Photo of First Bride's Grave

Date: c. 1940

 

Description: This photograph is of the First Bride’s Grave monument in South Ravine Park. The “first bride” of the monument’s dedication was Rosalie Menard, the wife of Joseph Leonais, famous for selling the land that would eventually become Sioux City to Dr. John Cook and his surveyors. Leonais moved to the area in 1853 as a fur trapper and became acquainted with the Menard family after they moved here a short time after. They were married when Rosalie was in her teens and Joseph 29 years old. They lived in the cabin Joseph had built along Perry Creek for a while before moving to a small farmhouse on the Floyd River. Rosalie died giving birth to their fourth child at the age of 27. In 1938 the Woodbury County Pioneer Club issued this monument in her honor. They dubbed Rosalie as the “first bride” as she was believed to be the first bride of a non-Native American in the area.

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Donor: Siouxland Chamber of Commerce

 

*Source: Siouxcityhistory.org