Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Henry Joseph Bourgoyne

My husband's paternal grandfather, Henry Joseph Bourgoyne, was born 09 June 1887 in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, the son of Joseph Anatole Bourgoyne and Marguerite Tullier.  

He is listed with his parents on the 1900 federal census in West Baton Rouge Parish. The family resided on Sardine Point, see land tracts #5 and #7 on residential illustrations here.  I have been unable to locate him on the 1910 census.  He was not listed in the household of his parents that year.  Where was he?  It is quite possible that his name was misspelled on census records and that may be the reason I've been unable to locate him.  

The next bit of information I have on Henry is the marriage date of him and Genevieve Lillie Smith, the daughter of Samuel M. Smith and Julia Ferbos, on 19 June 1912 in Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish.  Again, I have not located Henry Bourgoyne on the 1920 census.  I did have better luck with the 1930 census, which listed Henry and "Lilly" Bourgoyne along with 8 of their 9 children (their last child was born in 1931).

1930, District 7, Plaquemine, Iberville Parish, Louisiana:

This census record shows: 
Henry Bourgoyne, age 43; was 25 years old at first marriage, he and his parents were born in Louisiana; his occupation was a boat engineer.  His wife, Lilly, age 40; was 22 years old at first marriage, she and her parents were born in Louisiana.  Children listed- son Anatole, age 17, employed as a messenger boy at the Post Office; son Sullivan, age 15, employed as an operator at Western Union;  daughter Virgilie (Verlee),  age 12; daughter Rosa M, age 9; son Norris, age 7; son Claud (Claude), age 6; daughter Nora M, age 4; and daughter Ruse (Ruth), age 1year 2 mos.  (Another son, Joseph Henry, was born in 1931)

Henry and his family resided in the Cut Off settlement, near his parents.  See the residential illustration here, house #22.  

Lillie died  at the age of 41 years, on 04 January 1932.  Henry died 16 June 1957.  At present, I have no knowledge of where they are buried.  I have done an online search for their grave sites using various name spellings with no results.  The birth, marriage and death dates for Henry and Lillie remain unconfirmed at present.  

Henry Joseph Bourgoyne with daughters, 
Nora Mae and Margaret Ruth, c. 1933-34

Children of Henry Joseph Bourgoyne and Margueritte Tullier:
i.    Anatole Joseph Bourgoyne, 1913-1970, married Edine Marie Bueche
ii.   John Sullivan Bourgoyne, 1915-1973, married Louella Tullier
iii.  Verlee Marie Bourgoyne, 1917-1982, married Richard Joseph LeMay
iv.  Rosa Mae Bourgoyne, 1920-1969, married Leslie Mathias Comeaux
v.   Joseph Norris Bourgoyne, 1922-1990, married Georgia Mae Sanchez
vi.  John Claude Bourgoyne, 1924-1987, married Lena Mary Rockforte
vii. Nora Mae Bourgoyne, 1926-1994, married Alfred Dennis "Buddy" Songy
viii. Margaret Ruth Bourgoyne, 1929-    , married Abby Donald Morales
ix.  Joseph Henry "J.H." Bourgoyne, 1931-    , married (1) Barbara Murry (2) Marilyn Shavers


I would love to know more about this family.  My plan is to:
* Search the 1910, 1920 and 1940 census records for more information
* Order death certificates for Henry and his wife Lillie
* Attempt to locate the place where they are buried.  I hope to make a visit to the area soon.  Perhaps the library will have books on cemetery inscriptions and I might luck up and find them there.  If I'm successful with obtaining death certificates, maybe the burial information will be included on them.
* Obtain a copy of their application for marriage license.  I can do this at the courthouse in Port Allen when I make a visit there.  
* Attempt to find their obituaries- check old newspapers at the library there

Wish me luck!  I will post updates here as I find them.  


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