Etienne Provost (1785 - 1850) worked in the Traite furs, Canadian-French whose town of Provo in the Utah is named in its honor.

Native of Chambly, in the province of Quebec, his youth remains mysterious. Traveller in the Valley Arkansas, he was the companion of Joseph Philibert in 1814 and of Auguste Chouteau in 1815.

Imprisoned twice by the Spaniards with Santa Fe, he learned from his errors and returned to the New Mexico in 1822. Two years later, it binds with certain Leclerc for trapper in the Bassin of Uinta.

Close to the Big lake Salted, at the edge of the river, its group was attacked in 1824 by a band of Indians in October, and eight men found death then. Surviving, it establishes eight commercial stations on the Salted Lake and the Lac Utah. The following year, it meets Peter Skene Ogden with the Weber canyon, which then confronted one of the officers of William H. Ashley

He travelled for a time with Ashley without never joining his company. Of return to Saint Louis in 1826, it works for the American Fur Company while continuing to only make its trappage with him. After its marriage in 1829, it is directed towards the field of transport by escorting caravans.

In 1839, it is the guide of Jean Nicollet, which drew the charts of the high-Mississippi. In 1843, it helps Jean-Jacques Audubon through the area. The members of forwarding were painted by Alfred Jacob Miller.

Until 1850, it continues to recruit employees and to ensure a service of transport the merchants. It is considered and called the Homme of the mountains, it dies the July 3rd 1850 at Saint Louis.