BOURGEOIS, George M., St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana

Submitted for the LA GenWeb Archives by Mike Miller, Oct 1999


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Bourgeois, George M., whose home is at Garyville, was born in St. John the
Baptist parish March 28, 1855, and is a son of Thomas and Mary (Picou)
Bourgeois, the former of whom was born in St. James parish and the mother
in the same parish as was the son.  The paternal grandfather, Thomas D.
Bourgeois, and his wife, Miss Matherne, also were natives of St. James.
The maternal grandparents died when their daughter, Mary, was in infancy.
The ancestors of both the Bourgeois and Picou families in this state came
originally from France.  Thomas Bourgeois has followed the vocation of a
planter from the time of his boyhood.  He has attained the age of 83 years,
and now lives in retirement at Mount Airy, leasing his lands for
cultivation under the direction of others.  Nine children were born to his
marriage, as follow:  Georgina, who married Eugene Tanguis, of St. John the
Baptist parish, is now deceased, leaving 2 children;  George M.., the
second child, is the subject of this sketch;  Julia, who married Adam
Templaint, of St. John the Baptist parish, is now deceased, leaving 5
children;  Price F., a successful merchant of St. James parish, is now
living in retirement at Mount Airy;  Henry died at the age of 12 years;
Joseph, who married Florestine Bourgeois, is farming in St. James and has 7
children;  Louis P., who married Clamence Lasseigne, is a successful
merchant, planter, and prominent citizen of Gramercy, La., and is more
particularly referred to elsewhere in this work;  Sidney, a successful
business man of New Orleans, married Miss Simore, and they have 2 children.
 The ninth child was accidentally poisoned about the age of 6 years.
George M. Bourgeois received his early education at a private school in the
vicinity of his birthplace.  Later, he entered Jefferson college, St. James
parish, where he graduated with the degree of A. B. in the class of 1878.
At the age of 24 years he began commercial life as clerk in a mercantile
house of St. John the Baptist parish hut after an experience of 6 months in
this business he formed a partnership with his sister, Mrs. Tanguis, and
established a general merchandise business under his own name.  This
business prospered, and was continued under the original arrangement about
15 years, when the partnership was dissolved, since which time Mr.
Bourgeois has conducted a large and successful mercantile business on his
own account.  The partnership business was first established at Mount Airy.
 The present store at Garyville was established in 1907.  Mr. Bourgeois
also owns valuable real estate at both Mount Airy and Garyville.  He
affiliates with the democratic party, and has served his neighbors in
various official capacities, occupying the office of justice of the peace
about 12 years, and being a member of the police jury of the parish about
the same length of time, and now occupying the latter position.  He is a
member of the Catholic church, and of the Imperial Order of Red Men.  In
the year 1881 George M. Bourgeois was married to Louie Tregre, daughter of
Alcide Tregre, whose wife's maiden name was Triche, of St. John the Baptist
parish.  Mrs. Bourgeois died in 1885, leaving no children.  Oct. 20, 1896,
Mr. Bourgeois was married to Pulcherie C. Chenet. Daughter of Eugene and
Myrthe (Poche) Chenet, of St. John the Baptist parish, and 6 children have
been born to this union as follow:  Elmore George, now attending Chenet
institute, New Orleans;  Georgette, who died in infancy; Ethel L.,
attending public school at Garyville;  D'Acquin H.,  Leonie N. and  Marie
Antoinette.  The last-named died at the age of 2 years.  Mr. Bourgeois is a
man of sterling qualities of character, and few men are blessed with a
larger measure of the esteem of the people among whom they have labored
from early youth to middle life.

Source:  Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events,
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, volume 3, pp.
710-711.  Edited by Alce Fortier, Lit. D.  Published in 1914, by Century
Historical Association.

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