The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-04-06
Story Of the Jolidon Family,
Prominent IN This Locality

1t has always seemed that there has
not been enough reverence shown to
the memory by their posterity to the
pioneers of this great country. If
there had been more about
them, every family could trace
its family tree back hun
dred years or more. AS it is it
is very hard to find even the facts for
brief biography of an old and hon
Iored citizen after he has taken on the
cold habitiments of death. Hundreds
of deserving men and women lived an
unusually eventful and interesting ca
reer, the details of which were lost
with their dying gasp. What beautiful
and helpful life stories are lost in
these. The history and biography of
the union and the several states com
posing it are rich with many of these
stories which prove bright examples
TIC the generations succeeding them,
but many records just as bright and
uplifting are left unrecorded, because
Of the lack of interest in family his
tory shown by the later generation
AS school boys and school girls we
Lafayette--a factor in the revolu
tionary war, who came from Sunny
France to espouse the cause of free,
dom in the struggle of our ancestors
for independence with the mother
country. How we'll we all remember
as school children we used to declaim
upon the rustic stage how freedom
shrieked when Kascusko fell, and then
our young hearts swelled with graft
ltude and patriotism but many Of us
forgot to keep note book in which
ito record the traditional deeds OF
fathers and grandfathers in the build
ling of this great government until it
was too late. Then we found that all
THE tongues that could have impaired
the facts in detail of those eventful
days had been silenced by death
In looking through some books and
! old papers musty with age, the Jolli
don family came prominently in view
Like Lafayette the originator of that
/ family name was from France and was
with George washington in his notable
and successful campaigns which won
triumph for the struggling colonies
and brought freedom and independ
ence to this people Over the ice
through binding storms, this entrepid
Frenchman Jolidon elbow to elbow
with the immortal father of his coun
! try, suffered all the hardships and
peril of those troublous and danger
! Gus times and deserves the grateful
homage of the American people fol
his integrity and unselfish patriotism
who no doubt with his great com
mander Washington, left stains OIL
blood on the pure white snow as they
marched the icy path of bleak winter
! half clad and half shod. all that the
world might have at least one great
republic "of the people, by the people
and for the people, downtrodden anc
depressed of all notions There was
no selfishness or greed connected witt
their courageous and knightly strug
giles. The contest for themselve:
benefited them no more than it die
humanity throughout the world There
was no premium placed on their cour
ageous acts No promises were helt
out to them fer acts of noble daring
Yet on they went, suffering all man
ner of suffering and deprivations t.
the very end
The branch of this distinguished
family of France who now mingle hap
PLY with our people in this vicinit,
had it's origin from Francis John Jol
idon for many years prominen
stockman and importer of bloodet
horses in Hancock, Illinois, jus
across the river from Keokuk. HI
was naturally extensively known il
the middle west and was beloved an
honored by the citizens of the local
ity in which he lived, rearing an in
telligent and worthy family in thei
midst. He was able, wise and activ
in the pursuit of his avocation ant
during his life, especially after en-
gaging in the business of importing
and raising bIooded horses, usual.
made two trips each year to the lant
/ of his birth and often brought homt