Points, Dr. John J. F.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Points, Dr. John Joseph Franklin, prominent and successful physician of New Orleans, was born in that city, March 7, 1878, and unites in his veins the best blood of Virginia and Louisiana. On the paternal side, Dr. Points' ancestors were colonial settlers and came to Virginia with many historic families of that state. His great-great-grandfather, Col. James Points, was an officer in the British army, and was killed in the assault on Quebec, in 1758. His great- grandfather, Capt. Joseph Points, was a scholar, soldier and patriot of the Revolutionary period. As staff officer under Gen. Montgomery, he was mortally wounded in the Battle of Quebec in 1775. His son, Joseph, was a lad of 14 attending school in Philadelphia, when the British under Lord Howe marched upon that city. He organized his own regiment, joined the Continental army and went to the defense of the city. He was severely wounded in that battle, but recovering, he rejoined his regiment. He bore to his death the marks of the British bayonet. He continued to serve with honor and distinction under Gen. Washington, whose devoted friend he was, remaining in service until the surrender in 1783. He was one of the heroes of Valley Forge. His brother, James Points, served as supercargo in the American navy, and was killed off the coast of Tripoli, during an engagement with the enemy. After the war, Capt. Points returned to his home in Staunton, Va., and took an active part in the affairs of the state. In 1798, he married Miss Sarah Greiner, member of a prominent colonial family of Virginia. Their eldest child, James Points, was born in 1799, and their youngest, George Washington Points, father of Dr. J. Points, was born in 1819. The Points family is connected by blood and marriage with such distinguished Virginia families as Stuart, Gordon, Tyler, Page and Nelson. One of the last was the first colonial governor, and at the celebration of the Yorktown centennial, Robert Nelson, a relative of Dr. Points, was the presiding officer and orator of the day. The family was prominent in Virginia politics over 80 years ago, and was eminent in the professions, especially in law and medicine. David Points was eminent as jurist and classic scholar. Joseph was mayor of Staunton early in the 18th century, and James was U. S. marshal from Jackson's administration till his death in Fillmore's term. As Grand High Priest of the Masons of America, he laid the cornerstone of the Washington monument. No more beautiful tribute was ever paid than that given by Hon. John Baldwin of the supreme court of Virginia, upon the death of James Points, whose picture adorns the walls of that court. Another tribute in his honor was when, upon his death in the early '50's, discussions between the whigs and the democrats were postponed for a week throughout the state in respect to his memory. He was an intimate friend of Presidents Polk and Tyler, and both were his frequent guests. His son married a cousin, Miss Elizabeth Tyler, and a granddaughter, Miss Nelson, married her cousin, Roswell Page, brother of Thomas Nelson Page. Dr. Points' grandfather not only served in the Revolutionary war, but when the War of 1812 broke out, he joined Capt. John Sower's company of artillery, and served throughout that war. In the Mexican war, his uncles served with distinction. Col. Jacob G. Points commanded a regiment, and fought throughout that conflict. In the Civil war, Dr. Points' family threw their fortunes with the South; those too old for active service giving of their means to the support of the Confederacy, the younger members enlisting among the wearers of the gray. Five brothers, cousins of Dr. Points, were members of Pickett 's famous division of Virginians, and four of them were left dead in that famous charge on the field of Gettysburg. In the maternal line Dr. Points is of French and Spanish descent, being a great-great-grandson of Gen. Jacques de Balestrier of France, a distinguished soldier and scholar of his day, and Marguerite Colin, who came from a noted French and Spanish ancestry. The families came to Mobile in colonial days. Their only daughter, Marie Marguerite Therese de Balestrier, was married in 1770 to her cousin, John Colin. The only issue of this union was a son who died in infancy and a daughter, the beautiful Marie Marguente Therese de Balestrier Colin. Upon her marriage in 1819 to Gen. John Alexander Stuart of Virginia, the family name became extinct. Gen. Stuart was a scion of the Stuart and Alexander families of Virginia, which includes such names as the Hon. Alexander H. H. Stuart, senator from Virginia, and a member of Pres. Fillmore's cabinet, and Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, the famous cavalry officer. Gen. John Alexander Stuart was a noted jurist and linguist. Mrs. Stuart, his wife, was a most accomplished lady, devoted to the traditions of her French and Spanish nativity. In Dr. Points' family is preserved an ancient French letter written by his great-grandmother upon the cession of Louisiana to the United States, in which she bitterly laments the cession, saying: "Jesuis Espagnole! C'est le langue de mon pays, et je suis chagrin de vivre sousle pavillion Americain." ("I am Spanish. It is the language of my country, and I am sorry that I have to live under an American flag.")

