Marie Dugas (abt. 1747 - 1805)

Born about 1747 in Cobequit, Acadie, Colony of Nova Scotia

Ancestors

Wife of Prosper Honore Girouard — married 14 Feb 1764 in Saint-Coulomb, Bretagne, France

Descendants

Died 2 Nov 1805 at about age 58 in Assumption, Louisiana, New Spain

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Biography

Prosper Giroir is on the Wall of Names at the Acadian Memorial in St. Martinville, Louisiana, Plaque 7 Right. Listed with him are his spouse Marie Dugast and six of their children: Jean Baptiste, Francois, Pierre, Marie Paul, Anne and Jeanne.^[1]

Marie Dugas was the daughter of Acadians Paul Dugas and Anne Marie Boudrot. She was born about about 1747 in Cobeguit, Acadia,^[2]just a few years before le grand derangement.

Marie was very young when her family was deported to France. She is on the list of arrivals, age 12 in 1759 at St. Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine, France.^[3][4]

She was living at St. Coulomb, Ille-et-Vilaine, France in 1762, age 15. ^[3][4]

When she was around 18, Marie married Prosper Honore Francois GIROUARD on 14 February 1764 in St. Coulomb, Ille-et-Vilaine, France. Both of their fathers, some friends, and other relatives witnessed their wedding ceremony which included the nuptial benediction by the Rector G. L. Bourde.^[5][6][7]

After her marriage, she resided with her growing family in Saint-Coulomb, Bretagne from 1764-1770, then in Saint-Jouan-des-Guérets, Bretagne from 1770-1772, and finally in Saint-Buc near Pleurtuit where her son Francois was born in June 1773. Saint-Malo and the nearby communities of Saint-Coulomb, Saint-Jouan-des-Guérets, and Saint-Buc are in the historical region of Bretagne that later became the French départment of Ille-et-Vilaine.

Together Maire and Prosper would have 9 children. Six children, Marie Paule, Anne, Joseph Magloire, Jean Baptiste, Jeanne, and François, were born in the area of Saint-Malo, Bretagne (today Ille-et-Vilaine). One child, Marie, was born in Leigné-les-Bois, Poitou (today Vienne), France. Her two youngest, Joseph Magloire and Pierre, were born in Nantes, Bretagne (today Loire-Atlantique), France:

1. Marie Anne Paule GIROUARD (b. 1765 - d. 1810)
2. Anne Josephe GIROUARD (b. 1766 - d. 1831)
3. Joseph Magloire GIROUARD (b. 1768 - d.1772)
4. Jean Baptiste GIROUARD (b. 1769 - d. 1818)
5. Jeanne Eleonore GIROUARD (b. 1771 - d. 1800)
6. Francois Joseph GIROUARD (b. 1773 - d. 1836)
7. Marie GIROUARD (b. 1774 - d. 1774)
8. Joseph Magloire GIROUARD (II) (b. 1777 - d. 1783)
9. Pierre GIROUARD (b. 1778 - d. ?)

She is age 25 on the census of 1772 taken at St. Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine, France.^[3]

The coastal towns were overburdened with the penniless newcomers, and hundreds more arrived when England released her prisoners in 1763; there weren't enough jobs to go around. The family moved with many other Acadians to a new settlement near Châtellerault about 1773. After only a few years of crop failures, the settlement failed, and most Acadians moved to Nantes. Marie, with her husband, Prosper, and five children were in the second convoy leaving Châtellerault for Nantes on November 15, 1775.^[8]

Once established in Nantes, Marie and her family lived on Place Viarme on Rue des Hauts Pavés in the parish of Saint-Similien. Her two youngest sons, Joseph Magloire and Pierre, were both born and baptized there but one, Joseph Magloire, died young at the age of 6 years in 1783.

