The Cappel Family of Mokena

One of the things that makes Mokena's history so great is that it's our story; the history of normal people. We can read about different presidents, generals, all this stuff, but it's easy to lose track of "normal history" and forget that people just like you and me have been living in Mokena for centuries.

I can't think of a better example than the family of John Cappel.

This is an old family photo that was given to me a few years ago by a local guy named Joe Srsnick. I'd guess the photo was taken around 1893 or so, maybe on a trip to Joliet to take care of errands. (As far as anyone can tell, no professional photo studios existed here in that era)

When I look at John Cappel surrounded by his family, I see the face of a guy who has really seen a lot. His early life would've been that of a pioneer, with difficulties and hardship that would make our head spin today in 2010. John was born on on May 26th, 1846, at a time in which neither Mokena nor Frankfort even existed yet. What would later become Frankfort Township was dotted with log cabins, prairie and forest.

Just where John was born is something of a mystery. (Something that comes up in this research way too often) Some sources say that he was born here, others say that it was in a Bavarian village called Steinwenden. (It still exists today, a little over 1,000 people live there) His family seems to have come from there. His father, a man by the name of Friedrich Cappel, was one of this area's first German settlers and allegedly named Frankfort Township.

On February 19th, 1871 John married Elisabeth Werner in Mokena at the old St. John German Lutheran Church. (That's her on the right in the photo) The Cappels lived on a farm that John inherited from his father, this having stood near the western corner of what is today 191st St. and 88th Avenue. (About where the Dunkin Donuts distribution center is) Later on, probably as John became a successful and well known butcher and livestock dealer, they relocated to a farm that stood closer to Mokena on the north side of LaPorte Road. (This one having stood just east of the railroad crossing. There are town homes on the site today)

Unfortunately, neither of the two farms are still standing.

All in all, John and Elisabeth Cappel had fourteen kids in their marriage, (how often do we see this today? ;-) although six seemed to have died young. Medical technology not being what it is today, John himself wound up passing away in 1897 at the age of 51. What got him? Pneumonia. To be fair, I should at least let you know that Elisabeth died in 1929 at 80.

Each of the couple's children went on to leave their mark. In 1926, Fred and Albert Cappel formed a partnership as grain dealers in Mokena, doing business out of the historic grain elevator that stands a few yards south of Front Street. If you've ever gotten off a train here, you've seen it. :-)

To this day, there are many residents of Mokena who still know the Cappel name, and even a few who can claim John and Elisabeth Cappel as their ancestors. Nowadays we look back at these pioneers and might find it hard to see them as human, as someone tangible. Don't forget, they were all someone's neighbors, someone's friends, and were people who laughed and smiled just like we do.