My Ahnentafel
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Name: Louis Francois Hennequin Born: 21 Jan 186270 Place: Chalonvillars, France Died: 5 Feb 194070 Place: Retsil, Kitsap County, Washington Place: Washington State Veterans Home Cemetery, Retsil, Kitsap County, Washington85 Married: 18 April 1891 Place: Oregon Louis and Marguerite Steward had the following children—all daughters:
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. RailwayBy 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 64 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. Timeline
Additional InformationLouis' granddaughter, Lexie Johnson, wrote the following, undated, to my father. [87] It's worth noting that the story of his army service is different than that which Louis himself spoke. There's a warning there to all family historians. Louis Francois Hennequin The following was written by Louis' grandson, Russell Nees, date unknown. [88] Louis Frances [sic] Hennequin Belfort, of course, is not in Normandy. Other U.S. HennequinsLouis Hennequin immigrated to the U.S. in 1881. He was well-settled, living in Watsonville, Santa Cruz county, California in 1900, but moved his two young daughters and pregnant wife to Torrington, Connecticut that same year. He appears, with his family, on the U.S. Federal census, [127] living at 57 French St. Only a couple of blocks away, at 41 New Litchfield St., is listed the family of Constant Henequin, born November 1855 in France. Constant's family as of 1900, all born in France: Eliza, wife, born Aug 1860 The following family is found on the 1920 Soundex living at 28 Cottage St, Manchester, CT: Alfred Hennequin, 57, born France, immigrated 1895 Alfred was naturalized in 1916. Constant and Alfred arrived at Ellis Island, 11 May 1895, on the ship La Touraine. [137] line # 435 Heimequin, Constane M 38 France 436 Heimequin, Elsie F 34 France 437 Heimequin, Lidia F 10 France 438 Heimequin, Alfred M 7 France 439 Heimequin, Abel M 6 France 440 Heimequin, Camille M 5 France 441 Heimequin, Flavion M 3 France 442 Heimequin, Marie F 2 France 445 Heimequin, Alfred M 32 France Other names found at Ellis Island relevent to this family:
There are a lot of listings for Hennequin and variant spellings, including arrivals from the U.K., Holland and Belgium. Additional census and Soundex readings: A cursory check of the Soundex for 1900 turned up a Gustav Heniken, born in Belgium, living in New Haven, Connecticut. Constant "Hennequen", age 62, appears on the 1920 census living at 366 High St., Torrington, CT. Living with him are, all born in France: Elsie, wife, 59 A quick look through the 1920 Soundex found the following: Contant's son, Abel, living at 25 Seymour St., Torrington: Additionally, I found an Edward Hanaquin, living in Winchester, CT, 30 years old, born in Connecticut, living with mother Jelia, 70, also born in Connecticut. The following is found in the 1908/09 Torrington City Directory: Hennequin Abel emp C B Mfg Co bds 12 High Louis Hennequin's siblings are well-documented. Louis and Constant were not brothers. But why did Louis move his family 3,000 miles away and end up within blocks on Constant--and only to return to California a few years later? Bob Dougherty, bobdougherty@mindspring.com, is researching yet another Connecticut Hennequin family. This is from his post, found at ancestry.com: Lucine "Lucy" Chagnot LaValette came to America in 1882 with husband Theodore LaValette and their two children. They had five more children after they arrived. Their daughter Marie or Maria was born in France and came with them. Louis Hennequin married their daughter Mary LaValette (born possibly in Colchester) in October 1905 in Manchester and she died before 1910. I have no idea when Louis came to America or who he came with, but he went back to France (or so the rumor has it) after her death leaving children Walter Louis Hennequin and Arthur Henniquin behind with family. So, we have:
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