In September 1784, the Spanish king offered passage to Louisiana for settlers willing to swear allegiance to Spain. Prosper and his family were among them. Prosper and Marie, 3 sons and 3 daughters, are on the list from Nantes of "Acadians in France, September 1784," document in A.D.S. Legajo 2575, which shows the Acadian families who want to go to Louisiana to establish themselves at the expense of His [Spanish] Catholic Majesty.^[9]

Less than a year later, on 15 August 1785, Marie, her husband, and six of their children arrived from France aboard the ship La Bergère at the port of New Orleans in Spanish Louisiana to begin a new life. ^[10]Prosper Giroir is on the Wall of Names at the Acadian Memorial in St. Martinville, Louisiana, on Plaque 7 Right. Listed with him are his spouse, Marie Dugast and six of their children: Jean Baptiste, Francois, Pierre, Marie Paul, Anne, and Jeanne.^[11]

Most of the Girouards, who came to Louisiana from France in 1785, chose to go to upper Bayou Lafourche, as did Prosper and Marie. Marie is age 42 on the census dated 1 Jan 1788, taken of Lafourche, Louisiana. There are now five children in the household-daughter Anne having married Fabien Guillot in 1766.^[12]

Text: Prospere GIROIR, 50, 6 arpents, 50 quarts of corn, 4 horned cattle, 2 horses, 10 swine, total of 7 persons;

Marie DUGATS, his wife, 42;

Marie, his daughter, 23;

Jean, his son, 18;

Jannette, id, 16;

Francois, id, 14;

Pierre, id, 9.

In the census of January 1789 in Lafourche, Marie is listed as age 23 [sic], a recording or transcription error, as she would have been about 43. ^[13]

Text: Prosper GIROIRE, age 51, listed with his wife Mari Giroire DUGAT, age 23 [sic], and four children age 19 to 10. They have 6 arpents of land, 50 quarts of corn, 4 head cattle, 2 horses, and 12 hogs.:Prosper GIROIRE, age 51, listed with his wife Mari Giroire DUGAT, age 23 [sic], and four children age 19 to 10. They have 6 arpents of land, 50 quarts of corn, 4 head cattle, 2 horses, and 12 hogs.

A direct quote from Steven A. Cormier's Acadians in Gray website, regarding Marie, Prosper and their family:

"Prosper-Honoré Giroir, age 41, crossed on La Bergère, the second of the Seven Ships, which reached New Orleans in August. With him was wife Marie Dugas, age 39, and six children--Marie-Paule, age 20, Anne-Josèphe, age 18, Jean-Baptiste, age 15, Jeanne-Eléonore, age 13, François, age 11, and Pierre, age 7. Prosper and Marie had no more children in Louisiana. Their daughters married into the Blanchard, Guillot, and Landry families and settled on the upper bayou. All of the Giroir family lines east of the Atchafalaya Basin spring from two of Prosper's sons, Jean-Baptiste and François, who settled on the upper bayou and raised large families. Daughter Jeanne-Eléonore died at Assumption in June 1800; she was only 28 years old. Marie Paule died in Assumption Parish in August 1810, age 45. Anne Josèphe died in Assumption Parish in March 1831; the Plattenville priest who recorded her burial said that she was age 60 when she died, but she was 64." ^[14]

Marie died on November 2, 1805, in Assumption Parish, Orleans Territory (today Louisiana), and was buried the next day at Plattenville. ^[15]

Sources

1. ↑ The Wall of Names at the Acadian Memorial, compiled by Jane G. Bulliard and the Wall of Names Committee (Opelousas, LA: Bodemuller, 2015) p. 31.
2. ↑ Acadiens en France; Nantes et Paimboeuf, 1775-1785 - Gérard-Marc Braud - Nantes, France: Ouest Éditions, 1999 - A genealogical approach. - pp. 109 & 125 - Born around 1747.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Karen Theriot Reader, Geneanet.org, updated: March 2021; Accessed April 2021; citing "Dictionnaire Généalogique des Familles Acadiennes 1714 à 1780", Moncton, NB : Centre d’Etudes Acadiennes, draft version.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Albert J. Robichaux, Jr., Acadians in Exile in Saint Malo 1758-1785, Vol. 1, Eunice, Louisiana: Hebert Publications, 1981, pp. 302-303 and 361-363, family #367

   "Paul Dugast, Marguerite-Marie Boudrot, his first wife and their children: Simon, Paul, Marguerite, Marie and Elizabeth Dugast disembarked at St. Malo on January 23, 1759 from one of the 'Five ships.'"

