Changes

==Background==

==Background==

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Lafargue was born in Marksville, the seat of government of Aoyelles Parish in south central Louisiana.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Lafargue&GSfn=Alvan&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=23639492&df=all&|title=Dr. Alvan H. Lafargue (with gravestone photograph)|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=December 10, 2015}}</ref> He was from a prominent family originally from the [[Pyrenees]] Mountains of [[France]]. His father, Adolphe Jolna Lafargue]] (1855-1917), received his education at the former Jefferson College in Convent in St. James Parish in south Louisiana,] and then studied law at what became [[Tulane University]] in [[New Orleans]]. He returned to Marksville and published and edited<ref name=archives/> what became ''The Marksville Weekly News,'' the oldest continuously operating newspaper in Louisiana.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.angelfire.com/la/

Lafargue was born in Marksville, the seat of government of Aoyelles Parish in south central Louisiana.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Lafargue&GSfn=Alvan&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=23639492&df=all&|title=Dr. Alvan H. Lafargue (with gravestone photograph)|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=December 10, 2015}}</ref> He was from a prominent family originally from the [[Pyrenees]] Mountains of [[France]]. His father, Adolphe Jolna Lafargue (1855-1917), received his education at the former Jefferson College in Convent in St. James Parish in south Louisiana, and then studied law at what became [[Tulane University]] in [[New Orleans]]. He returned to Marksville and published and edited<ref name=archives/> what became ''The Marksville Weekly News,'' the oldest continuously operating newspaper in Louisiana.<ref name=archives/>

In 1878, Adolphe Lafargue married Annie Winn Irion (1860-1889), the daughter of [[U. S. Representative]] Alfred Briggs Irion of Evergreen in Avoyelles Parish. In addition to Alvan Lafargue, the couple had three other sons, Walter Strong, Edwin Louis, and Sidney Eustis.<ref name=archives/> When Annie died, Adolphe married her sister, Emma (1870-1961), who died in New Orleans long forty-four years after the passing of her husband in 1917.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=73384092|title=Judge Adolphe Lafargue|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=December 10, 2019}}</ref>​

In 1878, Adolphe Lafargue married Annie Winn Irion (1860-1889), the daughter of [[U. S. Representative]] Alfred Briggs Irion of Evergreen in Avoyelles Parish. In addition to Alvan Lafargue, the couple had three other sons, Walter Strong, Edwin Louis, and Sidney Eustis.<ref name=archives/> When Annie died, Adolphe married her sister, Emma (1870-1961), who died in New Orleans long forty-four years after the passing of her husband in 1917.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=73384092|title=Judge Adolphe Lafargue|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=December 10, 2019}}</ref>​

Alvan Lafargue's grandfather, Pierre-Adolphe Lafargue (1818-1869), was an educator who served as the school superintendent for Avoyelles Parish and founded Marksville High School. He was also a  mayor of Marksville. He started the newspaper then named ''The Pelican'' and later ''The Marksville Villager.'' Lafargue's father, Judge Lafargue, continued to publish the newspaper as the ''Marksville Weekly News.''<ref name=doctors>{{cite web|url=http://library.mcneese.edu/depts/archive/FTBooks/reid%20doctors.htm|title=Early Calcasieu Doctors|publisher=McNeese State University|accessdate=February 17, 2011}}</ref>​

Alvan Lafargue's grandfather, Pierre-Adolphe Lafargue (1818-1869), was an educator who served as the school superintendent for Avoyelles Parish and founded Marksville High School. He was also a  mayor of Marksville. He started the newspaper then named ''The Pelican'' and later ''The Marksville Villager.'' Lafargue's father, Judge Lafargue, continued to publish the newspaper as the ''Marksville Weekly News.''<ref name=doctors>{{cite web|url=http://library.mcneese.edu/depts/archive/FTBooks/reid%20doctors.htm|title=Early Calcasieu Doctors|publisher=McNeese State University|accessdate=February 17, 2011}}</ref>​

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Lafargue's brother, Walter Strong Lafargue (1879-1951) of Thibodaux,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Lafargue&GSfn=Walter&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=91541057&df=all&|title=Walter Strong Lafargue|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=February 13, 2015}}</ref> was first the assistant principal of Thibodaux College and thereafter the long-term superintendent of schools in Lafourche Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.louisianacajun.com/msg/louisiana-cajun-forum-message-show.asp?id=24789&fid=202&tid=0|title=Genealogy search for Lafargues|publisher=louisianacajun.com|accessdate=February 18, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/avoyelles/bios/lafargue29gbs.txt|publisher=American Historical Society, Inc.|accessdate=February 15, 2015|title=History of Louisiana, Vol. 1|pages=388–389|author=[[Henry E. Chambers]]|location=[[Chicago]] and [[New York City]]|date=1925}}</ref>​

Lafargue's brother, Walter Strong Lafargue (1879-1951) of Thibodaux,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Lafargue&GSfn=Walter&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=91541057&df=all&|title=Walter Strong Lafargue|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=February 13, 2015}}</ref> was first the assistant principal of Thibodaux College and thereafter the long-term superintendent of schools in Lafourche Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.louisianacajun.com/msg/louisiana-cajun-forum-message-show.asp?id=24789&fid=202&tid=0|title=Genealogy search for Lafargues|publisher=louisianacajun.com|accessdate=February 18, 2011}}</ref><ref>[[Henry E. Chambers]], ''History of Louisiana,'' Vol. 1, 1925, pp 388-389.</ref>​

