Name | Joseph Joaquin Fernandez | |
Birth | Abt 1761 | Trinidad, Sancti Spíritus Province, Cuba |
Gender | Male | |
Immigration | 1779 | New Orleans, Louisiana |
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Obituary | Obituary, Times-Picayune, 9 Aug 1859, p2: On Sunday morning, 7th inst., at 10 1/2 o'clock, after a long and lingering suckness, Mr. Jose Joaquin Fernandez, at the age of nearly ninety-nine years, an inhabitant of New Orleans since 1780, a native of Trinidad, Island of Cuba, and a Veteran of 1814-1815. Versions of this short obituary appeared in newspapers across the country. A long obituary appeared in "The City" section of the Times-Picayune on 10 August, p5: The Late J.J. Fernandez — The remains of this old citizen were accompanied to the grave, yesterday afternoon, by quite a large concourse of citizens and a military escort, the deceased having been one of the veterans of the war of 1814-1815. A remarkable feature in the funeral procession was the great number of old men, who had come to pay the last tribute of respect to the companion of their manhood. The pall-bearers were Messrs. Joaquin Viosca, J.B. Lamothe, Sr., Louis Bringier and F. Perilliat, Sr. We believe we are correct in saying that the three last named gentlemen are counted among our oldest citizens; men who have seen New Orleans grow from a small town to the great commercial city she is now; who have seen generations pass away, and have remained, relics of a by gone age, whitened by the snows of many winters and bent down by the weight of time. We have always found something touching in the sight presented by very old men accompanying a lost friend or relative to the last bourne they are themselves so near to reaching. What reflections, what remembrances of the past, must rush to their minds as they leave forever the companion of half a century! Mr. Jose Joaquin Fernandez was probably over a century old, he arrived in this city towards the end of the year 1779, and at the time, according to his own evidence, given in a law suit many years ago, he was of age—that is, over twenty-one, if he calculated according to our laws, or over twenty-five, if he meant according to Spanish law. Shortly after his arrival the Spanish Government offered him on the land on which the Pontabla buildings now stand, on condition the he would have it fenced in, and make certain improvements; the offer was declined, the bargain being considered a hard one. Mr. Fernandez settled here and saw the double transfer of Louisiana to the French and then to the United States. when the English landed here in 18184, Mr. Fernandez took arms in defence of his country; he had also his son in the lines. On the morning of the 8th January, 1815, Gen. Jackson wanted a man of good will to climb on top of a tall tree, some distance from the lines, and observe the movements of the enemy; Mr. Fernandez volunteered, and was soon lodged among the topmost branches, surveying the field with a spy glass. He was discovered by a reconnoitering party of the British, who saluted him with a volley of musket balls, not of which, luckily, touched him; he concluded his observations and reported to the general. Mr. Fernandez had many peculiarities about him. He has lived in the same house since his arrival in New Orleans; it was a frame house on St. Ann street, and became dilapidated with time, threatening ruin and contrasting sadly with the more modern edifices erected around it, but the old man would not leave it, and it was only some two or three months before his death that one of his daughters prevailed on him to come and live with her, so that he could receive the care of his family. The old gentlemen, during the eighty years he has lived in New Orleans, never once crossed the river, and never went in an omnibus: he had a decided horror against this modern vehicle. He was as very regular in his habits, and we well remember seeing him, as late as two years ago, walk every evening, with feeble and tottering gait, to the Café d'Orleans, near the theatre, and play his game of dominoes with three of his old friends, the four together making together three centuries and a half. Mr. Fernandez leaves four children, eleven grandchildren, and thirty-five great-grandchildren, being a total of fifty descendants, and if we mistake not, he has seen as many die during his long life time. | |
Death | 7 Aug 1859 | New Orleans, Louisiana [1] |
Burial | 9 Aug 1859 | St. Louis Cemetery #2, New Orleans, Louisiana [2] |
Notes |
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Person ID | I13941 | |
Last Modified | 30 Dec 2023 |
Father | Joseph Fernandez b. Havana, La Habana Province, Cuba d. Yes, date unknown | |
Mother | Ana Maria de Mendoza b. Trinidad, Sancti Spíritus Province, Cuba d. Yes, date unknown | |
Family ID | F11239 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
Spouse / Partner | Elena Juerre b. 12 Sep 1772, New Orleans, Louisiana d. 25 Feb 1815, New Orleans, Louisiana (Age 42 years) | |||||||||||
Marriage | 3 Mar 1794 | St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, Louisiana [3, 4] | ||||||||||
Children |
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Family ID | F9853 | Group Sheet | Family Chart | ||||||||||
Last Modified | 30 Dec 2023 |
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