5. ↑ Archives en ligne Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et état civil, Saint-Coulomb, 1764, Baptêmes/Mariages, COMMUNE, image 3 of 23 Commune marriage record
6. ↑ Archives en ligne Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et état civil, Saint-Coulomb, 1764, Baptêmes/Mariages, GREFFE, image 3 of 12 Greffe marriage record
7. ↑ Albert J. Robichaux, Jr., Acadians in Exile in Saint Malo 1758-1785, Volume 3, Acadian Marriages, Eunice, Louisiana: Hebert Publications, 1981, p. 935

   Summary of text: Prosper GIROUARD, son of Honoré & Marie Josephe TERIOT, native of Acadie and resident of the parish of Pleslin, diocese of St. Malo. Married on 14 Feb 1764 to Marie DUGAS, daughter of Paul & deceased Marie BOUDEROT, also native of Acadie and resident of this parish. Witnesses: Paul DUGAS, father of bride; Honore GIROUARD, father of groom; Jean Baptiste HEBERT and Jaques DOUARON, both relatives, who have said not knowing how to sign and several others and have signed.

8. ↑ Albert J. Robichaux, Jr., Acadian Exiles in Chatellerault, 1773-1785, Hebert Publications, 1983; p. 45, family #83

   "Prosper Giroir, Marie Dugas, his wife and five children: Jean, Francois, Marie, Anne and Jeanne were in the Second Convoy leaving Châtellerault for Nantes on November 15, 1775."

9. ↑ "Some Late Eighteenth-Century Louisianians"; Census Records of the Colony 1758-1796; Jacqueline K. Voorhies; Lafayette, LA: University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1973; p. 509

   On list of "Acadians in France, September 1784," document in A.D.S. Legajo 2575, which shows the Acadian families who want to go to Louisiana to establish themselves at the expense of His [Spanish] Catholic Majesty.

   Prosper GIROIR, with wife Marie DUGAS, 3 sons, 3 daughters, for a total of 8 in family.
10. ↑ Donald J. Hébert, Acadian Families in Exile, 1785 & Exiled Acadians, an Index (Rayne, LA: Hébert Publications, 1995) pp. 26-27.

    "Prosper GIROIRE, day laborer age 41, traveling with his wife Marie DUGAT and their six children as the 64th family (of 8 persons) aboard "La Bergère." "[15 Aug 1785 New Orleans, Orleans, LA]

11. ↑ The Wall of Names at the Acadian Memorial, Wall of Names Committee, Jane G. Bulliard, Chair, eds. (Opelousas, LA: Bodemuller, 2015) p. 31
12. ↑ "Colonial Settlers along Bayou Lafourche, 1770-1798"; Robichaux, Albert - Harvey, LA: 1974. 2nd printing Hébert Publications, 1980; Louisiana census records; p. 26.
13. ↑ Karen Theriot Reader, genenet.org citing: "Louisiana Census and Militia Lists", vol. I; Robichaux, Jr., Albert J.; Polyanthos, 1977; 1770-1789, German Coast, New Orleans, Below New Orleans and Lafourche. The census dated here 1 Jan 1789 appears to have been taken at least as early as 1 Jan 1788. It is from: Papeles Procedentes de Cuba, Legajo 202; p. 122
14. ↑ Acadians in Gray website, by Steven A. Cormier, downloaded 6 May 2022, link to Girouard page
15. ↑ Catholic Church Records, vol. 3, 1804-1819 - Diocese of Baton Rouge - Baton Rouge, Diocese, 1982 - p. 290

    Maria DUGAS, age 63 years [sic], widow of Prospero GIROIRD, buried 3 Nov 1805 at Assumption Catholic Church, Plattenville, LA (ASM-3, 48).