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Louis Francois Hennequin

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Louis Francois Hennequin

Birth	:	21 Jan 1862 France
Death	:	5 Feb 1940 Retsil, Kitsap County, Washington, USA
Burial	:	Washington Veterans Home Cemetery, Retsil, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate	:	47.5402600, -122.6115400
Plot	:	Section 48, Lot 19
Inscription	:	WASHINGTON PVT 14 INF
Description	:	INDIAN WAR VETERAN Louis Hennequin was the son of Louis and Mary T. (Dravigney) Hennequin. He died February 5, 1940 at the Washington Veterans' Home and is buried in the Home Cemetery there. He was 78 years old. A veterans' file could not be located for him. His obituary was published in the Bremerton Sun, February 7, 1940, pg. 8: Louis F. Hennequin Funeral Held Today. Louis F. Hennequin, 78, resident of the Washington Veterans' home since 1930, died Monday at the Veterans' hospital of a heart ailment. Services were held at 2 o'clock this afternoon... Read More	INDIAN WAR VETERAN Louis Hennequin was the son of Louis and Mary T. (Dravigney) Hennequin. He died February 5, 1940 at the Washington Veterans' Home and is buried in the Home Cemetery there. He was 78 years old. A veterans' file could not be located for him. His obituary was published in the Bremerton Sun, February 7, 1940, pg. 8: Louis F. Hennequin Funeral Held Today. Louis F. Hennequin, 78, resident of the Washington Veterans' home since 1930, died Monday at the Veterans' hospital of a heart ailment. Services were held at 2 o'clock this afternoon at the Retsil chapel, followed by burial at the home cemetery under direction of Pendleton funeral parlor. Hennequin, who was born in France in Jan. 21, 1862, served in Co. D, 14th U. S. infantry, from Oct. 4, 1886, to Oct. 4, 1888. A daughter, Mrs. Louise Johnston, Point Loma, Cal, survives. [obituary courtesy of Washington State Library's Ask A Librarian service]. --- I received a several-generation copy of a newspaper article, dated 4 Nov 1937, from my father. Some words are unreadable. The name of the paper and where published were not noted.[86] Retsil Resident Buys First Ticket Over N.P. Railway By Mike Duncan The purchaser of the first railroad ticket issued for passage between New York City and the Pacific Northwest lives peacefully today in the Retsil Veteran's home. Louis Hennequin, 75, French-born veteran of the U. S. Army, recently recalled memorable incidents of his history-making, transcontinental passage from the effete East to then then wild and timbery Puget sound area. Narrating the trip made 54 years ago this month, Hennequin said: "I bought the ticket in Nov. 1883--the month that the Northern Pacific Railway was opened to Portland, Ore. The New York Ticket agent, who had been agent for a steamship line, wrote out my ticket in pen and ink." The greying veteran related that he promptly protested this unorthodox manner of issuing transportation tokens, but was finally convinced that this hand-written day coach was good for the 3,000-mile trip to Portland. Continuing, Hennequin said: "There was no dining car on the train so I bought a large [----]. I soon regretted it--the [----] was uncooked." Arriving at St. Paul, Minn., beginning of Northern Pacific trackage, Hennequin succeeded in trading the obnoxious hand-written railroad ticket for a more formal printed passenger fare certificate. Then, after "changing cars," the youthful French immigrant continued his transcontinental trek by rail. This latter was to be even more eventful than the first. Soon after the train passed the sole oak tree seen on the buffalo bone-strewn steel trail across Dakota territory, the wood-burning iron horse was "reined" in to allow passengers to hunt antelope. Hennequin relates that this hunt was unsuccessful. Later, a similar stop was made in Montana. Hennequin says that prairie dogs were the only victims of this second antelope hunt. Continuing the journey, near the foot of the Rocky Mountains, the train was again halted--a still-steaming locomotive had been derailed so close to the main line that passage of Hennequin's train was impossible. The ingenious pioneers removed this obstacle by shifting the main line with crowbars a few feet, enabling the westbound train to curve around the wreck. Hennequin added: "While we were climbing the Rockies, our coach broke away from the train. It was three hours before the crew came back for our stranded car." Hennequin arrived in Portland, Ore., then the end of the Northern Pacific trackage, on Nov. 2, 1883 - the transcontinental jaunt having taken 243 hours. From Portland, the adventurous French youth traveled to Tacoma over the historic Columbia River and Puget Sound Railroad; then by steamer to Seattle. After working in a [----] iron foundry a year, the 22-year-old French immigrant -- who had been a spectator of the Franco-Prussian War at the age of eight -- enlisted in the 14th U. S. Infantry, hoping to see action against marauding Apache tribes in Arizona. Ironically, Hennequin recalled he was stationed at Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory, for the duration of the Apache war. "My army service wasn't as exciting as my first train trip," he ruefully related. To make life interesting once more, he began practicing the watchmaker trade in which he had served a French apprenticeship when 14 years of age. Hennequin has followed this trade since being discharged from the U.S. Army. After having been a childhood spectator of the war between his native France and Prussia, he journeyed over much of the world, labored in olden iron foundries, and army service; Hennequin today believes that the history-making cross-country train trip he took just 54 years ago, is the highlight of his eventful life. "Louie" Hennequin is one of many interesting characters now residing at the Washington State Veterans Home in Retsil. A childhood spectator of the war between his native France and Prussia; he craved army experience on his arrival in America and served with honor, but he is naturally versatile and worked at the jewelry trade as well as some of the first steel mills and foundries to be located on Puget Sound, then Washington Territory. He declares, however, that none of his experience in the early west compares with his first big adventure of that history-making train trip just 54 years ago. During Louis Hennequin's pioneer career in the territory of Washington, he was affiliated with organized labor. He participated in the fisherman's strike at Astoria in 1885 and was a member of the Knights of Labor at that time.2 -- Birth Record of Louis Hennequin The following record was found and translated from the French by Louis' great-great grandson, Daniel Raillant-Clark. The record can be found at http://archives.cg70.fr/. No. 2 Birth of Hannequin François Louis In the year eighteen hundred sixty two, the twenty-third of January, at five in the evening, before us Mouillesaux (?) Nicolas, mayor, civil registrar of the town of Châlonvillars, in the canton of Héricourt, Haute Saône, appeared at the town hall Hannequin Louis, aged thirty years, employed as a baker and living in Châlonvillars, presenting a male infant born in his home the twenty-first day of January eighteen hundred sixty-two, at ten in the evening, to him (who is making this declaration) and to Dravigney Marie-Thérèse, aged twenty-nine years, employed as a seamstress, living in Châlonvillars, his wife, and to whom he gave the names François-Louis. Said declaration and presentation were done in the presence of Dravigney Jean-Baptiste aged thirty-three years, employed as a carpenter, living in Châlonvillars, uncle of the newborn, first witness, and [in the presence of] Parisot Alexis, aged thirty-one years, employed as a farmer, living in Châlonvillars, cousin of the newborn, second witness. By virtue of which we proceeded to draw up this act, and after having read it to those making the delcaration and their witnesses, it was immediately signed by them and by us. [signatures of J Dravigney, Parisot, Mouillesaux the mayor] --- More information can be found at http://ancestraldata.com/ahnentafel/10/

