Ruben Levin Rochelle (1780-1824)

He was born in Hamburg, Germany. He came to New Orleans circa 1810, where he entered into business with Hart M. Shiff brokering shipments of tobacco, cotton, and sugar. Described as "a peppery fellow," when rumors were heard that he was going bankrupt he published a notice in the press branding those behind the gossip as "liars, scoundrels and base", declaring, "the midnight robber is innocent compared to him, who, under a mask stabs a man's character". On another occasion he was lauded for his fierce rebuke of a city watchman's crude behaviour. The watchmen took their revenge and broke into his house brandishing their swords but Rochelle took up his own in defense and beat them off. It appears that he died unmarried.