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Lafargue was educated in the Avoyelles Parish schools, [[Louisiana State University]], the [[Tulane University]] Medical School, and the [[Memphis]] Hospital Medical School, since the [[University of Tennessee|University of Tennessee Medical Center]], from which he graduated in 1910. He married the former Florestine Richard (pronounced REE SHARD) of Baldwin  in St. Mary Parish, a daughter of Arthur Richard, a [[sugar]] planter, and the former Blanche Dumesnil. The couple had four children, Alvan, Jr. (1913–1994), Myron J. Lafargue (1914–1973), Irene L. Owens (1917–1969), and Prudence L. Burns (1924–2009).<ref name=lahist>{{cite web|url=http://www.lahistory.org/site29.php|title=Lafargue, Alvan Henry|publisher=''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography,'' publication of the Louisiana Historical Association|accessdate=December 10, 2019}}</ref><ref>''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' uses Erbon W. Wise (a Sulphur author), ''Brimstone! The History of Sulphur, Louisiana '' (1981) and the Lafargue family papers as the basis of its sketch of Dr. Lafargue.</ref>​

Lafargue was educated in the Avoyelles Parish schools, [[Louisiana State University]], the [[Tulane University]] Medical School, and the [[Memphis]] Hospital Medical School, since the [[University of Tennessee|University of Tennessee Medical Center]], from which he graduated in 1910. He married the former Florestine Richard (pronounced REE SHARD) of Baldwin  in St. Mary Parish, a daughter of Arthur Richard, a [[sugar]] planter, and the former Blanche Dumesnil. The couple had four children, Alvan, Jr. (1913–1994), Myron J. Lafargue (1914–1973), Irene L. Owens (1917–1969), and Prudence L. Burns (1924–2009).<ref name=lahist>{{cite web|url=http://www.lahistory.org/site29.php|title=Lafargue, Alvan Henry|publisher=''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography,'' publication of the Louisiana Historical Association|accessdate=December 10, 2019}}</ref><ref>''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' uses Erbon W. Wise (a Sulphur author), ''Brimstone! The History of Sulphur, Louisiana '' (1981) and the Lafargue family papers as the basis of its sketch of Dr. Lafargue.</ref>​

A [[Roman Catholic]], Lafargue was a member of the men's organization, the [[Knights of Columbus]]. He was also active in Rotary International and the Woodmen of the World. In 1925, Dr. Lafargue founded the bi-parish Calcasieu-Cameron Fair and served many years afterwards as president of the organization. From 1932 to 1934 and again in 1949, Dr. Lafargue was president of the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals. He was the founding president of the organization in 1932. His daughter, Prudence Burns, was the state fair president in 1984.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.laffnet.org/history.html|title=Past Presidents of the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals|publisher=laffnet.org|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref>

A [[Roman Catholic]], Lafargue was a member of the men's organization, the [[Knights of Columbus]]. He was also active in Rotary International and the Woodmen of the World. In 1925, Dr. Lafargue founded the bi-parish Calcasieu-Cameron Fair and served many years afterwards as president of the organization. From 1932 to 1934 and again in 1949, Dr. Lafargue was president of the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals. He was the founding president of the organization in 1932. His daughter, Prudence Burns, was the state fair president in 1984.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.laffnet.org/history.html|title=Past Presidents of the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals|publisher=laffnet.org|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref>

In 2008, a Lafargue grandson, Gerold J. LaFargue (with capital "F"), a former assistant attorney general of Louisiana, was named grand marshal of the parade.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sulphurdailynews.com/article/20081012/NEWS/310129997|title=LaFargue named Grand Marshal of Cal-Cam fair|publisher=''Sulphur Daily News''|date=October 12, 2008|author=Susan LaFargue Kyle|accessdate=February 13, 2015}}</ref> In 2014, the fair begun by Dr. Lafargue was moved from its 12-acre site  at 923 Lewis Street in Sulpuur to the West Calcasieu Events Center near Interstate 10.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sulphurdailynews.com/article/20141013/News/141019932|title=Cal-Cam Fair's move to new site a 'challenge'|publisher=''The Sulphur Daily News''|date=October 14, 2014|author=Heather Regan-White|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref>​

In 2008, a Lafargue grandson, Gerold J. LaFargue (with capital "F"), a former assistant attorney general of Louisiana, was named grand marshal of the parade.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sulphurdailynews.com/article/20081012/NEWS/310129997|title=LaFargue named Grand Marshal of Cal-Cam fair|publisher=''Sulphur Daily News''|date=October 12, 2008|author=Susan LaFargue Kyle|accessdate=February 13, 2015}}</ref> In 2014, the fair begun by Dr. Lafargue was moved from its 12-acre site  at 923 Lewis Street in Sulpuur to the West Calcasieu Events Center near Interstate 10.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sulphurdailynews.com/article/20141013/News/141019932|title=Cal-Cam Fair's move to new site a 'challenge'|publisher=''The Sulphur Daily News''|date=October 14, 2014|author=Heather Regan-White|accessdate=February 15, 2015; no longer on-line}}</ref>​

Lafargue developed the Businessmen's Club of Sulphur, which later became the West Calcasieu Association of Commerce. He won the Silver Beaver Award award from the [[Boy Scouts]]. He was a director of the [[Red Cross]]. He was president of the Gulf Beach Highway Association, which promoted the construction of U.S. Highway 27. He was vice-president of the Louisiana Division of the Old Spanish Trail Association, which lobbied for the extension of U.S. Highway 90 from the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] to the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] coasts.<ref name=lahist/><ref name=archives/>​

Lafargue developed the Businessmen's Club of Sulphur, which later became the West Calcasieu Association of Commerce. He won the Silver Beaver Award award from the [[Boy Scouts]]. He was a director of the [[Red Cross]]. He was president of the Gulf Beach Highway Association, which promoted the construction of U.S. Highway 27. He was vice-president of the Louisiana Division of the Old Spanish Trail Association, which lobbied for the extension of U.S. Highway 90 from the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] to the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] coasts.<ref name=lahist/><ref name=archives/>​