DEBORAH CORRAO / L’Observateur / July 14, 1999

VACHERIE – The Grand Reunion of the Bourgeois Family, in conjunction with the Congres Mondial Acadien (World Acadian Congress) is set July 30-31 at Laura Plantation on River Road in Vacherie.

This is the first scheduled event of the two-week-long Congres Mondial Acadien.

An opening reception and banquet for the Bourgeois Family attendees begins July 30. Doors open at 1 p.m. and the program is set from 4 to 9p.m., including presentations, tableaux of family history, introduction ofCanadian cousins, photo exhibit, Cajun supper, military memorial and fanfare and more.

Tickets are $18 for adults and $8 for children, with children under age 6 admitted free. Cost at the gate is $20 for adults and $10 for children.Reservations are required.

Reunion activities continue on July 31, with mass at St. Michael’s Churchin Convent at 7:30 a.m., along with a cemetery visit and wreath-laying.Dedication of a Bourgeois Historical Marker is set in Paulina at 9:15 a.m.At Laura Plantation, starting at 10 a.m., a continental breakfast is to befollowed by live musical entertainment, tours, genealogy gatherings, children’s games, storytelling, luncheon, living history presentations and more, concluding at 6 p.m.Again, tickets are $18 for adults and $8 for children, with children under age 6 admitted free. Cost at the gate is $20 for adults and $10 forchildren. Reservations are required.The originator of the Louisiana Bourgeois family was Jacques Bourgeois, who immigrated from Coutrans, France in 1642. He married Jeanne Trahan,and they later had 10 children. Four generations later, in 1755, the familywas evicted from Nova Scotia in 1755.

Two groups of Jacques Bourgeois’ great-grandchildren arrived in New Orleans, that of Pierre Bourgeois and Paul Bourgeois. After a nine-monthwait, they were given land grants in St. James Parish.Both families set up extensive farming homesteads in the Convent/Paulina area. Pierre’s children who came to Louisiana were Jean-Baptiste, Michel,Jean, Marie, Rosalie Richard and Anna Marie Poirrier. Their descendantslive mostly in St. James and Lafourche parishes.Paul’s children included Marie-Josephe Daroy, Paul Jr., Joseph, Michel andPierre. Their descendants now live mostly in the Lafourche Parish andLafayette areas.

The men soon were enlisted in the St. James Militia, fighting the Britishin the Galvez Campaigns at Baton Rouge, Mobile, Ala., and Pensacola, Fla.Their descendants are expected to attend the Grand Reunion at Laura Plantation. For more information, phone Norman Marmillion at 1-225-265-7690.

Following the reunion, a public event is scheduled on July 31 at Laura, from 7 to 11 p.m. – an Acadian Farandole.Marmillion explained that this is a dance in circles around the entire house, to the music of the Tout les Soir band. Also, a Cajun dinner, Cajundance lessons and “les Bourgeois” wine, plus CMA souvenirs, are planned.

Cost is $15 per person.

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