Felix Gilles Louis Bernard (1762 - abt. 1843)

Born 24 May 1762 in Saint-Brieuc, Côtes-du-Nord, Bretagne, France

Ancestors

Husband of Marie Victoire Bourg — married 23 Jan 1787 in Pointe Coupee, Louisiana

Descendants

Died about 29 Aug 1843 at about age 81 in West Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

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Biography

Felix Gilles Louis Bernard was born on 24 May 1762, and baptized the same day at Paroisse de Saint-Michel à Saint-Brieuc, in the Bretagne region of France. According to his baptism record, his parents were Louis Gilles Bernard, Sieur du Montier, and Dame Perine Joseph Cornen, Lady du Montier.^[1]

According to his marriage document, he was Felix BERNARD of St. Briane, son of Louis & Perine CORNENE. ^[2]

He died in August 1843, and was buried in West Baton Rouge Parish.^[3]

Félix-Gilles-Louis, called Louis, son of French nobleman Louis-Gilles Bernard du Montier and Pérrine-Josèphe Cornen de Restiqouat of St.-Brieuc, Brittany, France, came to America in the early 1780s as a French naval midshipman. He served in the Yorktown Campaign in Virginia during the American Revolution. After the war, Louis returned to France and fell in love with an Acadian girl at St.-Malo. According to family tradition, Louis's father refused to sanction his son's marriage to a lowly Acadian. Louis persisted in his ardor, however, and when her family chose to emigrate to Louisiana in 1785, Louis became a crewman on La Ville d'Archangel, the ship his beloved took from St.-Malo to New Orleans. Louis followed the majority of the passengers from his ship to the new Acadian community of Bayou des Écores, north of Baton Rouge, where he married Marie-Victoire, called Victoire, daughter of Acadian Ambroise Bourg, in January 1787. After a series of hurricanes smashed the Bayou des Écores settlement in the early 1790s, Louis and Victoire joined the exodus out of the community and moved downriver to Baton Rouge, where they raised a large family. Their daughters married into the Devall and Molaison families. Félix-Gilles-Louis died at the residence of a son-in-law, Major James Devall, in West Baton Rouge Parish in August 1843; he was 81 years old. Two of his sons and several of his grandchildren also married Acadians. Probate #161, "Successon of Marie Victorie Bourg," filed Feb. 20, 1833, West Baton Rouge Courthouse:

Petition of Felix Bernard, wife died Aug. 18, 1827, community property consisting of a sugar plantation, dwelling house, kitchen, pigeon house, sugar house, sugar mill, purgary, Negro cabins.

A plantation, 4 arpents front, River, 40 arpents in depth, bounded by Widow Louis Bernard and Onisphore Bernard, value $3,000.

Negro man Dick, age 35 $700 Victorie, a wench, 3 children $1000 (children Delinie, Registe, Rose) Charlotte, wench, age 22 $1000 2 children, Victorine and Perrin Euphrosine, a Mulato $1000 wench, age 25, 3 children, Eloise, Theophile, and Aline Victor, age 55 $250 Sally, wench, age 55 $250 Marie, wench, age 55 $250 Richard, age 13 $400

4 horses, $100; 4 mares, $40; 2 young horses in the woods, $20; 10 cows, $120; flock of sheep, $60; pair oxen, $25; pair oxen, $25; 10 cattle, $40; 14 spoons and forks in silver, a soupe spoon, $71; falling leaf table, $8; a canape $6; 12 chairs $10; china ware $8; dog-irons $6; a gold watch $10; bed with furniture $40; 2 ploughs, $6; etc. etc.; 2 harrows $6; ox cart, crop cut saw, hand saw, crop of corn, 200 barrels $75; crop of cotton $268. total all above $9571.00 Money Owed: Dr. Doupan, $50; Aug. LeBlanc $341.58; Maurin $550; State Bank $300; St. Bank $300; Laurant $1641; State Bank $650; Aug. LeBlanc (priest) $30; to the ferry $10; court fees, etc. total $4323.58

Plantation sold to Joseph Alex. Landry for $5,005; James Devalle bought Negro Dick for $910; Charlotte to Onisphore Bernard, $865; Victorine to J. Develle $600; Victor to Antoine Dupuy $215; Marie to Felix Bernard $421, the "Brand" to Felix Bernard; 12 silver spoons to Felix Bernard $101; etc. etc. total sales $11,290.684/4

Issue of marriage: Celeste Molaison, wife of Jacque Molaison; Onesiphore, Agricole, Felix Bernard Jr., Emelie Devalle wife of James Devalle, Louis (desceased) his children Louis, Balthazar, Theodule, Gilbert.

