Interviewer(s): R. Higgins. Bayou Vista, LA

Affiliation: University of Arizona

Edward was recommended to me by Ray Boykin, who is Ed's neighbor. Though the two of them did not know each other well back in the early days of offshore oil, they socialize now on occasion. Ray told me that Ed helped start the first fab yard in Morgan City and made the initial call to contact Ed. I called Ed the next day and his wife told me to come on over. They live in an old two-story home in Bayou Vista. The walls are covered with family photos and woodcarvings that Ed does. They welcomed me in and excused their messy home, which looked rather clean to me. (Though she participated for a few minutes near the middle of the interview, Ed's wife purposely left us alone for most of it. She left for the casino after talking briefly several minutes into the interview.) Ed made coffee, while I told him more about the nature of the project. Ed and I sat side-by-side at the kitchen bar on stools and started the interview.

Edward Dupont was born in Riceville, Louisiana in 1922, and grew up in Rayne, Louisiana. During high school he worked with his dad building tanks and rice carts for farmers. After graduation he went to trade school for a few weeks to learn how to weld, then in 1941 moved to Morgan City to work for Chicago Bridge and Iron Company building a big dry dock with his brothers. After serving in the armed forces, he returned to his home town and then to Morgan City again where he joined his two oldest brothers at a company they started, E.W. and A.P. Dupont Incorporate, as a foreman, but also did welding, burning, and crane operation. He also held jobs at Pure Oil Company, where he welded up pressure lines off of a wooden platform offshore; as an inspector; and at a company in Alaska. He retired in 1990.