Person:David Bourie (1)

Acknowledgements

This researcher would like to acknowledge the great contributions of two of Dr. Bourie’s Great-Great Grandchildren, the late James A. Biddle and Ann Hoff. Over the years our research has been shared and augmented by each other, in a mutual goal of learning more about the Bourie Family. A great deal of what is presented here is due to their diligent research.

David Proctor Bourie

David Bourie, son of Mary Francoise Meloche and Louis B. Bourie, was born in 1811 in the Detroit area which would become the State of Michigan in 1837. In 1811, our county’s fourth president, James Madison was in office and the US was busy with a war with the Indians (Native Americans) at the Battle of Tippecanoe in the nearby Indiana Territory which would become a State in 1816. Detroit and upper Indiana would be the home of the Bourie family for the next century.

June 6, 1860

David Bourie and family are enumerated in the June 6, 1860 US Census of Perry Township, Ligonier P.O., Noble County, Indiana. David is recorded as a 49 year old Farmer, born in Michigan with $400 of real estate and $700 of personal property, Teresia, his wife, is 39 years old and born in Ohio. Their son, John Bourie, is recorded as a 20 year old muskrat trapper. Other children recorded are: Hester age 18, Amarata age 16, Desdamona age 15, Adelisa age 13, William age 11, Alexander age 8, Wesley age 6, Ruth age 5, David age 4 and Harriet Bourie age 2. All were born in Indiana. Those age 6 through 13 and 16 year old Hester are recorded as having attended school with in the year.

Later that year Abraham Lincoln would be elected and the nation would be torn by Civil War before we find David in the next US Census.

June 3, 1870

David Bourie and family are enumerated in the June 3, 1870 US Census of Perry Township, Ligonier P.O., Noble County, Indiana. David is recorded as a 56 year old Farmer, born in Michigan with $2000 of real estate and $720 of personal property. Teressa, his wife who was born in Ohio, is 50 years old and keeping house. Their son William, age 21 and working as a farm hand is recorded with $100 of personal property. Their daughter Della, age 9 and born in Indiana is also recorded. David and Teressa’s 31 year old son John B. Bourie and his wife, Eliza J. (Shields) age 29 are also included in the household with their 4 month old son, Lewis B. Bourie. Lewis is recorded as having been born in Michigan and his parents born in Indiana and Ohio respectively. John B. is recorded as having $350 in personal property.

June 3, 1880

David and Terressa Bourie are enumerated in the June 3, 1880 US Census of Ligonier, Noble County Indiana. David, age 67 born in Michigan, is recorded as a Physician. Terissa(sic), age 69 born in Ohio, is keeping house. Their daughter Della, age 19 born in Indiana, is living in the house. The indicated places of birth for father and mother are: David, Canada and Michigan, and Teressa, Pennsylvania for both.

David Proctor Bourie and brother John Baptist Bourie, Sr.

David Bourie and his brother John B. Bourie moved from their family home is what is now Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan to the Fort Wayne, Indiana area in the 1830’s. Their early visits were as trappers in the French Canadian tradition. They seem to have made friends with the local Native American tribes, learned their languages and medicine. John Baptist Bourie may have been a half brother with a Pottawatomie tribe mother. John B. Bourie is a signatory of several Treaties with the US Government in the settlement of Indian lands. David P. Bourie and others in the family are often mentioned in these treaties as well.

On February 10, 1835, John Baptist Bourie and David Proctor Bourie, of Allen County, Indiana, purchased Forty acres of public land from the US Government. The location is given as “The South East Quarter of the North West Quarter of Section Thirty, Township Thirty Five, North of Range Nine East, in the district of Lands subject to sale at Fort Wayne, Indiana, containing Forty acres.” The certificate, Number 2922, was signed by President Andrew Jackson. The ownership is stated to be held as tenants in common and not as joint tenants. Further investigation will be required to see if this has an interesting meaning.

Again on March 20, 1835, John B. Bourie and David P. Bourie, of Allen County, Indiana, purchased Sixty Four acres of public land from the US Government. The location is given as the “West half of the South West Quarter of Section Thirty, in the Township Thirty Five, North of Range Nine East, in the district of Lands subject to sale at Fort Wayne, Indiana, containing Sixty Four Acres and Twenty Nine hundredths of an Acre.” The certificate, Number 7757, was signed by President Martin Van Buren. The ownership is stated to be held “as tenants in common and not as joint tenants”.

And again on August 1, 1837, John B. Bourie and David P. Bourie, of Allen County, Indiana, purchased Eighty Acres of public land from the US Government. The location is given as the “East half of the South West Quarter of Section Thirty, in the Township Thirty Five, North of Range Nine East, in the district of Lands subject to sale at Fort Wayne, Indiana, containing Eighty Acres.” The certificate, Number 9195, was signed by President Martin Van Buren. The ownership is stated to be held “as tenant’s in common and not as joint tenants”. So this parcel is contiguous to the other two mentioned above. Just to the south of the first parcel and to the East of the second parcel for a total of 184+ Acres

Early History of Dr. Bourie in Elkhart Township, Indiana

Courtesy of the nice folks who run the Noble County webpage and direction to it by Dr. Bourie's Great Great granddaughter, Ann Hoff:

