St Landry County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....Sandoz, Col. Leonce November 23, 1909
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Mary K Creamr marykcreamer@yahoo.com February 14, 2015, 12:25 pm

St. Landry Clarion (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, November 27, 1909, Image 1

VETERAN NEWSPAPER MAN GOES TO REWARD

Leonce Sandoz Stricken With Apoplexy, and Succumbs After Three Day's 
Illness.

WAS DISTINGUISHED SOLDIER

Funeral One of the Largest Ever Held In Opelousas.... Old Confederates 
Follow Comrade to Grave.

"Taps" sounded over the grave of Col. Leonce Sandoz, life-long newspaper 
man, life-long citizen of Opelousas, last Wednesday morning.

"Taps" called him to his Reward Above - the soldier's call to Rest.

Col. Leonce Sandoz, all of his life connected with the Opelousas Courier, 
was stricken with paralysis last Saturday morning at about 11 o'clock. He 
was at his office working, when suddenly he complained of feeling feeble. He 
sat in a chair, but in a few minutes began to converse with his employees in 
a cheerful vein. When he thought he was able to walk he arose from the 
chair, but immediately sank back. The City Editor, Mr. T. E. Price, advised 
him to go home, and assisted him downstairs. Seeing that the old veteran 
could not reach his home unassisted, Mr. Price called for help, which met 
with a ready response. Before the home was reached - two blocks from the 
office - Mr. Sandoz gave way completely, and it was seen that he was 
paralyzed.

He lingered, in a semi-comatose condition, from Saturday until Tuesday, 
when, at 9:15, his soul was arraigned before the Great Judge.

The funeral took place at 10:30, Wednesday, from the family residence on 
Main street. The obsequies were performed at the Catholic Church, by Rev. 
Father Engberink, and the funeral cortege was one of the largest ever seen 
in Opelousas.

The local militia company furnished an escort; Hope Hook & Ladder Co. No. 
1., of which Mr. Sandoz was an honorary member, turned out, and the 
Daughters of the Confederacy and his old Comrades of the Confederacy, were 
there to pay homage to his memory.

The order of the funeral was: 

Military escort, marching on each side of the hearse.

Pall bearers, consisting of two members each of Hope Hook & Ladder Co. No. 
1, the City Council, United Confederate Veterans. 

The pall bearers were:
Hope Hook & Ladder Co. No. 1 - A. M. Hollier, Raymond Breaux.
United Confederate Veterans - Jno. N. Ogden, Jules Sittig.
Board of Aldermen - Jno. W. Lewis, F. J. Dietlein.

The representatives of the Daughters of the Confederacy in the line of march 
were:
Sponsor: Miss Alice Juge.
Matron of Honor: Misses Lelia and Alma Sandoz, Eva Dossmann and Virginia 
Budd.

A notable incident in the line of march of the old Confederates was the 
presence of a Union soldier, himself war-scarred. He kept step with the 
"Rebels," bowed his head o'er the grave of the old vet, with as much 
sincerity as his old foes of the days of 61-76 did. The Union soldier who 
walked with the "Boys in Gray" was Mr. Conrad Brand, for many years a valued 
citizen of Opelousas.

Leonce Sandoz, the deceased newspaper man, had many admirable qualities. He 
was honest; he was an incessant worker, he was a good father; he was a good 
citizen. Frugal in ordinary matters, when the interest of his town was a 
stake he would contribute liberally, and devote the columns of his paper to 
the advancement of public enterprises. He accumulated considerable property, 
all due to wise business acumen and commendable economy.

Mr. Sandoz is a native of Louisiana, born March 15, 1844. He is the son of 
Joel H. and Ann (Wilburn) Sandoz. Joel H. Sandoz was a native of 
Switzerland, born 1818. He removed to America at the age of sixteen, located 
in St. Martin parish, where he was engaged in the printing business until 
1843, when he removed to Opelousas and became connected with the Opelousas 
Gazette. He founded the Opelousas Courier December 11, 1852, and conducted 
it until December 17, 1870, when his two sons, Leonce Sandoz and L. A. 
Sandoz assumed charge. Joel H. Sandoz died January 4, 1878.

On January 1, 1891, the partnership existing since the death of Joel H. 
Sandoz, the father, between Leonce and L. A. Sandoz, was dissolved, and 
Leonce assumed full charge of the Courier, L. A. going over and assuming 
charge of the St. Landry Democrat.

Leonce Sandoz left school at the age of seventeen years, and entered the 
Confederate army. He was in active service and served during the whole of 
the war. He was in the Army of North Virginia under Stonewall Jackson until 
October, 1862, when he was transferred to the Trans-Mississippi Department, 
and served the remainder of the war in the famous Bull Battery, Capt. Fuller 
commanding. He was captured in Virginia on Jackson's retreat from Harper's 
Ferry, June 1862, and sent to Fort Delaware, where he was exchanged in 
August of the same year. He participated in the second battle of Manassas, 
and the fight at Winchester, May 1862. In the Trans-Mississippi Department 
he was engaged in the battle of Camp Bisland, on board of the gunboat John 
A. Cotton, and he was again captured at Fort DeBussy, and held prisoner at 
New Orleans for five months. He was near Natchotoches at the end of the war. 
After the war he returned to Opelousas and entered the printing business in 
the office of the Corier, and has been connected with that paper ever since.
 

Additional Comments:
Col. Gabirel Leonce Sandoz is buried in section 11 of the St. Landry Catholic 
Church cemetery located in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, LA.

www.findagrave.com memorial # 114974080

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