Biography of 	De Pass, Hon. Phoenix O. Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller September 2000

**********************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
**********************************************  

Hon. Phoenix 0. De Pass, member of the Louisiana state legislature from New Orleans, was born
in this city in the month of March, 1843.  On his father's side he is of French descent, his
father, D. De Pass, having been born in Bordeaux, France, and his mother in Philadelphia, Penn.
The parents immigrated to New Orleans about 1882, and in this city the father was called from
life in 1850.  His widow, who was born in 1811, still survives him, together with three sons
and two daughters, the extent of their family.  The subject of this sketch is purely a
self-made man, having been thrown on his own resources at the age of thirteen years.  He
commenced the battle of life for himself as a clerk in the employ of John Ganche, in 1856, at
which he faithfully did his duty until the opening of the Civil war, when, with the patriotism
of the true Southerner for the land of his birth, he entered the confederate service to yield
up his life, if necessary, for the Southern cause, for which he did battle for nearly four
years.  When the war closed he sheathed his sword and returned to domestic pursuits, finding
employment with the firm of Shepherd, Abbott & Co. of New Orleans.  In 1866 he entered the
employ of Morris McGraw, remaining with him for fourteen consecutive years.  Judiciously
husbanding his means he concluded to enter business for himself and with this end in view
opened a candy manufactory which met with the greatest success.  The firm name is Jaeger & De
Pass.  Owing to the growth of their business they added the wholesale and retail wood and
willow ware in 1885, which is the only complete business of the kind in the country.  The
business is very extensive and embraces in its latitude, a large section of the South.  Mr. De
Pass is a gentleman of high social standing and of great influence.  He keeps abreast of the
times in methods of thinking, and his ideas in municipal and state affairs are practical and
sound.  Because of his purity as a citizen and his progressiveness, his name was placed on the
ticket as a candidate for the legislature by the Young Men's Democratic association of New
Orleans and was duly elected.  Mr. De Pass was married to Miss Eugenia Barnett, and their union
has resulted in the birth of four daughter, and two sons,  The eldest daughter is the wife of
Dr. John Thomas, quarantine officer of Louisiana.  Mr. De Pass, although still a young man, has
been a grandfather for over two years.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 1), p. 376.  Published by the
Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.