Search the Encyclopedia Mavericana:   ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Devereaux, Henri

Creole aristocrat, shipping magnate and plantation owner in New Orleans in 1879. (February 10, 1829 – October 30, 1917)[2]

At age 22, Devereaux inherited Belleforest, his father's sugar plantation. A brilliant businessman, he invested much of the plantation's wealth into a small fleet of steam packets on the Mississippi River. In April of 1855, Devereaux's wife died giving birth to his only offspring, his daughter, Yvette. With the capital from both the plantation and his shipping business, he prospered in the years leading up to the Civil War. During the lean years following the War, he maintained his wealth by expanding his shipping line beyond the river with seagoing vessels with interests in New England and Europe. Through and after the War, he grew suspicious and resentful of non-Creole Americans, believing they did not have the European qualities he held so dear.[2]

In April of 1879, to celebrate his daughter's 24th birthday,[2] Devereaux planned to launch his newest and most luxurious packet, the River Princess. He sent out personal invitations to only his closest and wealthiest friends for the riverboat's maiden voyage to St. Louis. But on the eve of the sailing, Yvette was kidnapped by Jody Collins and held for $50,000 ransom.[1]

Bret and Bart Maverick were in New Orleans, hoping to meet Devereaux and get his invitation aboard the River Princess and earn a small fortune at the packet's high-stakes poker tables. They were on hand when Collins' men abducted Yvette outside of Maxime's Restaurant and followed them to their hideout in an abandoned wine shop in the French Quarter. When he judged the New Orleans police efforts to be sorely lacking in finding his daughter, he was forced to place his trust in the Maverick Brothers to rescue her. Their plan worked, but resulted in the death of Collins and his men. Bret and Bart's success made Devereaux realize that they were worthy of respect and taught him that he, too, could be proud to call himself an American. To show his gratitude, he paid them a $5,000 reward for Yvette's safe return and his personal invitation to sail on the River Princess' maiden voyage.[1]

See: Hostage