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My grandfather, JOHN "CAPT. JACK" DEBLIEUX, was the fifth child of his parents, Benjamin Deblieux, Sr. and Elizabeth Pritchett. His birth occurred on October 23, 1858 in the town of Plaquemine, LA. He was baptized three months later, January 22, 1859, in St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Plaquemine, a church his paternal grandfather, H. F. Deblieux, had been a charter member.

When JOHN DEBLIEUX married his first wife, 20 year old ALICE KATE "KATIE" WATSON, in 1888, he was 30 years old. Katie’s family was from England. She was born in London February 19, 1868, and traveled with her brother, Harry; sister, Margaret, and their parents, GEORGE BIELBY WATSON and ALICE JANE ROBSON, to Louisiana. John and Katie Deblieux were parents of a son, IVAN KNOWLTON DEBLIEUX, who was born in Plaquemine on November 22, 1889. KATIE WATSONdied May 5, 1905 and is buried in Plaquemine in Protestant Cemetery next to her parents and brother.

Five years after Katie’s death, John Deblieux married her younger sister, ELLA PAULINE WATSON. My father, JOHN DODD DEBLIEUX, JR., was born in New Orleans on October 16, 1910. My grandmother was the only child of her parents to be born in America, and on February 23, 1875 she was born in Plaquemine. Reared in the Episcopal faith she later became a Christian Scientist. After my grandfather’s death, she sold the lumber mill and house in Opelousas, and along with her spinster sister, Margaret, moved to Clermont Harbor, MS. Later they joined my parents, John and Thelma Deblieux; my uncle and aunt, Ivan and Lucille DeBlieu (no x); and my great aunt, Lillie DeBlieux Lombard , in Jacksonville, FL, where she lived the remainder of her life. Grandmother died June 15, 1964.

My father, John Dodd DeBlieux, Jr, wrote of his father to his grandson, John IV, dated 3/19/1993

"We owned a large summer home (see The Jackson House) on the Mississippi Gulf where we spent part of each summer. Dad had inherited the place from his family. It had originally been built by Andrew Jackson. I have no idea how our family bought it, but they did.

The Jackson House had 21 rooms, a large porch around it, two large halls, and a big kitchen. The first floor was about 8 feet above the ground and you would go from the second floor to a small section of the roof that was floored and had rails around it. "

"...My dad was a lumber man. The first mill, he shared ownership with a Dr. Frank Kearney. It was called the Corelbur. It was located "down the bayou" from Plaquemine, LA.

When their timber was cut out, Dad moved our family to Opelousas, LA, and opened DeBlieux Lumber Co. His mill cut mostly cypress, but some gum, oak and ash.

"...Dad got his timber from the woods near Krotz Springs, LA. When the town wanted to incorporate Dad's timber land for the taxes, a bad fued began between Mr. Krotz and Dad. Both carried guns for protection from each other! Although, he wasn't arrested, Dad did throw a spitoon at Mr. Krotz and hit him!" In a letter from John Dodd DeBlieux, Jr, to his grandson, John IV, dated 3/19/1993

JOHN DODD DEBLIEUX, Postmaster, Crescent, LA.

A post office was established in the store of Kearny & Deblieux at Crescent (located 6 miles west of Plaquemine on Bayou Plaquemine and La. Hwy 3066) on April 13, 1910, with John Deblieux as postmaster. He was followed by John A. Barbay on July 8, 1912. The post office was discontinued on June 30, 1913.

My grandfather suffered a fatal heart attack at his home in Opelousas on August 13, 1932. He is buried in Myrtle Grove Cemetery in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, LA.

The cemetery is located on the eastern edge of town on US 190. His tombstone reads, ""Blessed Are The Pure In Heart For They Shall See God". Granddaddy’s will and probate #8204 were filed in the St. Landry Parish Court House on August 27.