Allen County IN Archives Obituaries.....Jocquel, John J. August 13, 1899
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Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 June 11, 2010, 5:55 pm

Fort Wayne Journal Gazette - Mon., 14 Aug 1899
JOHN J. JOCQUEL DEAD

VENERABLE PIONEER PASSES TO HIS FINAL REST

HAD LIVED IN INDIANA OVER SIXTY YEARS, AND IN FORT WAYNE SINCE 1854 - SKETCH 
OF HIS LIFE

At about half past eight o'clock Sunday morning there passed from earth one of 
the oldest residents of Indiana, in the person of John J. Jocquel.  For sixty 
years he had lived in the State, seeing it grow from its wilderness to one of 
the most advanced and proudest commonwealths in the union.  Forty-five years 
of his life were passed in Fort Wayne, and death closed his eyes upon a 
flourishing city, which he first saw as a frontier village.

Mr. Jocquel had been ailing since last December.  He had never felt the weight 
of his years to any appreciable extent until that time, when his rugged 
constitution began to give away.  He was much weakened physically, but 
retained his mental faculties perfectly until about a month ago, when he began 
to fail.  Last Wednesday at noon he became suddenly unconscious.  The 
physicians said he was suffering from congestion of the brain, and pronounced 
the attack fatal at once.  He never regained consciousness, and suffered no 
pain, apparently.  Death came painlessly, almost inperceptibly, the life of 
the pioneer passing out without a struggle.  He died at 16 West Lewis street, 
at the residence of his son, Louis, with whom he had made his home for a score 
of years.

John J. Jocquel was born near Nancy, France in 1812.  He attended chool in his 
native place, and afterwards learned the trade of a tin and galvanized iron 
worker.  In 1832 he came to America with his brother.  He lost site of the 
latter about two years later, and never heard from him again.  The subject of 
this sketch settled first at Cincinatti, then at Milton, O., and in 1834 he 
came to Indiana.  He lived first at Logansport, then at Peru, and, in 1854 
came to Fort Wayne, where he has lived ever since.  For a year he was foreman 
for Derry and Maple, store and tinware dealers, and then engaged in the 
business for himself.  In 871 he began dealing in oil and lamps, but in 1876 
sold out and engaged in the book and stationery business until December 1, 
18??, when he retired in favor of his son, Louis Jacquel.

Mr. Jocquel was married while residing at Peru, to Miss Lucy Drouillard, 
daughter of Captain Louis Drouillard, an indian trader and one of the best 
known pioneers of the state.  To the couple were born eight children, of whom 
but two are left.  They are Mr. Louis Jocquel, of this city, and Sister 
xxxxxx, who has been a member of the Order of Providence over thrity years..  
He is stationed at Terre Haute.  Another daughter was also a member of this 
order, and was known in religion as Sister Adele.  She died about xxxx years 
ago.  Another son, Daniel, died three years ago.

When Mr. Jocquel arrived in Indiana, he came by boat and wagon through the 
forest and over the praries, where with his family he moved to Fort Wayne, 
they packed their goods in a pirogue and paddled up from Peru to this city on 
the canal.  Fort Wayne was then a small village, and of the early days Mr. 
Jocquel's active mind retained wonderfully, clear impressions up to the time 
of his last illness, and he delighted to tell of his experiences and the 
friends of long ago.

Mr. Jocquel was all his life a devoted Catholic, and, lived in harmony with 
christianity's precepts.  In the early days he was one of the pioneer priests, 
Father Benoit and Father xxxxx, the latter now and for many years past vicar 
general of the Indianapolis diocese.  Father Benoit used to make his home 
sometimes with the Jocquel family, and during his trip to New Orleans, in 
1850, Father  xxxxx, who attended Fort Wayne and vicinity was the guest of Mr. 
Jocquel.  When the Cathedral was building, Mr. Jocquel did all the tin and 
galvanized iron work.  He was the last survivor of those who were actively 
engaged in the work of construction.  He was the oldest member of the St. 
Joseph Benevolent society, having joined August 8, 1874.  He was also, in all 
probablility, the oldest member of the Married Men's Sodality of the 
Cathedral, having been a member ever since its organization, previous to 
1860.  He was a consistent christian, firmly grounded in his faith and sought 
over to live in accordance with his principles.

The funeral will be held Wednesday morning at half past nine o'clock from the 
Cathedral.  The Very REv. Father Guendling, V. G., will officiate.  The pall 
bearers will be James Fox, Joseph Romary, S. S. Kelker, Killian Baker, Frank 
Volrol, and Dennis Monahan.

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