Damien Bourgeois (1831 - 1911)

Born 1 Mar 1831 in Grande-Digue, Dundas, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada

Ancestors

Husband of Marie Poirier — married 7 Nov 1859 in Grande Digue, Kent County, New Brunswick, Canada

Descendants

Died 16 Mar 1911 at age 80 in Grande-Digue, Dundas, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada

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Damien Bourgeois is a descendant of an Acadian

Biography

Damien Bourgeois was born on 1 March 1831 in Grande-Digue, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada. His parents were Joseph Bourgeois and Marguerite Legere.^[1][2][3]

The location of Damien's birth is important to his story. Following the expulsion of Acadians in 1755, a number of Acadians found refuge in Grande-Digue.^[4] Its out-of-the-way location allowed them to rebuild their lives away from British control. In fact, it wouldn't be until 1791 that the founding families of Grande-Digue received land grants^[5]. The community was still a bit of a backwater at the time of Damien's birth. The isolation allowed his family to avoid the Second Cholera Pandemic which was then sweeping the world.^[6]

Little is known about Damien's early life. He may have learned the basics of reading and mathematics from Gabriel Albert who was the Grande-Digue area schoolmaster at that time. Monsieur Albert along with Charles Dominique Auffray and Jean Leménager was among the early professional educators serving the Acadian community in New Brunswick.^[7][8] Damien would have studied his lessons in French and his parents would have paid tuition as government funded schools were just starting to be established.^[9]

As a young man Damien became a laborer. He married Marie Poirier the daughter of Simon Poirier and Henriette Arsenault on 7 November 1859 in Grande-Digue.^[10][11] Like many young couples, Damien and Henriette's early married years were spent living with Damien's parents until they could save up enough money to buy a farm of their own.^[12]

By the time of the 1871 Canada Census, Damien had become a farmer in the Parish of Dundas. He is listed in that Census as a "Cultivateur". He and Marie had four children living with them: Dina, Joseph, Henriette and Marie.^[13] Children Zelda, Philomene, Obeline, Apolinaire and Ferdinand would be born by the 1881 Census.^[14] In the 1891 census, Damien was living in Dundas with his wife Marie and children Hariett, Ezelda, Philaman, Obeline, Apollmare, and Hualie.^[15]

Damien passed away from heart disease on 16 March 1911 in Grande-Digue, Kent, New Brunswick.^[16] He is buried in Notre-Dame-de-la-Visitation Cemetery also in Grande-Digue.^[17][18]

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism: "Acadia, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1757-1946", Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Image; citing G > Grande-Digue > 1800-1889, Damien Bourgeois baptism on 12 Mar 1831.
2. ↑ Baptism (Transcription): Grande-Digue, Nouveau-Brunswick, Registre de la paroisse Notre-Dame-de-la-Visitation, catholique, Baptêmes et Mariages 1800-1875, Sépultures 1802-1875 ( F.M. 9, A 11, vol 6), Image #1245, baptism for Damien Bourgeois, 12 Mar 1831, digital images, Héritage, Genealogy collection, Library and Archives Canada, reel C-3016/C-3017, Parish Registers: New Brunswick : C-3016/C-3017, accessed 16 Aug 2023.
3. ↑ Damien Bourgeois born 1 March 1831, baptized 12 March 1831 - Source - La Visitation Catholic Church, Grande-Digue, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
4. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande-Digue,_New_Brunswick
5. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande-Digue,_New_Brunswick
6. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1826–1837_cholera_pandemic
7. ↑ https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Catholic_Encyclopedia,_volume_13.djvu/631
8. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/New_Brunswick_School_Records
9. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=3D0UAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA569&lpg=PA569&dq=catholic+church+schools+grande-digue+nb&source=bl&ots=dq6XD1-rW8&sig=ACfU3U0NDYXCsZq0j68nZ66o78nboAb5Pg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi89auR7c_nAhWGXM0KHTCPAt4Q6AEwAnoECAwQAQ#v=onepage&q=catholic%20church%20schools%20grande-digue%20nb&f=false
10. ↑ Marriage: "Acadia, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1757-1946", Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Image; citing G > Grande-Digue > 1800-1889, Damien Bourgeois and Marie Poirier marriage on 7 Nov 1859.
11. ↑ Marriage (Transcription): Grande-Digue, Nouveau-Brunswick, Registre de la paroisse Notre-Dame-de-la-Visitation, catholique, Baptêmes et Mariages 1800-1875, Sépultures 1802-1875 (F.M. 9, A 11, vol 6), Image #290, marriage for Damien Bourgeois and Marie Poirier, 7 Nov 1859, digital images, Héritage, Genealogy collection, Library and Archives Canada, reel C-3016/C-3017, Parish Registers: New Brunswick : C-3016/C-3017, accessed 11 Sep 2023.
12. ↑ http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1861/jpg/4108515_00085.jpg
13. ↑ Canada Census, 1871," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4M2-5KB : accessed 14 April 2015), Damien Bourgeois, Dundas, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada; citing p. 23, line 15; Library and Archives Canada film number C-10391, Public Archives, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 2,229,117.
14. ↑ Canada Census, 1881," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MV6X-7FZ : accessed 15 April 2015), Marie Bourgeois in household of Damien Bourgeois, Dundas, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada; citing p. 13; Library and Archives Canada film number C-13185, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 1,375,821.
15. ↑ 1891 Census: "Census of Canada, 1891", Library and Archives Canada (accessed 31 March 2024), Damian Bourgon (60) in Dundas, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada; citing Reference: RG31 - Statistics Canada, Page: 20-21, Family number: 91, Microfilm reel number: T-6300, Image number: 30953_148102-00215, Item ID number: 24232105.

