Julien Dubuque

Julien Dubuque (born January 1762 and died March 24, 1810) was a French Canadian from the area of Champlain, Quebec who arrived near what now is known as Dubuque, Iowa - which was named after him. He was one of the first men to settle in the area. He initially received permission from the Meskwaki Native American tribe to mine the lead in 1788. Subsequently the Spanish confirmed that by giving him a land grant in 1796.

Once he had received permission from the Meskwaki to mine lead, Julien Dubuque remained in the area for the rest of his life. He befriended the local Meskwaki Chief Peosta - for whom the nearby town of Peosta, Iowa is named. It is widely believed that Dubuque married Peosta's daughter, who was supposedly named "Potosa"; however, there is no evidence that this was ever the case. Those who back the marriage claim point to letters that mention a Madame Dubuque as meaning Dubuque's wife.

After his death, the Meskwaki built a log crypt for Dubuque; which was replaced in the late 19th century by an imposing stone monument.

The name "Potosa" often appears in fanciful origin stories for the name Potosi, a small Wisconsin town located north of Dubuque, Iowa, which was founded in the 1830s as a lead-mining settlement.