DUSON, (Hon.) C. C., St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller


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HON. C. C. DUSON, OPELOUSAS.--Hon. C. C. Duson, State Senator from the Twelfth
Senatorial District, composed of St. Landry and Acadia, was born on the
Mermentau River, St. Landry parish, Louisiana, August 31, 1846.  The history
of C. C. Duson's father, Cornelius Duson, as he was known in Louisiana, and
the mystery so long thrown around his real family name, sounds more like a
legend culled from the days of romance, or of knight errantry, than the actual
life of a citizen in this prosaic nineteenth century.  He was born at Point
Levis, opposite the city of Quebec, Canada, on the St. Lawrence River, June 8,
1819.  He was the youngest of the family of six sons, and when the French
rebelled against the English government, in 1837, all his family, except
himself, were found to be ultra English loyalists.  But our young hero of
seventeen years had a bosom friend and companion, one S. Lombert, whom he had
learned to love from childhood.  Through Lombert's influence he was induced to
join the French revolutionists; and as soon as this fact reached the ears of
his family, Cornelius Duson was called before a family council, consisting of
his father and five brothers.  They remonstrated with and begged him not to
disguise their time-honored family name by joining in an attempt to overthrow
his government.  They stated to him that if not killed during the
insurrection, if the French cause was lost, he would be forced to suffer
capital punishment for treason; further, that his oldest brother, John, had
been appointed to watch for all persons suspected of treasonable designs and
report them to the officials, and that if he did not change his course his
brother would be forced to take him in surveillance.  But Cornelius Duson had
his course mapped out, and his convictions were too strong to be changed.  He
stated to his people that if the French cause was lost they should never hear
of him till the grass grew green over his grave.  Having thus delivered
himself, Cornelius Duson, his companion, S. Lombert, and eight comrades
started from their homes on an expedition far up the Ottawa River, to preach
rebellion and raise forces among the woodmen and trappers.  This adventure was
cut short by eight of the band of ten being captured by the English soldiers.
Cornelius Duson, however, escaped, and went far up the tributaries of the
Ottawa River.  He soon learned that his comrades were imprisoned at the town
of Ottawa, and that the jailer was an Irishman.  Going to Ottawa, then a small
town, he formed the jailer's acquaintance, thinking to engage him in a "
drinking bout."  The wily jailer indulged only moderately, and would taste not
a drop around the jail.  After they had returned from a dram shop to the jail,
he suspected evil designs in his new acquaintance and ordered him away.
Cornelius Duson had thrown his large hunter's cap on a heap of wood in the
jail on entering, and, when ordered away, ostensibly reaching for his cap, he
picked up a stick, knocked the jailer down, and secured the keys from his
person, and helped his companions to make their escape.

They then at once decided to make their way to the United States as quickly as
possible.  With this in view, they went to Kingston, which was then simply a
ferry.  The ferry boat was run by Duson's cousin.  He utilized every availing
argument and means in the attempt to engage him to ferry them over to the
United States shore; but fear of the English government prevented him from
doing so.  As a last resort the party cut the boat loose, and ferried it
across themselves, reaching the opposite shore far below the usual landing.
They were pursued by the soldiers, and some of the party killed.  Cornelius
Duson escaped, though severely wounded from a musket ball, shot through his
thigh.  He secreted himself in the hut of a woodman until he recovered from
his wound, after which he made his way to Boston, Mass.  There he found that
a reward was offered for him by the English government.  Upon hearing this he
determined to travel further south, finally landing on the Mermentau River, in
St. Landry parish, Louisiana, near Lake Arthur.  He here formed the
acquaintance of a seafaring captain by the name of John Webb, a native of
Essex, England, and a pioneer on the Mermentau.  He loved and married John
Webb's daughter, when she was but fifteen years of age.  The union was blessed
with five children, of whom Hon. C. C. Duson is the eldest.  Cornelius Duson
afterward followed the trade of tanner and saddler, and lived his latter days
in St. Martin's parish.  He often related the story of his youthful
experiences to his family, and how, among other things, his brother Michael
broke an engagement to marry his boon companion's (S. Lombert) sister, because
of the loyalty of the family to the French cause.  He gave his family the full
history of his people, of where they lived on the St. Lawrence River; of their
having established large lumber interests and saw-mills, which had been in the
family for so many long years, but of the mystery of the name he bore he
breathed not a word.  He had often told his wife that when he died, he desired
her to send his sons to visit those from whom he had separated himself through
his loyalty to a cause he believed to be right.  When he was ill he would tell
his physician that he could not afford to die without knowing of it
beforehand; so it was evident that he had something of moment to reveal, but
what that something was could be judged with no degree of certainty until
recent years, as Cornelius Duson died suddenly--away from home--in the year
1857.

