MAIN  PAGE

Belgians in the Civil War

Emigrants arrival

links

Sources

BELGIANS IN AMERICA:    Biographies of Belgian settlers  

PETER DELESCAILLE, the subject of this sketch, is the oldest and best-known jeweler in Poweshiek County , Iowa . He was born in Belgium , eight miles east of the battlefield of Waterloo , April 3,1825 . His father, was Nicholas, also born there, who entered the Belgian army, taking part in the battle of Waterloo , being under Wellington and Blucher, and taking his honor with the rest when victory was won. The occupation of his father was that of farming, and his last days were passed in Belgium . The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Jane J. Roman, and she was born in the same place. Both were of French descent and Roman Catholics.

Our subject was the eldest of the family of six children and the only one who is in America . He was reared in Belgium and educated in the French language, and when sixteen years of age left school to learn the jeweler's and fine cabinet-making trade, the latter including fine clocks. The delicate workmanship required in these occupations always had great attraction for him, and in after years this knowledge served to while away the long hours of a prisoner's life. In 1856 our subject came to America , landing in New York April 26, having left Antwerp in the sailing craft "Frances B. Cutting." They were forty-seven days on the journey, having a severe time and encountering storms on the way. Reaching New York , he proceeded to Iowa City , where he worked at his trade until 1857, when he went to Brooklyn , remained one and one-half years, and in the fall of 1858 located in Montezuma, built a shop and began to manufacture clocks and do repair work.

Nothing was too difficult for our subject to do. and every kind of utensil and machine was given him for restoration. Among the many things he did was the invention and patenting of an invalid wagon. Our subject, August 13, 1862 , enlisted in Company C, Twenty-eighth Iowa Infantry, and was mustered in at Iowa City and took part in the battles of Port Gibson, Champion Hill and Vicksburg ; was transferred to the Gulf, and in the battle of Sabine Cross Roads fought hard all day and was the last to leave the field, and if every one had fought as bravely as he, victory would have perched on the Union banners. He was captured immediately after being wounded in the right arm, the ball passing through that member. His undaunted spirit led him to defy his captors, who in wrath procured a rope, which they placed about his neck, when a boy of sixteen informed the commander, who came out and made them desist. Taken to Talty , Tex. , he was made to walk all the way and was repeatedly stoned on the passage. While in prison he employed himself in the manufacture of horn pipes with a pocket knife during the thirteen months of his imprisonment. It may be said that when he went to the war he took with him a kit of tools, which was often found useful. He was released at the close of the war and returned home poor in purse, but went manfully to work and has been able to acquire property since.

Mr. Delescaille has a full line of jewelry and does more repairing and better work than anyone else in the city. He has been here longer than any other jeweler and is by far the best known in the county. He is constantly surprising his friends with ingenious workmanship, his cabinet-organ clocks being especially praised. The kit of tools which he bore with him through his loyal service in the army has been restored to him by the officers of his regiment.

Our subject was married in Belgium to Miss Mary T. Daegwitt, who was born there, and died in Montezuma on the 19th of December, 1879 . She was the mother of four children, namely: Julius, in the lumber business in Minnesota ; Annie, Mrs. Fish, living in Minnesota ; Mary, living in Kansas City ; and Frank, living in Marshalltown . Mr. Delescaille was married a second time at Montezuma, in 1881, to Mrs. Sarah Moriety, of New Jersey , and an early settler of Iowa . Our subject was at one time quite active in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is an honored member of Wisner Post, G. A. R. The doctrines of the Christian Church are in harmony with his views and his name is upon its books. Politically, he is a Republican, straight and unqualified, giving hearty support to the candidates of that party.

Source : Portrait and Biographical Record of Johnson, Poweshiek and Iowa counties, Iowa. Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1893. LaCrosse, WI: Brookhaven Press, 2000. [Reprint] NB: Errors in paging: nos. 457-458, 613-614 omitted. PETER DELESCAILLE submitted by Dick Barton