FRANCIS XAVIER LEPERE (1822-1906)

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V28 2025 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 28, Number 22, 2025, Article 12

E-Sylum Feature Writer and American Numismatic Biographies author Pete Smith submitted this article on St. Louis collector Francis X. Lepère. Thanks! -Editor

The topic this week was suggested by Len Augsburger. Len's interest comes from a letter to Lepère found in the Eric Newman files.

Francis X. Lepère was born in St. Louis on September 7, 1822, the son of Martin Le Père (1794-1862) and Elizabeth Spaulding (1799-1884). Martin was an early settler in St. Louis with holdings in real estate and a successful grocery business.

Francis was employed as a clerk for David Nicholson before starting business as a retail grocer. Lepère promoted his business with small ads in the local English and German language newspapers as early as 1847. In the early 1870's, he ran ads in The Times of Shreveport, Louisiana. These might catch the attention of people heading upriver before travelling west.

On April 8, 1859, he entered a partnership with J. Tilden Richards to form the firm of Lepère & Richards in the wholesale grocery business. They were located at Second Street and Washington Avenue in St. Louis.

He married Catharine Matilda Dyer (1828-1913) in St. Louis on October 17, 1848. At the time of the 1850 Census, they were living with his parents. Catherine had fourteen children but only two outlived her.

An 1862 letter from Joseph J. Mickley to Lepère was in the Newman collection and sold at auction. However, the original Lepère query to Mickley has not been located. The Mickley response provides no insight into Lepère's collection. It is quite possible that Lepère was looking for a market for his duplicates rather than for items to add to his collection.

Lepère was a successful grocery merchant in St. Louis following the Civil War. People with origins in other countries passed through St. Louis on their way west. If he let it be known that he would accept foreign money in trade, he may have had access to a large source for his collection.

He was elected a corresponding member of the American Numismatic Society on February 13, 1868.

In the 1870 Census, Francis and Catherine had seven children living at home as well as his mother, Elizabeth. They also had four young women from Ireland listed as domestic servants.

Lepère filed for bankruptcy in 1875. The largest creditor was the Central Savings Bank of St. Louis. His assets included 90 shares of stock in the bank.

Francis Lepère was a director of the Central Savings Bank, organized in 1857. They made bad investments and went bankrupt on July 17, 1876. It is unlikely that Lepère's default alone brought down the bank. It is likely that the bankruptcy forced the sale of his collection.

John W. Haseltine conducted the 1776 Centennial Coin and Curiosity Sale. Part IV on July 17-18, 1876. This was identified as "The Collection of Francis Lepère of St, Louis." There was no biography of the consignor. It had more foreign coins and medals than American material. The sale included a long run of United States Store Cards with many selling for 1 cent each. Most lots brought less than a dollar each.

Not surprising, there were no Morgan Dollars in the sale and no Mint State grading. A 1794 Dollar, described as "a good specimen of this rare dollar" realized $54. Generally, the dollars were well circulated. I was amused to see a 1792 "Trial piece designed for a Cent" realize 5 cents in the sale.

There was a group of "Tokens of the War 1861-1865" described as "The following collection is the finest collection that I have ever seen and should be kept together." This was just six lots but included 1413 pieces. The first 1309 pieces sold for just 1.5 cents each.

In general, the American coins were well circulated and in the Fair to Fine range. These appeared to be coins that were pulled from circulation rather than choice pieces acquired at auction. A Lepère pedigree on a coin would have little prestige.

By the 1880 Census, Francis and Catherine were down to five children living at home and down to just one servant.

The second sale of Lepère coins was conducted by the Chapman brothers on February 15-16, 1904. The first 414 lots were designated as coming from Lepere with other consignments following. The dollars of 1878 to 1904 were called "Standard" dollars rather than Morgans. Many of the American silver coins sold at face value or a very small premium higher.

The ANS has a file of letters from Lepère to the Chapman brothers. In a letter dated October 7, 1903, he informs them that he has relocated to Pueblo, Colorado. A letter dated November 13, 1903, mentions his collection and that most of the coins were obtained from their sales. On April 2. 1904, he requested return of his coins that were not included in the sale.

Perhaps the most significant letter from Lepère to the Chapmans was dated April 11, 1904. He expressed frustration that the price received for his coins was extremely low.

Lepère died at the home of a daughter in St; Louis on January 8, 1906, and is buried at Calvary Cemetery and Mausoleum in St. Louis.

Lepère is not mentioned in the Bowers book on American Numismatics Before the Civil War 1760-1860. Before the war he was collecting but not an active player in the market.

The History Channel had a two-part program on Sitting Bull this week. Here is how he fits into this story.

During 1871 and 1872, Indians under Sitting Bull attacked railroad survey parties that were plotting the route for the Northern Pacific Railroad through disputed Indian Territory. This caused the railroad to suspend construction, the railroad failed causing great losses to investors and the Panic of 1873 followed.

Investments by land speculators lost value and caused banks to fail. Among those bank failures was the Central Saving Bank of St. Louis. Investment losses caused the bankruptcy of Francis Lepère and he was forced to sell his collection at auction.

There were other factors in the world economy that led to the Panic of 1873. Blaming Sitting Bull for the sale of the Lepère collection might be a bit of a stretch.