    Bourgon, Damian, Male, 60, Head
    Bourgon, Marie, Female, 53, Épouse (Wife)
    Bourgon, Hariett, Female, 24, Fille (Daughter)
    Bourgon, Ezelda, Female, 20, Fille (Daughter)
    Bourgon, Philaman, Female, 18, Fille (Daughter)
    Bourgon, Obeline, Female, 15, Fille (Daughter)
    Bourgon, Apollmare, Male, 13, Fils (Son)
    Bourgon, Hualie, Female, 10, Fille (Daughter)
    

16. ↑ New Brunswick Death Index, 1911. Damien Bourgeois. Code C1f2, Page 27, Line 258, Microfilm F16254. Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/VISSE/141C1.aspx?culture=en-CA&guid=1efe5c20-f195-4254-874b-60b6182aab64
17. ↑ Damien Bourgeois died 16 March 1911, buried 18 March 1911 - Source - La Visitation Catholic Church, Grande-Digue, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
18. ↑ Canada Census, 1881," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MV6X-7FZ : accessed 15 April 2015), Marie Bourgeois in household of Damien Bourgeois, Dundas, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada; citing p. 13; Library and Archives Canada film number C-13185, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 1,375,821.

New Brunswick Provincial Marriages 1789-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-27495-6519-11?cc=1824707 : accessed 14 April 2015), 005420581 > image 801 of 1277; Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, Fredericton.

New Brunswick Provincial Marriages 1789-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-27493-9719-46?cc=1824707 : accessed 14 April 2015), 005420604 > image 484 of 1455; Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, Fredericton.

"Canada Census, 1891," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWK6-PGP : 13 November 2014), Damian Bourgon, Dundas, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada; Public Archives, Ottawa, Ontario; Library and Archives Canada film number 30953_148102.

New Brunswick Provincial Deaths, 1815-1938," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-159392-351053-53?cc=1840147 : accessed 14 April 2015), 004530181 > image 285 of 1433; Provincial Archives, Fredericton.

New Brunswick Provincial Marriages 1789-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-25579-13808-19?cc=1824707 : accessed 14 April 2015), 005193010 > image 96 of 1381; Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, Fredericton.

New Brunswick Provincial Marriages 1789-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-25579-25762-11?cc=1824707 : accessed 14 April 2015), 005193066 > image 413 of 1317; Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, Fredericton.

New Brunswick Provincial Deaths, 1815-1938," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-159392-106384-52?cc=1840147 : accessed 14 April 2015), 004529840 > image 536 of 714; Provincial Archives, Fredericton.