▁climate ▁of ▁New ▁Orleans . ▁Much ▁later ▁she ▁mar ries ▁wid ower ▁Sh eld on ▁Edwards . ▁▁ ▁† R od ney ▁Stevens ▁– ▁The ▁son ▁of ▁Jess am ine ▁Stevens ; ▁possibly ▁father ed ▁by ▁John ▁Gordon . ▁ ▁Rod ney ▁becomes ▁a ▁doctor ▁in ▁Way nes bor o ▁and ▁mar ries ▁Lav in ia ▁Gard iner . ▁ ▁† Th er esa ▁Stevens ▁– ▁The ▁daughter ▁of ▁Rod ney ▁and ▁Lav in ia ▁Stevens , ▁she ▁writes ▁a ▁historical ▁novel ▁based ▁on ▁Captain ▁Bod ien ' s ▁life . ▁ ▁R aus ch / E v ans ▁family ▁ ▁Sarah ▁" S ally " ▁C och ran ▁R aus ch ▁– ▁Anne ' s ▁best ▁friend ▁and ▁class mate , ▁she ▁is ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁bank ▁president ▁and ▁wants ▁to ▁establish ▁herself ▁in ▁the ▁society ▁of ▁Way nes bor o . ▁She ▁is ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Club ▁and ▁eventually ▁serves ▁for ▁many ▁years ▁as ▁Club ▁president . ▁She ▁mar ries ▁Ludwig ▁R aus ch , ▁who ▁becomes ▁a ▁successful ▁local ▁industrial ist , ▁providing ▁S ally ▁with ▁the ▁money ▁and ▁l ifest yle ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁prominent ▁local ▁host ess . ▁▁ ▁Ludwig ▁R aus ch ▁– ▁Born ▁in ▁Germany , ▁he ▁later ▁em igr ated ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Civil ▁War ▁with ▁John ▁Gordon . ▁He ▁successfully ▁builds ▁a ▁small ▁local ▁ro pe - making ▁company ▁into ▁a ▁large ▁factory ▁called ▁the ▁" R aus ch ▁Cord age ▁Company ". ▁He