Joseph Anatole Bourgoyne

Marguerite, Lionel A. and Joseph Anatole Bourgoyne

Joseph Anatole Bourgoyne, the son of Jules Adolphe Bourgoyne and Victorine Fryoux, was born 19 March 1859 in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.  He was my husband's great-grandfather.  

He married Marguerite Tullier in 1880, West Baton Rouge Parish.  The family resided in Sardine Point settlement, see land tract #5 and #7 on residential illustration here.  They had five sons- Allen Peter, Henry Joseph, Edward Joseph, Lionel Arthur and Victor Joseph.

Joseph Anatole died 23 September 1945 in West Baton Rouge Parish.  His wife, Marguerite, preceded him in death on 20 November 1919.  At present, it is unclear where they are buried.

I have been able to trace Joseph Anatole Bourgoyne through several census records:

1870 West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana federal census, page 6

In 1870, the census reflects that Anatole was 12 years old, living at home with Victorine Bourgoyne (his mother).  He was the second son born to his parents.  Maxmillian, another brother, is shown on the next page of the census.  

1880 West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, 1st Ward, page 5

The 1880 census record indicates that Anatole was still at home with his mother, Victorine.  He was an adult by then, old enough to labor on the home farm.  He may have also been employed by the plantation owners in Sardine Point, working in the rice and sugar cane fields, or the dairy.  

1900 West Baton Rouge Parish, District 101, page 8

Since the 1890 census is unavailable, we have to fast forward twenty years, to 1900.  Joseph Anatole Bourgoyne was married by then, heading his own household with wife Marguerite.  The census reflects that Anatole and his wife had been married for 20 years and that Marguerite was the mother of seven children, five of whom were still living.  It also listed the month and year for each person's date of birth, a valuable piece of information (when correct).  Like most adult men in that era, Anatole was a planter, or farmer.  

1910 West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Police Jury Ward 1, ED 135, page 11A

By 1910, only two of Anatole and Marguerite's sons remained at home- Lionel and Victor.  The record shows that Anatole was retired by then- at age 52, really?  Since families depended on their farms for food, I'm sure he still did some farming on their own land.  I also take note that this record reveals that Marguerite was the mother of 5 children, all living (not 7 children as listed on the previous census).  Another difference is the number of years the couple had been married- this records states 28 years, but it should have been 30 years, if they actually married in 1880.  

1920 West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Police Jury Ward I, Enumeration District 149, page 6

By 1920, the census record shows that Anatole was widowed.  His son, Victor, and a granddaughter, Pansy, resided with him.  This record also listed Anatole's occupation as "on the river".  Victor worked on a "dredgeboat"- did Anatole work with him? 

1930 West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Ward 1, ED 61-2, page 2B

In 1930, Anatole was about 72 years old (the census shows his age as 73).  His son, Victor, remained in the household with him, but was married by then.  Victor's wife and son was shown in the household with Anatole.  

1940 West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Ward 1, Cut Off, ED 61-2, page 2B

After browsing through numerous online census records, I finally located the census for the Cut Off area.  The 1940 federal census is not yet indexed, which means I couldn't search the records based on a name.   On this record, Victor Bourgoyne, Anatole's son, was listed as head of household, even though they resided in the same house which had been headed by Anatole for numerous years.  Anatole was 81 years old then, and the record reflects that he had worked 40 hours as a farmer the previous week before the census was taken.  It also shows that Anatole had worked 52 weeks in 1939, probably on the home farm.  I assume from this information that Anatole remained active in his senior years.  

Since Anatole died in 1945, he won't be found on the 1950 census when it becomes available.  It has been interesting "following" him through the census records.  Anatole lived to the ripe old age of 86 years, and it appears though he remained active most of those years.  I would like to know where Anatole and his wife are buried.  Perhaps future research will provide an answer for me.