Jean La Lime

Jean La Lime (died June 17, 1812 in Chicago, Illinois). La Lime first arrived in the Chicago area on August 17, 1792 as an agent for William Burnett. In 1800, he worked to purchase the homestead of Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable for Burnett for 6,000 livres"Chicago's First Murder" "Chicago Daily Tribune" November 27, 1942. p.10.] , although by 1804, it was owned by Burnett's partner, John Kinzie. The bill of sale was filed in Detroit, Michigan on September 18, 1800, although it is dated in Chicago on May 7 of that year. ["Historic Paper Will Be Filed in City Today" "Chicago Daily Tribune" August 26, 1954. p.10.] From 1804 until his death, he worked as an Indian interpreter at Fort Dearborn. An improperly set broken leg during the winter of 1809 left La Lime lame.

On June 17, 1812, La Lime got into a quarrel with Kinzie, who killed him. Kinzie claimed La Lime had shot at him and Kinzie stabbed La Lime in self defense. ] Kinzie was eventually exonerated of the murder when Nathan Heald, the captain of Fort Dearborn determined he had acted in self-defense. There is speculation that La Lime was acting as an informant on the corrupt activities within the fort and Kinzie killed him to silence him. Death threats had been made to La Lime as early as April of that year. La Lime was originally buried within sight of Kinzie's house; Kinzie made sure to maintain the site properly. After Kinzie's death, his son, John H. Kinzie, exhumed La Lime's bones and buried them within the churchyard of St. James Church.

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 La Lime's and are currently in the possession of the Chicago History Museum. ["Chicago Historical Society to Opens Its Home" "Chicago Daily Tribune" November 1, 1896. p.41.]

References

* [http://www.dusableheritage.com/history.htm "History of Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable", DuSable Heritage Association, on line.]