The Soudé line began in St. Domingue. Pierre Soudé (fmc) was born in 1785 in Port au Prince. He and his parents were among the early refugees to seek asylum. The ship they boarded took them to Savannah, Georgia. It was there that Pierre grew up and married Jeanne Jalineau, also a refugee.
They had a son, Joseph Soudé, who was born c 1821. The exact date of their move from Savannah to New Orleans is not known. Pierre's earliest record is his listing in
Paxton's New Orleans City Directory of 1830 as a cordonnier at 46 Conti Street. Subsequent listings describe his business as a boot and shoe store. Since most boots and shoes were made to order, Pierre had a thriving business.
The date of Jeanne Jalineau's death is not known but probably occurred shortly after they moved to New Orleans.
Pierre had a daughter, Marie, born 2 Feb 1837, and died 20 may 1840. Her mother was one of Pierre's slaves, a twenty-one year old girl.
Pierre Soudé died 5 Feb 1841 leaving an estate of these slaves and other assets valued at $3,190.63. Joseph Soudé took over the shoe shop. He married Marie Antoinette Confrac who was about seven years older than he. Marie died on 21 June 1852. They had one daughter, also named Marie, who was born in 1850. On 9 May 1874, she married Joseph Trepagnier.
Joseph Soudé took solace with an unidentified slave and fathered a child Sophie Soudé who was born in August 1853.
On 31 August 1870, Joseph married Marie Angela Celestin, the daughter of F. Celestin and Manette Bernard.
Joseph Soudé died sixteen months later on 20 Apr 1872.
Marie Angele Celestin, his wife, died 9 Jan 1882.
The child, Sophie Soudé, mentioned above was the person who became the mother of Felicie Pujol and later the wife of Ernest Durel. Her daughter, Felicie Pujol, married Louis Cerre.