Obit for Antone W. Radescich, 1937, Winn Parish, Louisiana Greggory E. Davies 120 Ted Price Lane Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** A. W. Radescich, 91, Dies Wednesday After Long Illness Pioneer of Section, First White Child Born In Winn Parish (From the May 28, 1937 Winnfield News-American) Antone W. Radescich, the first white child born in Winn Parish after its organization, a Confederate Veteran and one of the pioneers of this section died at the home of his nephew, Dr. A. W. Radescich, here Wednesday morning about eight o'clock following an illness of many weeks at the age of 91. With the passing of Mr. Radescich there remain only two members of the David Pierson Camp of Confederate Veterans, W. D. Dark of Gaars Mill and Sellinger Wyatt of Wyatt, who were close friends of the deceased. Mr. Radescich's father, Luke Radescich, an Italian of Genoa, Italy, landed in New York when he first came to America, and in his travels came to Louisiana sometime prior to the Battle of New Orleans, in which he fought with General Andrew Jackson. Luke Radescich soon after this settled on land purchased from the Indians and on which land he secured United States patents dated 1826, thus becoming the first white settler in the area of Winn Parish. This land, located about seven miles north of Winnfield is the same that his son, Antone, inherited and lived on all his life. Luke Radescich was married to Amanda Wyatt, a member of another pioneer family of what later became Jackson Parish, and their son, Antone was one of four children. Antone Radescich was born July 7, 1845. At the age of 15 he joined the Confederate army, leaving home with Company K, Green's Cavalry Division. His principal activities in the army were courier duty, scouting and driving cattle from Texas for the Confederate Army. The Battle of Mansfield was the largest skirmish he engaged in during his enlistment. Coming home from the war he found desolation and poverty facing the people of the South and he with a number of others set about reconstructing the government and the spirit of the citizenship. One of his chief interests in his declining years was to relate the stirring incidents of his youth and early manhood. He was a regular and constant attendant at every Confederate Reunion until his failing health forced him to remain at home. His disappointment was keen when he was unable to attend the full sessions of the Reunion at Shreveport in 1936. He was a Mason 67 years having been initiated into the Masonic fraternity, September 18, 1870, and was a member of Eastern Star Masonic Lodge No. 151 F. & A. M., and a charter member of Winnfield Chapter No. 59, R. A. M. He was married to Miss Lou McGinty who preceded him in death in 1909. The only surviving relatives are his nephew, Dr. A. W. Radescich, with whom he has made his home for the past few years, another nephew, Sam Satcher, two nieces, Misses Inez and Bella Satcher, of New Orleans. Mr. Sellinger Wyatt, of Wyatt, is his only cousin. Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at three-thirty o'clock and interment made in the Zion Hill Cemetery conducted by Rev. Alwin Stokes, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. Active pall bearers were: Bryant Sholars, C. F. Walsworth, W. T. Norman, B. L. Anderson, P. H. Mercer, J. E. Carter. Honorary pall bearers were: W. D. Dark, Hon. A. Leonard Allen, Judge Cas Moss, Dr. J. F. Faith, W. E. Heard, J. R. Heard, H. L. Boyett, W. M. Grigsby, Tom Weems, W. F. Dickerson, W. W. Allen, P. K. Abel, John Wright, W. Leonard Smith, F. L. Shaw, H. W. Bass, Matt Milam, J. R. Hall, N. M. Jackson, S. E. Jenkins, R. W. Buce, M. L. Branch, B. W. Bailey, J. M. Hyde, A. I. Talton, Clyde Swanson, W. U. Drewett, C. McGinty, and C. E. Tannehill. (Submitted by Greggory Ellis Davies, Winnfield, Winn Parish, LA.)