Paulus Roetter

Sketched Missouri scenes and nautical and botanical specimens for Louis Agassiz and Dr. George Engelmann.

Paulus Roetter (1806-1894). Landscape artist, botanical illustrator. Roetter studied art in Dusseldorf and Munich, Germany, before settling in Switzerland in 1825. He emigrated to St. Louis in 1845 where he became an Evangelical pastor and schoolteacher. Roetter served in the Union army during the Civil War. He later became an associate of biologist Louis Agassiz at Harvard University.

As part of the reports of the U.S. and Mexican Boundary Survey, George Engelmann (1809-1884) published Cactaceae of the Boundary (Washington, D.C.), with illustrations by Paul Roetter. The work was a significant contribution toward the classification of cactus.

1 - Paulus ROETTER

      Born -  4 Jan 1806 Nurnberg, Mittelfranken, Bayern, GERM

      Died - 11 Nov 1894 St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

      Note - !BIRTH: Paulus ROETTER was born in Nurnberg, Mittelfranken, Bayern (Bavaria), Germany, on 4 Jan 1806.  The LDS IGI extract says that he was born 5 

             July 1806.  His father is said to have been a Lutheran reverend. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: Paulus studied art in Nuremburg, Dusseldorf, and Munich, and worked briefly in Paris.  In 1825 he settled down in Thun and Interlaken, 

             Switzerland where he became famous as a landscape painter and taught in the schools for twenty years. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: In 1845, with his family and friends, Paulus ROETTER embarked for America to found a communistic colony or settlement.  The plan 

             failed because of their hard struggle in the new environment and he instead established himself in St. Louis, MO, in 1845. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: From 1845-1853, he was installed in the parsonage of St. Mark's Evangelical Church at Third and Soulard Streets.  He served as a 

             minister and teacher for the pioneer congregation.  He taught art at Central High School and was known and respected for his profound piety.

             !CENSUS: 1850 U.S. Census (St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, enum. 2 Aug 1850).  Paul ROETTER is 44 years old, a teacher, born in Germany.  His wife 

             Anna is 25 years old.  Children listed: Arnold (15), Gert. (12), Anna (9), Lydia (4), Salome (2), and [unreadable] (2/12).  They live in the 

             household of the tailor Albert SANDERLOPER (sp?), age 40, born in Germany. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: On 22 Feb 1853, Washington University was established and ROETTER was made a member of the faculty.  He taught modern languages and 

             was the first to teach drawing.  His compensation was fixed at $500 per year.  He also worked in close association with Dr. George ENGELMANN and 

             gained an interest in natural history, making many drawings of biological specimens. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: From 1853-1854, Paulus ROETTER made detailed drawings of specimens on a government expedition under the direction of the War 

             Department that was engaged in biological research from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean.  The purpose was to locate a suitable railroad 

             route from the Mississippi to the West Coast. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: In 1854, "View of Iron Mountain" was painted.  He also made pencil drawings of the the iron fields south of St. Louis. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: In 1856, the expedition reports were published.  In part V, page 57, it has the following statement, "All the figures herewith 

             presented are credited to Paulus ROETTER." 

             !BIOGRAPHY: Paulus ROETTER was listed in the 1856-1857 "Catalogue of the Officers of Washington University" as a Teacher of Drawing of the 

             Academic Department. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: In 1858, George ENGELMANN's "The Cactaceae of the Boundary", part of the "Report of the U.S. and Mexican Boundary Survey", was 

             published with many of Paulus ROETTER's drawings (61 illustrations).  Henry SHAW, who founded St. Louis' Shaw Garden was at one time in search of 

             a botanist and was refered to one of the best -- Dr. ENGELMANN.  ROETTER was long associated with ENGELMANN and today some of his original 

             drawings are in Shaw's Museum and "recognized by authorities as being among the finest ever made."

             !BIOGRAPHY: On 11 May 1859, the Mary Institute for girls was founded and ROETTER was one of the first drawing teachers there.

             !BIOGRAPHY: In 1859, "O'Fallon Park" was painted.  It was once owned by the NASH family, then the Missouri Historical Society, and now it is at 

             the Jefferson Memorial, St. Louis.  The painting shows Victorian gentlemen at ease on the bluffs, a narrow dirt road (probably Broadway), and the 

             river with the Illinois hills in the background.

             !BIOGRAPHY: At the 1859 St. Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Fair he won 2nd prize and silver medal for a landscape in oil. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: Paulus ROETTER was listed in the 1859-1860 "Catalogue of the Officers and Students of Washington University" as Teacher of Drawing 

             under the Academic Department, Teacher of Drawing under the Collegiate Department, and Teacher of Drawing at Mary Institute.  George ENGELMANN was 

             Professor of Botany and Natural History. 

