LePage - Jules Anthony - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Source: Darlingto nHerald 20 June 1935

Jules LePage, a resident of Darlington for more than 50 years, died at his home here Tuesday morning at 8 o'clock.  He had been in failing health for more than two years and confined to his bed the past week.  Mr. LePage was born in El Fifi, Algiers, French Africa, 85 years ago last December.  He was the son of French parents and when two years old returned with them to Villiers Cottret, department of the Isne, their former home in France.  After their return to France he lived in the home of his grandparents until he was 16 years old when he joined the French Army and served seven years in Africa. It wa sthere he knew the young Foch, who afterward became the great French General.

Returning to France when his term of military service ended he entered the milling business in which he had been trained by his grandfather. Some years later he made a trip to the US landing at New Orleans. After a short stay he went back to France but again returned to the US, this time coming to New York. Upon his arrival there he sought work in his chosen line and during the years that followed he was employed as salesman and in the offices of the largest milling concerns of the country, among which were the JB Alfrey Co and the Nordyke-Mormon Milling Co at Indianapolis; the Pillsbury Co at Minneapolis; the Orville Simpson Co. at Cincinnati; the Caldwell Co at Louisville and the GT Gump Co at Chicago.  He retired from active business about 20 years ago and returned to his home here.

Mr. LePage's reputation as an inventor was known the country over as his inventive mind had created nmany new devices for the milling industry.  Outstanding among his inventions was the process by which grain and coffee are now "steel cut." His income from royalties on his inventions amounted to many thousands of dollars.

In his early days as a salesman, his work brought him to Darlington where he met Miss Anna Blue, daughter of Wesley and Mary Webster Blue. They were married October 4, 1883 and from that time he made Darlington his home. Mr. and Mrs. LePage were the parents of a son Leon who survives and a daughter who deied in 1894.  Mrs. LePage passed away March 30, 1924.

After Mrs. LePage's death the son and his family moved to the father's home and have cared for him devotedly in his declining years.  Surviving besides the son are the dau-in-law, Mrs. Alice LePage and two granddaughters, Mrs. CB Ford of Santa Monica, California and Jacqueline LePage at home.

Brief funeral services will be conducted at the home this morning at 10:30 by the Rev. Will Robb. Burial will be in the IOOF Cemetery besides his wife and daughter. - kbz