BOURGEOIS, George M., St. James the Baptist Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller


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 Alcée Fortier, Lit. D.  Published in 1914, by Century Historical
Association.

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