The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-13
MORE Lively OLD PEOPLE.
Louisiana Has Some Who Have Had
Long and Interesting Lives.
From, the Ne,e York san.


NEW ORLEANS, Jan. S.-The Crescent
City boasts of many persons between 50
and 100 years old. The louisiana creoles are
long lived. They grow old well; and there
are no more charming people than those an
Gent creole danes, who can tell yoC of the
great days of yore when French was the
general language, and French manners
and all the aristocratic influence of the
| old French families prevailed. The past
few months have been sad ones for the
nonageranians and Centenarians Two
| months ago the Oldest inhabitant of the city,
Mrs. Smith, aged 102, the granddaught liter
of Lord Sterling, of the revolution, died.
Among the others who died were Gen.
Lewis, aged co. who had served nobly at the
battle of New Orleans, during the Mexican
war, and in the Confederate service as a
| General during the late unpleasantness, and
who had been Sheriff, Mayor, and had held
nearly every Office in New Orleans during
its early days. There are many survivors
of the Old Guard, however, and few cities
can boast of more old citizens. Some of
these people can remember every incident in
the history of New Orleans since the be-
| ginning of the century. The creoleS sell
dom move from their birthplaces, and there
are many who have lived in the same house
in this city for seventy and eighty years.
One of the most vigorous and energetic
old gentlemen in New Orleans is old Com
! William Wallace Hunter, a tiue specimen
of the old-time Southern gentleman.
Although s. years of age he is as vigorous
as most men at 80. He is a daily visitor to
| the clubs, passes much of his time on the
street, is companionable in his habits, and
always the centre of host of friends who
delight to hear the marvellous stories of his
varied nautical career. His father, at the
beginning of the century, was a resident of
! lvb ami tiCf nd
ogist, and was sent by President jefferson
to Louisiana to investigate aud report upon
| the resources of that newly purchased ter
ritory. He came to New Orleans the year
after the purchase, baby year old. He
ran away from home in 1914, just about
the time that jackson was fight
ing. the battle of New Orleans
at sea young Hunter visited al
most every part of the world, and was log
in the Chinese trade. When Is years of age
his father secured for him the place of md
shipman in the United States navy The
| young MILDLY soon won high rank During
the Mexican war Lieut.. Hunter established
a navy yard on the Mississippi at Memphis,
so that in case of foreign war, which was
then possible, the United States could CON
| struct a navy without molestation. At this
yard was built the first iron man-of-war,
| the Allegheny. She visited most of the
countries of Europe, where she attracted
much attention and admiration The Allie
gheny still floats, although over 40 years of
| age but degraded to-day to the position of
store ship in China. Commandant Hunter
held high position in the United
| States Navy, in the Department
of Construction, when the war broke
| out but, as an ardent Southerner, he Joined
the Confederates. This cost him his fortune
! He served in the Confederate navy, com
manding at Savannah and other points, and
capturing several Federal vessels. The war
! over he went to New Orleans, was appointed
Harbor Master and, although over 50 years
of age, made a most energetic and efficient
| officer. Through politics be lost his place.
! He lives now on money raised by benefit
| given by the Shakespeare Club year ago.
! Commodore Hunter passed more than half
a century on the sea. But for the war he
| might have risen to the highest place in the
! United States Navy, for he ranked just be-
| low Farragut when his State patriotism
! caused him to resign.
The Labatut family is undoubtedly the
Oldest in New Orleans. There are four
| brothers, whose ages run 95. 81, 81, and
''the baby" u.s. The father was married
here in 1775, and the boys were born in New
| Orleans. DR.. Isadore Labatut, the eldest,
was the first native-born physician in New
Orleans. He completed his education in
France, where he went in 1905 He was in
Paris throughout Napoleon Bonapartes
regime, and was attached to the surgical
corps of the French army in 1914 He was
in Paris when Napoleon was crowned EN-
peror, and he saw the allied sovereigns,
Nicholas of Russia, the Emperor of
Austria and King Frederick William
| III. of Prussia, when they entered
the French capital. He was there when
Louis XVIII. was crowned. When Ma
poeon returned from Elba, be went with
the forces of the Little Corporal to Water
loo and was there at the battle in the
surgical corps. After the fall of Napoleon
he studied medicine at Edinburgh. In New
Orleans in 1922 he began the practice of
medicine which he carried on for forty-five
wears Since his return from Paris, sixty
| five years ago, he has never been sick. He
can run up and down stairs as nimbly as a
man of So Mrs. Labatut, his wife, is 81
years old, and the couple have been mar
ried over sixty years, and have a large
family of children and grandchildren. Dr.
Labatut has seen Louisiana governed by
the Spaniards, French and Americans. He
has never learned to speak English.
1 THE next younger brother Felix Labatut,
aged So, was a merchant until lately, but
has retired from business, and now lives
with the doctor. The third brother. 81
years of age, is connected with the Canal
Bank. where he has been employed since
the bank was established The youngest
brother, the IS year-old baby, does not look
more than 60. He is employed at the
United States Custom House, is in the best
of health, and has never known sickness
Mr.. Adolphe Dupre is fine specimen of
the Louisiana creole. He is 81 years old,
but looks much younger. There are few
cases where the lifetimes of father and son
extend over greater stretch of time than
Mr.. Dupre and his father The latter, who
was am attorney at law, was born in 1887.
Mr.. Dupre was a banker in early life:
Fiftv-three years ago he was a member of
the State Senate. In 1865 he was appointed
Registrar of the Land Office, which position
he held for years. Mr.. Dupre has, like all
NOT believe that cigarette smoking is I'M
healthy, and has been an inveterate smoker
of cigarettes for sixty-three years, during |
which time he has consumed many dozen |
every day. Mr. Dupre has large family |
of children, grandchildren and great-grand- |
children.