in which the property is located, for the term agreed upon, by the borrower and lender, in the signed Promissory Note. The Trustee holds the right (foreclosure) to sell the property, at the courthouse door, in case of default. General Warranty Deed: Written instrument used to transfer ownership/title of a property from the seller (grantor, party of the first part) to a buyer (grantee, party of the second part). In a Warranty Deed the Grantor guarantees that they legally own the property with no outstanding liens, mortgages or encumbrances, the document further warranties the clear title of the property. Quit Claim Deed: Written instrument that transfers ownership/title from owner (grantor, party of the first part) who has terminated, or quit, his claim to the property to a recipient (grantee, party of the second part). This deed makes no guaranty and provides no warranty to the clear title of the property. Deed: Written instrument that is signed and delivered, especially one regarding the ownership of land. Trustee’s Deed: Written instrument that transfers legal title/ownership to a purchaser (grantee) after foreclosure, default of loan terms. In this case, the seller of the property is the Trustee established in the recorded Trust Deed. Chattel Mortgage: A mortgage made against movable/personal property, if the loan falls into default, the items offered as collateral are forfeited to the lender. Note: Document that established amount of money borrowed and the terms for its repayment, including any interest to be charged.

Dates

1840-1903

Creator

Desloge Lead Mining Company (Author, Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, quote from, or reproduce material in this collection, please contact the Archives Reference Desk at archives@mohistory.org. Copyright restrictions may apply. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright.

Biographical Sketch

Upon arriving in Ste. Genevieve, in 1822, Firmin Rene Desloge partnered in business with his uncle Ferdinand Rozier. Desloge soon travelled to Mine a Breton, the small town that would become Potosi, where he established his mercantile store. It was this endeavor that brought together the Desloge family and the lead industry. Firmin Rene Desloge began by accepting lead in trade, as early as 1830 he had built a smelting furnace, and begun surface mining in the Potosi area. His son, Firmin Vincent Desloge began, the Missouri Lead Mining & Smelting Co. in 1874; in 1876 this became the Desloge Lead Company, and in 1877 he completed and began operating the Desloge Mill & Smeltery. After fire destroyed the concentrating mill plant and damaged the surface plant, Desloge Lead Company was sold St. Joe Lead Co. Undeterred, Firmin Vincent Desloge continued on and in 1888 he established the Desloge Consolidated Lead Company. After acquiring the Bogy Lead Mine and St. Francois Mining, mining in Desloge began in 1893. The company carried on, prosperously, as land was acquired to establish the city of Desloge and expand the mining enterprise, in a 1901 lead mining report the Missouri Mines Inspector reported the company’s holding at 3,640 acres in Desloge. The company was sold to St. Joe Lead Co., in 1929, just months before the stock market crash that would begin the Great Depression.

Extent

0.5 Cubic Feet ( (1 box; 2 volumes))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by type of document and chronologically within each group.

Physical and Technical Requirements

There are no physical or technical restrictions.

Donor Information

The collection was donated by the Desloge Family Historical Preservation Trust in July 2016.

Digital Copies

The Desloge Lead Mining Company Papers were digitized by Andrea Carter, October-December 2016. The images may be viewed online by clicking the links beside each item in the inventory.