A life of questions

OPELOUSAS – Winston De Ville discovered his passion for genealogy early in life while sitting on his grandfather Seevola Johnson’s lap at his family home in Easton.
The unusual name led the young boy at the time to question where such unique names could come from, which sparked a desire to uncover the answer.
Although, to this day De Ville is still uncertain as to where names like his grandfather’s originated, it was that question that ultimately began the 79-year-old’s love affair with genealogy.
Before beginning a career that would turn the small town boy into a well traveled and educated man, De Ville attended Louisiana College in Pineville where he majored in Piano and French, while he minored in Organ and Journalism.
“I knew that I could play the piano pretty well, and I wanted to be a concert pianist,” said De Ville. “But, I realized I was not good enough for that. When I started thinking of what else I could major in, I thought ‘French seems easy enough.’”
Laughing De Ville then added, “It wasn’t too easy though.”
After graduating from Louisiana College in 1959, De Ville continued to further his education by earning a Master’s Degree in History from Louisiana State University.
With school out of the way, De Ville’s career began.
Following a year of teaching High School French and English, DeVille became the Head of Special Collections at the Mobile Public Library.
While holding this position, De Ville, who specialized in the French and Spanish colonial periods of history, used his skill in 18th century language and handwriting to transcribe documents from the past to be published, thus making historical facts accessible to the public.
From there, De Ville spent time working as a college representative for Harper & Row publishing company in Baltimore as well as several other publishing companies.
When it came to getting his job at Harper & Row, De Ville said, “They asked me what it would take for me to go there, and I said a brand new car and pay for me to move. They agreed, so I moved to Baltimore. They said they wanted me to make the company first class, so that’s what I did.”
After a while, De Ville found himself ready to have his own publishing company.
De Ville said, “When I left Baltimore, I started my own publishing company named Polyanthos, Inc., which I thought meant book. I later found out it actually means flower or flowering plant. Eventually though, I realized I was publishing other peoples books instead of my own. I got rid of the company then, and began publishing my own things for a while. I was living in New York at that time.”
Soon De Ville once again started his own publishing company in New Orleans, which he named Provincial Press.
This time, De Ville was the person that wrote and published his own words.
One of De Ville’s favorite pieces that he has written and published is a book of poems inspired by geneaology, history and Louisiana titled Poesy. De Ville’s favorite poem in the book is one he titled “Plea to an Ancestor,” which shows the strong influence his passion for genealogy has had when it comes to his poetry.
Another work that De Ville says he is proud of is one that shares truth about “Cajuns” in Louisiana.
De Ville, who comes from a French family, said, “‘Cajuns’ and Neo-Ethnicity: Concerns of an Acadian-American Genealogist was a big thing for me. Growing up, my family viewed the term Cajun as a derrogatory term, much like the n-word.
“My dad was never a fighter, but I remember one instance where my dad almost fought with a man who had called him Cajun. That term was negative to them. For years I had been wanting to talk about the Cajuns, so that has always been one of the pieces I am most proud of.”
According to De Ville his favorite line from “Cajuns” and Neo-Ethnicity reads, “Comedic translation of old “cow jokes,” repackaged as “Cajun humor,” is accepted as accurate characterizations of a society that America has never really bothered to understand. Tourist brochures tout “historic” sites that aren’t and happenings that didn’t, while frozen food sections of grocery chains advertise “Cajun Cooking” of some admixture that was never steamed, stewed, or fried in Acadian pots.”
“Cajuns” and Neo-Ethnicity however, is only one of the fascinating genealogical and historical works that have come from De Ville, who was inducted as a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists’ in 1969.
Today, the author of hundreds of joural articles and dozens of books, has retired from his long-time career and now resides in Opelousas.
As he sat reflecting on all that he has done in his life, De Ville said, “I am proud of where I come from, and I am proud of where my career has allowed me to go. Now that I have retired though I sometimes find myself suprised when I think of the things I have been able to accomplish.”