             !CENSUS: 1860 U.S. Census (St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.  Ward 02, page 620).  Paulus ROTTER (umlaut over the O) is 54 years old, born in 

             Nurnberg, Bavaria, teacher of "droughting", $1700 real estate, $200 personal estate.  His wife Anna is 36, born in Canton, Bern, Switzerland.  

             Children listed: Anna (18), Lydia (13), Salome (11), Simon (11), Josua (8), and Benjamin ROETTER (1 1/2). 

             !BIOGRAPHY: At the 1860 St. Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Fair, Paulus won a 1st prize for a landscape in oil (a grove with cows wandering 

             beneath) and also a 2nd prize in the same category. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: Paulus ROETTER was listed for 1860-1861 as Teacher of Drawing at the Academic Department, Teacher of Drawing at the Collegiate 

             Department, and Teacher of Drawing in Preparatory Classes of the Faculty.

             !BIOGRAPHY: In Jun 1861, Washington University laid him off due to financial problems from the Civil War and decreased student enrollment.  Zeus, 

             a gym instructor, was also let go. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: On 31 Aug 1861, the drawing of the "Residence and Headquarters of General Fremont" appeared in this issue of "Harper's Weekly 

             Magazine".  On 16 Nov 1861, "General Fremont's Army on the March -- Scene Near Warsaw, Missouri" appeared in "Harper's Weekly Magazine".  On 23 

             Nov 1861, "Indian Scouts in General Lane's Camp" and a portrait of General LANE appeared in "Harper's Weekly Magazine".  The picture had great 

             details of the Delaware Indians' costumes, feathers, plumes, ornaments, and utensils.  There was also another pencil sketch, "General Fremont's 

             Camp at Jefferson City, Missouri".

             !WAR: In the Civil War, Paulus ROETTER served in the Home Guard. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: Sometime in the 1860s Paulus was in Springfield, IL, in the service of the Geological Survey. 

             !RESIDENCE: The 1865 St. Louis City Directory lists Paulus ROETTER, artist, 10 Hickory. 

             !RESIDENCE: The 1866 St. Louis City Directory lists Paulus ROETTEO, landscape painter, 10 Hickory. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: In 1867 Paulus ROETTER went to Cambridge, MA, to work with Louis AGASSIZ for whom he drew biological specimens as an artist in the 

             Harvard Museum. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: In 1869 Paulus ROETTER finished the painting of "Cambridge" which was in the posession of Mrs. J. OBERMEYER in 1928. 

             !RESIDENCE: The 1870 St. Louis City Directory lists Paul ROETTER, architect, 512 Hickory. 

             !CENSUS: 1870 U.S. Census (St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, roll 812, page 237, enum. 14 Jul 1870).  Paul RATTER is 60 years old, artist, $2500 personal 

             estate, born in Bavaria, citizen.  Wife Anna was born in Switzerland, keeps house.  Children are Simon (20), Joshua (18), Ben (11), Daniel (10), 

             Cornelia (8), & John (6). 

             !RESIDENCE: The 1872, 1874, 1875, and 1876, St. Louis City Directories list Paul ROETTER, artist, 512 Hickory. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: In 1876, at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, PA, Paulus ROETTER's ichthyological drawings (done in his work with AGASSIZ) 

             were awarded the highest honors.  They were later exhibited in Paris where they also received the highest recognition. 

             !RESIDENCE: The 1877, 1878, 1879, and 1880 St. Louis City Directories list Paul ROETTER, artist, 512 Hickory Street. 

             !RESIDENCE: The 1881 St. Louis City Directory lists Paulus ROETTER, artist, 512 Hickory Street. 

             !RESIDENCE: The 1882 and 1883-84 St. Louis City Directories list Paul ROETTER, artist, 512 Hickory Street. 

             !BIOGRAPHY: In 1884, Paulus ROETTER retired from his work at Cambridge, MA, and permanently moved back to St. Louis, MO, according to some of the 

             articles  about him. 

             !RESIDENCE: The 1884-85, 1885-86, 1886-87, 1887-88, 1888-89, and 1889-90 St. Louis City Directories list Paul ROETTER, artist, 512 Hickory Street. 

             !RESIDENCE: The 1890-91 St. Louis City Directory lists Paulus ROETTER, arist, 512 Hickory Street. 

             !RESIDENCE: The 1894-95 St. Louis City Directory lists Paul ROETTER, artist, 512 Hickory Street. 

             !DEATH: On 11 Nov 1894, Paulus ROETTER died at the age of 89 years old when he slipped and broke his hip while on his daily walk to Forest Park, 

             St. Louis, Missouri. 

             !QUOTE: "Kaum mag der griffel ansudeuten, den Reichthum der Natur Verschwendung Selbst in dem tiefsten Mereskoth." = "Never can the pen point out 

             the riches of nature that are lavished even in the depths of the sea's slime."