Felix left St-Malo, France on 12-Aug-1785 as an officer on the ship "Ville D'Archangel", engaged by the Spanish government to transport expatriated Acadian families to Louisiana. On 11-Oct-1785, the ship was at Havana, Cuba. They disembarked again on 18-Oct-1785 from Cuba and made their way to Louisiana. When they arrived at Balize, an outpost of the Mississippi River, on 4-Nov-1785, they ran aground and didn't made it to New Orleans until 3-Dec-1785. Among the passengers were Marie-Victoire Bourque and her parents Ambroise Bourque and Marie-Modeste Molaison. Felix later married Marie-Victorie and remained in Louisiana (near Baton Rouge), never returning to France.

Felix is considered a Revolutionary War veteran as he was an ensign on one of the battleships of the French off of Virginia when Gen. Washington and Gen. Lafayette defeated the British at Yorktown. He served as a 1st Lieutenant in the Spanish Mixed Roal Militia, La. Provincial Legion, 1774. He represented Iberville, being appointed by Gov. Claiborne in the first Louisiana Territorial Legislature, December 1804.

1810 Census of Baton Rouge, pg. 125, lists "Felix B. Dumantier" 02001-2110109 Males: 2:<10 - Agricole, Lindor Felix 1:45> - Felix Females: 2:<10 - ?, ? 1:10-15 - Emelie 1:16-25 - ? 1:>45 - Marie Slaves: 9

Celeste was married in 1807. Robert Louis and Onesiphore are not living at home.

From the Baton Rouge Gazette, September 2, 1843:

"DIED -- On the 29th of August, at the residence of his son-in-law, Major James DeVall in West Baton Rouge, Felix Bernard, Esquire, a native of Nantz, France, aged 81. The deceased was a midshipman in the French Navy during the American Revolution, and as such assisted at the closing scenes of that great drama, the capture of Yorktown. He has left descendants numerous and respectable. By the kindness of Colonel Whistler and the officers of the 4th regiment stationed at this place, his remains were committed to mother earth with the honors due to one who has served at the time and in some of the same scenes with Washington and Lafayette."

Research

Children's profiles connected to different parent are linked below.

1. Louis Robert Bernard: bn. 14 Mar 1789 in Pointe Coupee, LA; bt. 1 Jun 1789 in Pointe Coupee, Pointe Coupee, LA
2. Celeste Reine Bernard: bt. 24 May 1792 in Pointe Coupee, Pointe Coupee, LA
3. Onesiphore Bernard: bn. 30 Mar 1795 in West Baton Rouge, LA; bt. 3 May 1795 in Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, LA
4. Emilie Louise Bernard: bn. 18 Apr 1799 in East Baton Rouge, LA; bt. 22 May 1801 in Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, LA
5. Agricole Bernard duMontier: bn. 29 Mar 1801 in West Baton Rouge, LA; bt. 22 May 1801 in Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, LA
6. Angelo Bernard: bn. Sep 1803 in East Baton Rouge, LA
7. Lindor Felix Bernard: bn. 5 Aug 1805 in East Baton Rouge, LA; bt. 23 Jan 1806 in Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, LA

Other websites/genealogy pages

• KTR RootsWeb Profile of Felix Gilles Bernard

• Descendants of Félix-Gilles-Louis BERNARD du MONTIER (c1762-1843)

• Acadians in Gray: Bernard

Sources

1. ↑ France, Bretagne Region, Côtes d'Armor Departmental Archives, Parish and Civil Registry, Saint Brieuc / Saint Michel, Lot 33, 1761-1763, image 170 of 432; Felix Gilles Louis Bernard, baptism, 24 May 1762
2. ↑ Title: Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Church Records; Author: Catholic Church; Vol 2, 1770-1803; Contains Baptismal, marriage and burial entries taken from some 46 registers housed in the Archives of the Diocese of Baton Rouge; pp. 83 & 126

   Text: Felix BERNARD of St. Briane, son of Louis & Perine CORNENE, married on 23 Jan 1787 to Marie Victoire BOURG, daughter of Ambroise & Modeste MOLESON. Witnesses: Charles EMOND; Nicolas LAVERGNE; Francois Xavier BOURG; Jacques BANCHAR [sic]. Recorded in St. Francis Church, Pointe Coupee, LA (PCP-19, 7).

3. ↑ Title: Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Church Records; Author: Catholic Church; Vol 6, 1840-1847; Contains Baptismal, marriage and burial entries taken from some 46 registers housed in the Archives of the Diocese of Baton Rouge; p. 61

   Text: Felix BERNARD, age 82 or 84 years, buried 29 Aug 1843 in West Baton Rouge parish (SJO-11, 62).