Jack T. Cappel, M. D.,Rapides Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller

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Jack T. Cappel, M. D.  The family name of Cappel is a very familiar 
one in professional life at Alexandria and represents a high type of 
American citizenship.  One who worthily bears this name is Mr. Jack 
T. Cappel, physician and surgeon, who has been established in medical 
practice here since his return from two years of honorable military 
service in France during the World war.

Jack T. Cappel was born April 10, 1891, in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, 
son of Samuel C. and Martha (Thompson) Cappel, the former of whom was 
born in Avoyelles Parish and the latter in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, 
and both are deceased.  Of their family of fourteen children, twelve 
are living and four are valued and esteemed residents of Alexandria.  
The father was a merchant in early business life, but for many years 
afterward was engaged in the contracting business.

After completing his public school course in his native parish, Dr. 
Cappel entered Tulane University and was graduated from the medical 
department of that institution in 1915.  He received the Stars and 
Bars scholarship, which is a Tulane University honorary fraternity, 
also the national scholarship of Alpha Omega Alpha.  During the next 
two years he served as an interne in the Charity Hospital, New Orleans.  
When the United States became involved in the World war, he was one of 
five Sons of the Cappel family to enlist for military service, his 
entrance being on July 31, 1917.  He was trained in the Washington 
Army School of Medicine, and after accompanying the Second Division, 
United States Army, abroad, in the French Academy of Medicine, Paris.  
He was first commissioned a lieutenant, but through acts of unusual 
courage in the face of danger, won promotion first to a captaincy 
and then major, March 20, 1919.  Dr. Cappel was presented with the 
Cross de Guerre in recognition of his valor, and also with three 
American citations.  He has retained the rank of major in the United 
States Reserve Corps.

Upon his return to the United States with his military honors, Dr. 
Cappel found himself also more experienced in medicine and surgery 
than many years of ordinary practice, in peaceful times, would have 
afforded.  He established himself at Alexandria in 1919 as a general 
practitioner, and in 1920 was graduated from the Chicago Laboratory 
of Surgical Technique.  He has built up a substantial practice, and 
commands the confidence of his brother practitioners throughout the 
parish as well as the public in general.

Dr. Cappel was married January 5, 1921, to Miss Alma Cortrecht, who 
was born in Illinois, and they have one daughter, Martha.  They are 
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  Dr. Cappel is a thirty-
second degree Mason and a Shriner.  He belongs to a number of representative 
scientific bodies, including the Rapides Medical Society, the Louisiana 
State Medical Society, and the American Medical Association.

NOTE:  The referenced source contains a black and white photograph of 
the subject with his autograph.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 213-214, by Henry E. Chambers.  
Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and 
New York, 1925.