9. The DeSaussure Family (South Carolina)
The DeSaussure family, once prominent in Charleston, South Carolina, experienced significant financial decline following the Civil War. Many plantation assets were lost, compelling descendants to seek new livelihoods. Some became lawyers, such as Wilmot Gibbes DeSaussure, who served in the South Carolina House of Representatives and as a Confederate officer. Others pursued careers in banking and education, adapting to the post-war economic landscape.