In 1835, Mr. George W. Points, youngest son of Capt. Joseph Points, went from Virginia to visit his 2 brothers, Jacob and William, who had settled inNorth Alabama. Then he visited New Orleans, and being charmed with it, he decided to locate there. He entered the ante- bellum cotton firm of MacMahon & Co., and soon became a partner. Mr. Points was a gentleman of the old school, of high intellectual attainments and strict integrity. He met and married Delphine, daughter of Gen. John A. Stuart. She was an accomplished young lady of rare and lovely character, noted for her beauty and social leadership. Eleven children came to bless this union, of whom Dr. John Joseph Franklin Points, the subject of this sketch, is the youngest son. At the age of 8 years, Dr. Points was sent to the boys' department of the Convent of Perpetual Adoration in New Orleans. After completing the primary courses at the convent, he was sent to St. Aloysius college, where he led the classes, winning medals for higher English and mathematics and graduating in bookkeeping. He also won for this college the prize offered by the World's Columbian Exposition for the best original essay, and a diploma for beautiful school work. In 1894 he entered Jefferson college, at Convent, La., of which His Grace, Most Rev. James H. Blenk, was president. He took a complete literary, classical and scientific course, winning in competition the gold medal offered by the alumni for the best composition on a given subject, and also winning the first honorable mention the next year for the same prize, as having won the medal once he could not again enter the competition. He graduated with honors and received the degree of A. B., July 13, 1898. He matriculated at Tulane university medical college in November of the same year, and continued his record for good and earnest work. In Feb., 1900, after competitive examination for externe of the charity hospital, he was assigned to duty in the out- door clinic, which position he held till April, 1901, when, having passed the examination for resident student, he entered upon his duties. He served at Tulane university medical school as student demonstrator of anatomy in his graduating year, and was the first student to hold that position. He served 2 years as resident student at the hospital and graduated with highest honors from Tulane medical college and the charity hospital, in April, 1903, and began the practice of his profession. He was immediately appointed visiting surgeon at the charity hospital and junior assistant demonstrator of anatomy at Tulane university, a position for which he was especially qualified by reason of his long course of studies and clinical practice in the hospital. Dr. Points continued as junior assistant demonstrator of anatomy at Tulane until 1910, when he resigned to assume charge of the obstetrical clinic at the charity hospital under the direction of the Tulane medical school. Dr. Points is a member of the American Medical association, the Louisiana State and the Orleans Parish Medical societies. He has a large and growing practice, and is one of the best diagnosticians in the profession. He is an earnest, serious student, a man of extensive reading and devoted to medical investigation and research. He is an accomplished writer, an excellent musician, and a keen student of classical lore. As a physician, he is held in the highest esteem and is destined to make his mark in the professional world. Like his entire family, he is a devoted and consistent member of the Catholic church. On the occasion of the centennary of the St. Louis Cathedral, in 1893, the high esteem in which the family is held by the ecclesiastical authorities was shown by the late Archbishop Jannsens selecting Dr. Points from among all the altar boys of the city to be the cross-bearer in that historic and memorable ceremonial, which included Archbishops, bishops and mitred abbotts from all parts of the United States and Canada, and the apostolic delegate from Rome. Since manhood, Dr. Points has taken a leading part in all Catholic activities in the diocese, especially charitable and educational, and was honored by His Grace, Archbishop Blenk, by being appointed a director of the Catholic school board. He took an active part as member of the executive committee for the great convention of the National Catholic Educational association, which was held in New Orleans in 1912. He is a devoted member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, of the Catholic Alumni association of this city, the Jefferson College Alumni and St. Luke's Guild. Dr. Points had 10 brothers and sisters, of whom Richard, Rosa Isabelle, George Washington, Jr., Josephine and Willie Augustus died in the threshold of promising manhood and womanhood; Robert Lee, Delphine, Marie Louise, Eugenie and Marguerite survive. All are highly educated, Delphine especially, being a noted artist and musician and an able writer of poetry and prose. Marie Louise was for over 16 years connected with the Daily Picayune of New Orleans as editor of the woman's department. For the past 7 years she has filled the important position of editor of the Morning Star, the official journal of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, and in that capacity has won an international reputation. She is also known as the author of many beautiful stories of Creole life and character; that have been greatly admired and which have won for her recognition in the leading magazines. She wrote leading articles for the Catholic Encyclopedia and other well-known publications. Robert Lee inherits the splendid character and intellectual ability of his father, and is known for his strict honor. He married Amelie Bayhi, daughter of Anselm Bayhi and Francois Le Beau, a noted planter of ante-bellum days. The paternal plantation of the Le Beaus, just below New Orleans, and the magnificent old colonial homestead was for generations the property of the Le Beau family. Eugenie is also a writer, a musician and an artist. She possesses a beautiful voice of rare timbre, which is often heard for charitable projects given for the sick and suffering. Marguerite is a graceful writer, is the editor of the children's department of the Morning Star, and is the author of many musical compositions which have attained a wide popularity. All of the Misses Points are members of the local chapters and national associations of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Daughters of 1812, the Daughters of the Confederacy, and the Confederate Memorial association. In the latter association Miss Delphine holds the important office of historian. Their father, Mr. Points, died Jan. 28, 1899, in his 80th year. The tributes paid to his memory attest the high esteem and respect in which he was held by this community. His noble and devoted wife followed him to the grave June 11, 1905. Dr. Points was married Jan. 24, 1906, to Amelie Josephine, daughter of Benjamin Joseph and America Lawson (Lewis) Simms, of New Orleans. Mrs. Points is a beautiful and accomplished woman, and also comes from distinguished lineage. On the paternal side she is the granddaughter of the late Benjamin Flournoy Simms, of one of the oldest colonial families of the United States. On the maternal side she is the granddaughter of the late Dr. John Hampden Lewis. The Lewis family is elsewhere noticed in this volume. Dr. and Mrs. Points have 5 beautiful and interesting little children, James Hubert Blenk, named for his illustrious godfather, the Archbishop of New Orleans; Amelie Josephine, Delphine Stuart, Frencesca Carmelite, and Joseph Franklin, a babe in arms. All of them were baptized by the Archbishop in his private chapel at the Archiepiscopal residence in Esplanade avenue.

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, volume 3, pp. 359-363. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit. D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.