A short summary of the notorious acts of my G-G-Grandfather, Jean Philippe Soquet by Kevin E. Jesmer
A short summary of the notorious acts of my G-G-Grandfather, Jean Philippe Soquet by Kevin E. Jesmer 8-18-14
Link to Jean Philippe Soquet’s Home page
Jean Philippe Soquet’s first wife was Marie Catherine Gillard, born 4-29-1827 in Nethen Brabant Walloon Beligium. She died before 1860 in the USA. They had a child, Marie Henriette Socquet. She was born 10-14-1853 in Nethen Brabant Walloon Belgium. She immigrated to America in 1855 aboard the ship, the “Henry Reed” which sailed from Antwerp to New York in 1855. The voyage was from May 23, 1855 to June 26, 1855. She must have immigrated with her mother and father. It appears that Marie, the mother, died about 1856 in the USA, shortly after arriving in America, since the first child born to Epserance (Jean’s second wife) and Jean, Therese, was born about 1857. Jean never wasted any time remarrying. Later on he was accused by the police of killing all three of his wives.
See link: http://karljanssen.com/ps05/ps05_321.htm
After Jean Soquet, poisoned Esperance, shortly after she gave birth to a child, he quickly married the women whom his was having an affair with on the next farm over. She was Evire Olympe Marie Therese Coppersmette. Her married name was Mainsart. She was born 9-15-1847 in Melin Brabant Belgium. She was also known as Elvira Coppersmith or Elivira Coppersmette. It is believed that the two of them conspired to killing their spouses by arsenic poisoning and marrying together. Elvira had a son Henry. It was thought that Jean beat little Henry to death at the age of four. around 1886 the two divorced. It is said that Elivira came to the farm with a male friend to pick up some of her stuff. The male friend was scared away by Jean. Elivira never ran. She was never seen again. Traces of her hair was found to be in the basement. Jean’s kids testified that he was baking for day in the outside kitchen, but there were no baked goods to be seen. It was at this time, I believe the investigation into the deaths of Elivira’s first husband and little Henry and Esperance began to take place. On May 4th 1887, Jean was convicted of murder and sent to Waupun Prison.
The Oconto Lumberman
April 30, 1887
P.T. Williams returned from Green Bay Thursday where he was summoned as a witness in the Soquet murder trial. Mr. Williams was related to Soquet’s second wife who was poisoned by the prisoner two days after giving birth to a child. Medical testimony shows that the symptoms that Mrs. Soquet had previous to her death were those of poisoning from arsenic.
Oconto County Reporter
Jul 30, 1887
There is a strong suspicion that the third Mrs. Soquet who has been missing since early in the winter, at Green Bay, was roasted and completely burned up in the oven. The Soquet children say that father baked for two or three days but “did not take any bread out of the oven.”
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wioconto/flash1887.htm
“Thursday, May 12, 1887 Page 7
Jean P. Soquet was found guilty on the 4th at Green Bay, Wis., of murder in the first degree. The crime was committed fourteen years ago and the victim was his wife. At the time of the occurrence Soquet and August Mainsart’s wife were on very intimate terms. Mrs. Soquet and Mr. Mainsart died within a short time of each other and the widow and widower at once married. Mrs. Mainsart was tried for the murder of her husband, but the case was not proved. A short time ago Mrs. Minsart, now Mrs. Soquet, sued for a divorce and suceeding development caused Soquet’s arrest for the murder of his first wife. Mrs. Soquet No. 2 mysteriously disappeared when the case came to trial. “
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wjmartin/dem-deth.htm
Buffalo Express Newpaper article about the conviction of Jean Philippe Soquet.
Ashland, Wisc. May 21, (1890)
Jean Paul (correction: Philippe) Soquet has been convicted of the murder of his second wife in Winnebago County. Soquet is credited with 6 murderers. He is suspected to have killed his three wives and a little son and a man named Masinart whose widow he married.
-Buffalo Express Thursday May 22, 1890
http://fultonhistory.com/newspaper%202/Buffalo%20Ny%20Morning%20Express/Buffalo%20%20NY%20Morning%20Express%201891.pdf/Newspaper%20Buffalo%20%20NY%20Morning%20Express%201891%20-%200090.PDF
When in prison Jean was on a work crew. He disguised himself as a nun and escaped. After threatening the lives of all who testified against him, he fled to Oregon, where his son Jule Ego was working and raising his family. He took on a new name, John Raino and not much was heard about him. He died in Oregon in 1910, a free man.
It is said that his kids felt that he was innocent. Jule may have helped him thinking his father was innocent. I know that my one great grandmother, Genevieve (Jenny) Jesmer, Jean’s daughter, was said to have been a nun before she married. Could she have given her dad her old nun’s uniform trying to help her father escape?
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