Irma Sompayrac Willard, neé Irma Rosalind Sompayrac, married David Milne
Willard, Jr. of New York.
Their son: Daniel D. M. Willard, Lt. Cdr. U.S.N., married Suzanne
Johnson of Arlington, Va., and their children are: Alice Darby, David
Milne III, and Richard Briand of Virginia Beach, Va.
Among forbears who served in the development of Natchitoches and of the
state are Hon. Alexander E. Sompayrac who cast the deciding vote to
abolish the Louisiana Lottery. His great-grandfather of Tarn, France,
familiar with America through overseas trade and as a French naval
officer, brought three sons to New Orleans via the West Indies. Ambrose
married Desiree Josephine Briant, (daughter of a planter there and
Colonel of a Regiment of French Dragoons, and Marie Mozard). Settling in
Natchitoches about 1800, he bought new wireless telegraphy stock, using
it in his cotton business. His place became a depot for trade with
Mexico.
On the maternal side Alexandre Deblieux, dissenting from Napoleon,
brought his sons from Provence and opened law and commission offices in
New Orleans and Natchitoches where he planted cotton. One of his sons
helped organize the first public parish school board. He married
Euphrosine Tauzin of the Chamard family. His son married Julie, a
daughter of Lestan Prudhomme, Sr. of the lines of Lambre, LeRoy,
Philippe and Possiot. Mrs. Willard is the Supervisor of Art Education
for the State of Louisiana.