New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1904-03-26
DIR. ALFRED DUPERIER.

hence one of the foremost of Ourl
citizens. On Wednesday morning
at s 80 o'clock the soul of DR.. Al
fred Duperier took its flight to the
great beyond He had been at
tackled by Pneumonia which com
plicated with heart trouble and IN
a few days the end came suddenly
and pninltSSiy. while consulting
with one of his physicians. DR..
Alfred Duperier was born in what
is now Iberia Parish, then the
portion Of ST Martin Parish, after
ward used in forming Iberia Parish,
He WAS il his 18th year, having
been horn in 1926. His family
were the founders of New Iberia
whose holdings ut that time con
stituted what is now the heart of
the town. DR.. Duperier was edu-
Gated in Ann Arbor Michigan where
he was graduated as Physician
in early manhood. After consld-
cradle foreign travel, he took up
the practice Of his profession IN
the town of his birth -and for fifty
years zealonsly followed it, becom-
ing one of the most eminent IN the
whole district. During the terrible
epidemics of 1858 and 1867 DR..
Duperier was entirely devoted to
his people, dispensing food and
medicine and treatment with a
lavish hand virtually living in his
buggy, especially in 1867, attend
ing the urgent calls of his dis
tressed people. His charities and
personal work was beyond COM
putation often assisting with his
own hands in burying the dead,
victims of the terrible Yellow
Scourge. His donations to public
institution were muniticent, giving
the large tract of ground lying on
st. Peter street between Iberia and
Julia street, as site for Catholic
Church, on which stands st. Peters
magnificent Church, Parsonage
and Convent, now worth many
thousands of dollars. DR.. Du
perier was also engaged in planting
of sugar on his beautiful and ex-
tensive MOrbihan" Plantation
and was the first to introduce
modern sugar apparatus, being
the pioneer in erecting Vacuum
Pans and Centrifugals. The same
property is to-day owned by the
New Iberia Sugar Co, in which
the Doctor holds an interest. Al
though a very busy man with his
manifold pursuits, DR.. Duperier
found time to take part in the poll
tics of his county, before the war
he was an earnest Wing and was
prominent in the battles for that
party being a forceful and keen
debater. During the civil war he
was an ardent supporter of the U. 5.
Government and stood by the flag
unfalteringly, was the trusted and
honored friend Of Lincoln, Chas,
Sumner and Douglas, for whom he
named a son. During the recon
struction period he was ever on
the side of conservatism and right
and denounced the ontrages of that
period in unmeasured terms. Was
a Republican staunch and true,
ever looking to the establishment
of party in the South based npon
intelligence and white supremacy.
and the party of to-day is much
the creature Of his brain, counsels
and forceful character. DR.. On
perier was married twice his first
wife bore him daughter, Mrs.
P. l.. Renoudet now living His
second was Miss Emma Mile, with
whom he underwent most horri-
BILE experience in the great storm of
1859 at Last Island, at which re
sort they were staying during the
hot days of August. The tidal
wave swept completely over the
island, wreckiug all the buildings
and destroying many lives and
property. DR.. Duperier and Miss
Mile were at the mercies of the storm
tossed waves for nearly two days,
floating upon an old armoir cap
tured by the Doctor, and from
which they we're rescued more
dead than alive. Miss Mile after
wards became his wife, now sur
viving him. By this union five
children survive him. DR.. Doug
las Dnperier, Mr.. Alfred Duperier,
Attorney-at law at Beaumont, Mrs.
DR.. 7. j. Woolf, and Misses Marie
and Althee Duperier, who will for
ever cherish the memory Of the
kind father who lived to provide
q home of elegance and refinement
aud who has left them an example
of integrity and civic worth that
sordid wealth cannot measure.
The funeral occurred in st.
Peters Church which was too small
to accommodate the immense con-
course that gathered to pay their
last respects. The solemn service
was conducted by Fathers Jouan
and FROM. The active pail bear
ers were all of the medical fratern-
ity: Drs. j. w. Sanders, j. w.
X. Shaw, l. T. Rand, Geo. J.
Sabatier, Fl. A. King and DR..
Remy. The following were the
honorary pail bearers being the
friends Of "Auld Lang Syne."
Messrs. II. B. Bayard, Alfred Ba
yard, Benoit Bayard, Charles Mes
layer, Martial Sorrels, Zenon De-
CUR, Felix Patout, Octave Darby,
Caesar Darby, A. Lacour, Capt.
T. l.. Morse, Nat. Henderson,