Things remained in this condition until 1884, when, at his mother's
solicitation, and to fulfill his father's request, Hon. C. C. Duson and his
brother, W. W. Duson, made a visit to Canada and hunted out the places of
which they had so often heard their father speak.  They first went to the old
sweetheart of their father's brother Michael, having secured her marriage
name.  Senator Duson asked her if she did not once have a lover by the name of
Michael Duson, and related the incident.  She said she had never before heard
that name; but that she was once engaged to Michael McNaughton, with whom she
fell out.  Thus baffled, the Senator and his brother, proceeded to the house
of S. Lombert, the companion of their father's earlier years, certain they
would at once learn all; but when they mentioned the name Duson he said he was
sure he had never heard it before.  Senator Duson insisted that Lombert and
his father had often rowed together the same boat and played at the same games
when boys, and that when on the verge of manhood they had enlisted in the
political scheme which was the cause of their separation.  But still the old
man insisted that he had never before heard the name Duson.  Senator Duson
then repeated the story of his father's political adventure, and how Lombert
had induced him to join the French, repeating the christian names of his
father's brothers. 'Twas then the feeble old man burst into tears, and with an
effort rose to his feet and said "No, no!  I see it all now; you are Con's
children" (Con, abbreviation for Cornelius).  "Your name is not Duson, but
McNaughton; let me lead you to your people."  The Duson brothers were
thunderstruck.  Senator Duson, with his characteristic readiness, retorted,
"No, if my father has had sufficient reason to change his name, and there is
something dark in the background, I will never see my people!"  But the old
man soon assured him that the rebels of 1837 were the patriots of 1884; that
the McNaughton family had long since procured a pardon from the English
government for their brother Cornelius Duson McNaughton, and had sent agents
to Boston and elsewhere and advertised for him in all directions, but all in
vain.

The Dusons spent several months visiting their people in Canada, whom they
found to be wealthy and among the most cultured people in Canada.  They
returned home with the intelligence that they are McNaughtons, and not Dusons,
and that instead of being of French blood they are purely Irish Scotch
Canadians; their grandfather, William McNaughton, having been a native of
Ireland, who settled in Canada.  As subsequently ascertained, the father of
the Duson family dropped the McNaughton part of his name on leaving Boston,
Mass.  It was further learned that he had a confidential friend in St. Martins
parish, who repeatedly visited the neighborhood in Canada where the
McNaughtons lived, and that under a pledge to Cornelius Duson he kept him
always informed of all particulars concerning the McNaughton family in Canada,
but never divulged his secret to them.  Cornelius Duson McNaughton knew of his
people advertising for him, and of their securing the pardon from the English
government; but with terrible determination he kept his vow, and his people
never did hear of him till "green grew the grass over his grave.''

Hon. C. C. Duson was reared on a farm, and received a common school education.
He commenced his official career as deputy sheriff of St. Landry parish under
Sheriff Hayes, in 1866, and served until 1873, when he was elected sheriff of
St. Landry, and served for fourteen consecutive years, when he resigned the
office to accept the position of State Senator.  The appreciation of these
long years of service by the people of St. Landry is shown in the fact that
the last time he was a candidate for the office, Mr. Duson received, in a
total of six thousand two hundred votes, a majority of one thousand eight
hundred and forty-three over a strong candidate.  No other man in the same
capacity in the State of Louisiana ever gained the reputation that Mr. Duson
did during his fourteen years' service as sheriff.