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Louis Francois Hennequin's memorial?
Louis Francois Hennequin's memorial is located at: Washington Veterans Home Cemetery, Retsil, Kitsap County, USA.
When did Louis Francois Hennequin death?
Louis Francois Hennequin death on 5 Feb 1940 in Retsil, Kitsap County, Washington, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Louis Francois Hennequin's memorial?
Latitude: 47.5402600
Longitude: -122.6115400

Family Members:

Children

Marie Henrietta Hennequin Cooley

(1900 - 1940)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Washington Veterans Home Cemetery
Retsil, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5402600, -122.6115400

2. Sunset Lane Memorial Park
Port Orchard, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5368996, -122.6278000

3. Knights of Pythias Cemetery
Port Orchard, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5349998, -122.6280975

4. Sidney Cemetery
Port Orchard, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5204600, -122.6445600

5. Ivy Green Cemetery
Bremerton, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5736008, -122.6461029

6. Colby Cemetery
Colby, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5337700, -122.5517380

7. Saint Pauls Episcopal Church Memorial Gardens
Bremerton, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5859300, -122.6283100

8. Phinney Bay Indian Cemetery
Bremerton, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5819970, -122.6680240

9. Bethel Cemetery
Bethel, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.4853200, -122.6333530

10. Forest Lawn Cemetery
Bremerton, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5694008, -122.6860962

11. Miller-Woodlawn Memorial Park
Bremerton, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5724983, -122.6881027

12. Sedgwick Cemetery
Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.5043983, -122.5282974

13. Fraola Cemetery
Port Orchard, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.4686012, -122.5633011

14. Tracyton Cemetery
Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6185989, -122.6611023

15. Port Blakely Cemetery
Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6011140, -122.5199390

16. Hillcrest Cemetery
Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6131570, -122.5332960

17. Doyle Cemetery
Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.4506700, -122.6739190

18. Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church Cemetery
Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6278800, -122.5351500

19. Brownsville Cemetery
Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6451683, -122.6119995

20. Bethany Lutheran Church Columbarium
Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6355330, -122.5361840

21. Island Center Cemetery
Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.6457000, -122.5647600

22. Olalla Pioneer Cemetery
Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.4272270, -122.5512940

23. Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit Memorial Garden
Vashon, King County, USA
Coordinate: 47.4668000, -122.4600000

24. Burley Cemetery
Port Orchard, Kitsap County, USA
Coordinate: 47.4117390, -122.6363550