Ascension County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....McCall, Henry January 1, 1913 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Mary K. Creamer marykcreamer.00@gmail.com May 16, 2022, 9:41 pm source: The Donaldsonville Chief. (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, January 04, 1913, page 4 DEATH OF HENRY M'CALL. - A Foremost Citizen of Ascension Passes Away - Distinguished as Sugar Planter, Public Spirited Leader and Charitable Gentleman. - Hon. Henry McCall, for many years one of the most prominent, influential and public-spirited citizens of the parish of Ascension, passed away at his New Orleans residence on New Year's day at 10:45 o'clock in the forenoon. The temporary improvement in his condition noted in these columns last Saturday was followed by a sinking spell the next day, and from Sunday afternoon until the hour of his death on Wednesday the patient lay in a state of insensibility, taking no nourishment and showing few signs of life except the act of breathing. The end came so peacefully that the watchers at the bedside could scarcely distinguish the exact moment at which the last vital spark left the mortal frame. The immediate cause of death was diagnosed as sclerosis or hardening of the arteries, a process that had been in operation several years. Mr. McCall fully appreciated the gravity of his ailment and had resigned himself to the fatal resuit (sic) which he knew could not be long averted. While he loved life and the associations of his home circle, and deeply regretted the inevitable separation from the many devoted friends in whose companionship he had found so much enjoyment, yet he submitted to his fate without undue complaint and faced the prospect of early dissolution with philosophical resignation. He received the last consolations of the Catholic religion several days before his death, and was deeply appreciative of the loving care and concern of his children and friends during the period of his last illness and up to the time he lapsed into unconsciousness. Henry McCall, son of Evan Jones McCall and Angele Longer, was born April 24, 1847, on the Belle Alliance plantation in Assumption parish, five miles below Donaldsonville on the east bank of Bayou Lafourche, which plantation was then the property of his father and the late Charles Kock, from whose joint purchase the estate derived its name. Subsequently Mr. Kock bought out his partner's interest in Belle Alliance and the McCalls returned to Evan Hall plantation, on the west bank of the Mississippi river, three miles above Donaldsonville, the ancestral estate that has been in the possession of the present owners and their forbears since 1780, when the original portion of the land was ceded to Evan Jones by the Spanish government in recognition of his services as American consul for Spain and military commandant of this district, then known as "Lafourche Chetimaches," Henry McCall's paternal grandfather, also named Henry McCall, was a soldier under General Jackson in the war of 1812 and fought at the historic battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815. He married a daughter of Evan Jones and after her death married one of her sisters. Evan Jones died in 1823, leaving Evan Hall to his daughters, and the estate in turn passed into the hands of Evan Jones McCall and his brother, Harry McCall of Philadelphia, whose partnership gave rise to the firm name McCall Bros., preserved in the title of the McCall Bros, Planting and Manufacturing Company, Limited, present proprietors of Evan Hall. The early education of the Henry McCall whose earthly career closed last Wednesday was received in the schools of New Orleans and at Mount St. Mary's College near Emmitsburg (sic), Maryland. He was s student in the latter institution when the civil war broke out, and was sent to complete his education in England and France. He then served two years in a clerical position in a Liverpool commercial house, returning to Louisiana in 1867 and engaging in the cotton business at New Orleans for two years. In 1869 he assumed the active management of Evan Hall plantation, and continued at the head of the estate's affairs from that time until his death, occupying the presidency of the McCall Bros. Planting & Mfg. Co. from the inception of that corporation some twenty- five years ago. His father died in 1877 and his uncle Harry several years later, while his mother passed away about seven years ago. In December, 1877, Henry McCall married Miss Amelie Legendre, daughter of Emile Legendre, a prominent planter and attorney, originally of St. James parish, but then residing in New Orleans, where he was for years the senior member of the well-known law firm of Legendre & Poche. Four children were born of this happy union - Evan J. McCall, now connected with the International Molasses Company of New Orleans; Henry George McCall, a practicing lawyer of the same city; Lily McCall, now Mrs. Randall S. Freeman of Baltimore, Md., and James Legendre McCall, who is attending school at Covington, La. Mrs. McCall died in August, 1901, but her four children survive to revere her memory and to mourn the loss of the devoted father who has just been taken from them. Both Mrs. McCall and her husband were noted in this community for their innumerable deeds of charity and kindness, and for the relief of suffering or distress or the promotion of any worthy object, hence their deaths have caused sincere regret and heartfelt sorrow among all our people. Mr. McCall filled a number of positions of honor and trust in the public service. He was president of the police jury of Ascension parish for many years, a member of the old fourth district levee board, a member of the board of supervisors of the Louisiana State University and A.&M. College, and a state senator for the seventh district, composed of Ascension and St. James parishes, from 1892 to 1896. On several occasions political friends endeavored to induce him to become a candidate for congress, but he consistently declined to do so, preferring to remain at home and give his attention to planting and local interests. He was an active and influential Democrat until 1894, when the tariff reduction policy of his party inflicted such disaster upon the sugar industry that many hundreds of the Louisiana planters proclaimed their adherence to the Republican party. Mr. McCall was a leader in this revolt and presided as chairman of the mass meeting held in the Donaldsonville courthouse that proclaimed the new political dispensation. Since that time he had been as prominent in Republican councils as he was formerly in those of Democracy. In 1903 he was appointed by President Roosevelt as collector of customs at New Orleans, and was commissioned for a second term in 1907, serving until April 1, 1911, when he was succeeded by Collector C.S. Hebert, the present incumbent. Mr. McCall's health began to fall in 1910, necessitating the curtailment of his activities, and the remainder of his life was spent in comparative business retirement, though he continued to circulate among his friends up to the time of his last prostration, about a month before his death. His cousin, Col. Richard McCall, was prevailed upon to assume the superintendency (sic) of Evan Hall plantation several years ago, and still holds the position. The remains of Henry McCall were laid to rest beside those of his wife in beautiful Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans, Thursday forenoon, after impressive ceremonies conducted by Rev. Father Biever at the Little Jesuits' Church in St. Charles avenue opposite Audubon Park. The active pallbearers were James P. Kock, Wm. L. Tearney, Oscar L. Putnam, Emile Leegendre, L. de Diesbach, Emile LeBlanc, Harry McCall and Jas. T. Byrne; the honorary pallbearers, F.B. Williams, Pearl Wight, James Legendre, J.J. Gannon, B.A. Oxnard, L.E. Bentley, W.P. Flower, L.A. Becnel, R.E. Foster, C.S. Hebert, Dr. Felix A. Larue, Dr. R.M. Van Wart and Gen. J.B. Levert. Besides his four children, Mr. McCall is survived by an only sister, Mrs. Walter C. Flower, widow of a former mayor of New Orleans, and by three grandchildren, the son and daughter of Henry G. McCall and the infant son of Mrs. Freeman, nee Lily McCall. A large number of collateral relatives and a legion of friends unite with the family in lamenting the taking off of this estimable citizen and high-toned gentleman, whose spotless character and useful career furnish a shining example to the rising generation and a priceless heritage to his descendants. Additional Comments: NOTE: www.findagrave.com memorial # 71466424 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/ascension/obits/m/mccall8498gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/lafiles/ File size: 9.0 Kb