One of the first things he accomplished was the breaking up of organized bands
of outlaws who had for years scourged the country and baffled all attempts to
execute the law.  In doing this he has followed criminals to the border of
Mexico, into the mountains of the Indian Territory, and as far north as
Illinois.  He had three desperate fights in his attempts to capture fugitives
from justice; he was at different times the target for the bullets of those
whose only chance of escape from their just deserts lay in his removal from
their path.  A recital of some of his accomplishments in this capacity will
prove interesting.  When he was acting deputy under Sheriff Hayes, 1872, with
two other deputies he tracked the Guilroy brothers, noted criminals, who had
long defied the law, to Catahoula parish.  There a fight ensued, in which
eight shots were fired-three by the Guilroys and five by the deputies,
terminating in the death of both of the Guilroy brothers.  August 3, 1875, Mr.
Duson captured Louis Rosseau, guilty of murder, in the Creek nation.  August
10, 1875, a requisition was placed in his hands for the apprehension of John
Slane, for a heinous crime.  After a pursuit of twenty-nine days, he caught
Slane in Western Texas, near San Saba.  In 1879, he pursued two horse thieves,
and captured them, after fifteen days' search at Bonham, Texas.  One of the
men was guilty of murder in Texas, and indicted in Arkansas for mail robbery.
The other had just been tried in Rapides parish for the murder of a negro.  In
March, 1880, a requisition was issued for the arrest of one John Sonnier, who
had been indicted for murder in St. Landry and Calcasieu, and who had been a
fugitive since July, 1871.  Many fruitless efforts had been made to capture
him, as he was regarded as one of the most wily and dangerous men that ever
lived in Southwest Louisiana.  Through diligent and persistent inquiry Mr.
Duson finally learned that he was in Brazoria county, Texas.  He at once
started for that place to capture him, dead or alive.  In company with Sheriff
Noble and Deputy Sheriff Faut, of Harris county, Texas, he traced him to a
convict camp, where Sonnier was guarding prisoners under the name of Miller.
He was only captured alive by grappling with him before he could use his arms.
Sonnier is now serving a life sentence in the penitentiary at Baton Rouge.

In March, 1881, a requisition was issued by Gov. McEnery on the governor of
Illinois for one John Fahey, who, in February, 1881, had murdered and robbed
his fellow-workman on the Payne plantation in this parish.  Duson, with his
usual detective skill, had traced out John Fahey's whereabouts, and, armed
with his proper papers, went for his man and captured him.  Fahey is now
serving a life sentence in the Louisiana penitentiary.  In April, 1881, Gov.
McEnery issued a requisition for the arrest of one Rhett Clark, charged with
murder.  Within fifteen days Duson had Clark a prisoner at Fort Graham, in
Northwest Texas, and he was brought back to answer the charge.  The last but
not least important arrest made by our champion sheriff was that of Lane and
Brown for the murder of old man Nuby on the Payne plantation a few years ago,
when a terrible fight ensued, during which thirty-two shots were exchanged,
Duson receiving two shots from Lane's pistol, and killing Lane in a hand-to-
hand conflict.  Brown was captured and is now serving a life sentence in the
State prison of Mississippi.  It must be borne in mind that in tracing down
and arresting those noted criminals a rare detective skill and a vast amount
of energy and courage was necessary to successfully carry them out.

Aside from his active official life, Senator Duson has been a leading spirit
in all matters pertaining to the material interests of this section of the
State.  He is one of the leading members of the Southwest Louisiana Land
Company, of which mention is made elsewhere, and the organization of Acadia
parish is due greatly to his influence.  He and his brother, W. W. Duson, are
among the large land owners of Southwest Louisiana and are the largest rice
growers west of the Mississippi river.  Hon. C. C. Duson was married in 1867
to Miss Isora A. Andrus, who was born in this parish.  To this union have been
born eight children, viz:  Morton E.,  Walter W.,  Rodney R.,  Clayton C.,
Jesse,  Meta,  Lola and  George.

Southwest Louisiana Biographical and Historical, Biographical Section, pp.
22-27.  Edited by William Henry Perrin.  Published in 1891, by The Gulf
Publishing Company.