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Joseph GUINOTTE, a Belgian ingenieur, born in Liege in 1815. Sent to Mexico by the Belgian Government to supervise the building of a railroad between Orizaba (or Mexico city) and Vera Cruz, Mexico, but when the war arose between the Mexican and the United State in 1845, he came to the United States, because of unfriendly feeling between the government and the French, and settled in 1848 (or 1849?) at was at the time Westport Landing, now Kansas City.

He purchased a tract of land along the river bluffs on the East bottoms and organized the company Guinotte, Magis and Co. The company brought a tract of ground of about twelve hundred acres, mostly from the Chouteau family.

Joseph Guinotte, after the organization of the Company went back to Belgium to start his countrymen coming in Kansas city. He pictured the natural beauties of the spot. He told them he believed a great city was to be erected were Kansas city now stands. His enthusiasm was great. Brussels, the pride of all the Belgians, was to be duplicated in the wonderful new country at the mouth of the Kaw. He painted glowing mind pictures of the hills and how they could be made more wonderfull still if treated artistically. 

In 1850 Belgians became to arrive, but in 1851 the cholera nearly wiped out the colony but it recovered quickly. Joseph Guinotte sent back to Belgium for his bride, Aimée Brichaut. He could not go for her because his duty lay in Kansas city with his people.

On one of the highest bluffs, at Third and Troost, Guinotte built his house in the spring of 1850. The home site was located in a dense forest and from this forest the logs were hewn with which the house was built.. Brick for the foundation and chimneys were brought from St Louis by steamboat, Southern architecture, a broad hallway through the center with large rooms on through the center with large rooms twenty-one feet square on either side, veranda and galleries surrounded one side overlooking the river.

Joseph Guinotte died on September 1, 1867. One source (K.C. Times) say he committed suicide by shooting himself with a pistol.

 

Sources: Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference. Edited By Howard L. Conard, The Southern History Company, 1901, Vol. III p. 137-138
The Kansas City Star; February 14, 1926 for the illustration

Courtesy Dan Coleman of the Kansas City Public Library

Joseph Guinotte came to Kansas City in 1848. Mr. Guinotte, a civil engineer, with the insight born of his profession, realized that in the future there would be a large city here. On one of the highest bluffs at Third street and Troost avenue he built his house in the spring of 1850. The bricks for the foundation and the chimneys were brought from St. Louis on a steamboat. The Southern style of architecture, a broad hallway through the center with large rooms on either side was followed. Veranda and galleries surrounded one side of the house, overlooking the river. The Guinotte homestead was of unusual size for homes of that period and its door, were always open to the traveler. Mr. Guinotte was known as a great lover of flowers - the first dahlias that grew in Kansas City were in his flower garden, having been brought from Belgium.

Jules Edgar Guinotte, judge of the probate court in Kansas City, was born .August 20, 1855, in the old Guinotte homestead at Fourth and Troost streets, one of the most historic spots in the city. He is a son of Joseph and Aimee (Brichant) Guinotte, the latter a native of Belgium. In the paternal line he is a representative of one of the old Belgium families, closely connected with what is one of the most picturesque and interesting periods in the history of tire city. His father, a civil engineer, was sent to Mexico by the Belgium government to supervise the construction of a railroad, but the war between Mexico and the United States caused the enterprise to be abandoned and, proceeding northward, he made his way up the Missouri river to Westport Landing. His prescience enabled him to realize that this was an excellent location for a large city and he purchased twelve thousand acres on the bluffs in the east bottoms, after which he brought over Belgium colonist, and settled land.
On one of the highest bluffs was a large log house, which he purchased from Mrs. Frances Chouteau in 1850. It had been the Chouteau home for several years and became his homestead, remaining his place of residence until his death in 1867, when it was sold by Mrs. Guinotte, who intended to return to Brussels, but on the death of her parents she again purchased the old Chouteau homestead and there resided until 1889. In 1852 she came from Brussels to the United States to become the wife of Joseph Guinotte, who met her in Sew York city, where they ware married, after which Air. Guinotte brought his bride to the Kansas City homestead. Their home soon gained a reputation for bounteous and generous hospitality. There were entertained many notable visitors, including Father De Smet, Bishop L'Ami of Mexico, Bishop Miege and Bishop Salpointe of Arizona and Mexico, while among the traders were Captain Bridger, Vasquez, the Papins, Chouteaus, and others.
Reared amid the refining influences of a cultured home and educated in the private schools of Kansas City and in the St. Louis University, Judge Guinotte afterward spent several years in clerical work in various offices of Kansas City, his last position of that character being deputy clerk in the office of Hon. Wallace Laws, for many years circuit clerk of Jackson county. Determining to devote his life to the practice of law, he then became a student in the office of Tichenor & Warner, well known attorneys, with whom he continued his reading until his admission to the bar. He is recognized as a lawyer of wide knowledge and one who in the practice of the profession manifested unfaltering fidelity to the interests of his clients. No higher testimonial of his service on the bench could be given than the fact that he has continuously held the office of probate judge of Jackson county since 1886, when he was elected on the democratic ticket by a large majority, receiving the support of many of the best known republicans of his district. At each election since he bas been again chosen for the office and thus the stamp of public approval is placed upon a service characterized by thorough understanding of probate law and by the utmost accuracy and fidelity in the discharge of his duties.

On the 24th of May, 1883, Mr. Guinotte was married to Miss Maud Stark, a daughter of Dr. John K. Stark, a pioneer dentist of Jackson county. The family are communicants of the Catholic church. The Guinotte home of the present day enjoys the same reputation for hospitality borne by the old parental homestead and in social circles Mr. and Mrs. Guinotte have many warm friends.

Source : Whitney, Carrie Westlake. : Kansas City, Missouri : its history and its people, 1808-1908; Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1908, 2083 pgs.