Pages 221-223 - History of Elkhart Township:

   "There is some conflict of opinion as to who was the first settler in Elkhart Township  It is quite certain that Samuel Tibbot built his dwelling there as early as 1832, and it is equally certain that the Knights and a Mr. Austin and David P Bourie were in about the same time.  Isaac Tibbot did not reside permanently in the township until 1834.  It is certain that Mr. Austin built his log cabin near the bank of Elkhart River, in the southwestern part, during the year 1832, and immediately thereafter, Mr. Bourie erected a rude log storeroom within a few yard of the Austin mansion (?), and began selling from a stock of goods valued at about $1,000 at first, but subsequently (within three years) increased, until worth $4,000.  Mr. Bourie owned the land and gave Mr. Austin permission to build and reside there, as the former, being then single, wanted a place to board.  Mr. Bourie did not enter his land at first (1831) but postponed that event until almost too late.  In 1832, after his store was established, two men appeared and examined the premises, arousing a suspicion in Bourie's breast that all was not right.  He suspected that the men intended to proceed to Fort Wayne and enter his land, as, after they had examined the premises, they started in the direction of the land office.  Mr. Bourie immediately assumed the garb of an Indian, with blanket and feathers and tomahawk and war paint, and mounting his pony, as a true Indian should, he started, hoping to pass the men before they reached Fort Wayne, trusting that his disguise would prevent them from recognizing that he was the owner of the premises, from who they had just parted.  He met several of his old acquaintances along the road, none of whom recognized him. He met McIntire Seymour and John Hall in Noble Township, to whom he revealed himself, much to their astonishment.  On he went, like the wind, whooping and swinging his tomahawk and reeling on his pony like a drunken Indian.  He came up in this manner with the two men, both of whom thought him to be what he pretended - a drunken Indian.  He reached Fort Wayne long before they did, entered his land and had the pleasure of seeing the land hunters discomfited when they discovered that they had been outwitted.

In 1832, Andrew Jackson was serving as our seventh President. The Indian Removal Act had been passed by Congress which was to give authority to remove all Eastern Indians (those Native Americans east of the Mississippi River) to lands west of the Mississippi. Dr. Bourie’s trading post was set to supply the local Indians still in the area and the flood of new settlers who would be flooding into the newly opened State of Indiana. Visit the WeRelate webpage of David’s brother, John Baptist Bourie, Sr., and note the US Treaties with the Miami and Potawatamie Tribes which John participated in which slowly moved the tribes West in a step by step series as the settlers moved West behind them.

A Purchase for David P. Bourie's Outpost in 1833

The following is a portion of one of the bills of goods bought by Mr. Bourie in 1833: Fort Wayne, August 15, 1833

Bought of Merriam & Bourie:

4 pair calf-skin boots, fine @ 28 shillings..............$14.00

8 pair thick boots, @ 19 shillings...........................19.00

3 pair calf-skin shoes @ 12 shillings....................... 4.50

4 pair calf-skin shoes @ 10 shillings....................... 5.00

5 morocco pumps @ 9 shillings.............................. 5.63

4 seal-skin pumps @ 9 shillings............................. 4.50

6 Prunell boots @ 12 shillings................................ 9.00

7 pair thick shoes @ 8 shillings.............................. 7.00

8 fine hats @ 32 shillings......................................12.00

1 piece white list blue cloth, 19 3/4 yards................27.50

1 piece yellow list blue cloth, 24 yards....................66.69

1 piece scarlet list blue cloth, 18 yards....................22.75

1 piece super-blue list cloth, 6 yards.......................31.50

8 pieces fancy calico, 84 yards...............................24.36

8 pieces Merrimac calico, 160 yards........................27.20

Etc., Etc., Etc., Etc.

   And so the bill continued until nearly $800 was reached, all sorts of goods being purchased at enormous prices.  To the amount of one of Mr. Bourie's bills, the merchants of Fort Wayne added 25 per cent for transportation.  The greater portion of these goods went to the Indians, who were inordinately proud of display, and clothed themselves, at whatever cost, in the gaudiest and most costly apparel.  The three silk hats mentioned above (Unfortunately, Goodspeed stopped copying the list at the calico) were sold to chiefs, who, when they had on a breech-clout, a blanket of fancy colors, and one of those hats, were enrobed in the height of Indian fashion, and would strut before the dusky maidens of their acquaintance like turkey-cocks before Christmas.  After the Indians had had their selection from these goods, the white settlers took the remainder.  Bourie's brother was one in the partnership from who he bought.  Bourie failed in business in 1835, and then went to Good Hope, in northern Sparta Township, where he opened a small grocery with one of the Knights as a partner; but the latter fleeced him in a short time of all he had, and he has been a comparatively poor man since.

A Dog's Tale

   Mr. (David P.) Bourie had a favorite dog that had been trained to do almost anything.  It would bring the cows from the woods, go across the river and bring back a canoe, and carry articles here and there.  It was so trained that, if anything was taken from the store, the animal would soon discover it, and would trace by its keen scent the spot where the articles had been hidden.  One day a number of Indians were at the store, and one of them, not thinking his rifle was loaded (or at least declaring that he did not, afterward), placed the ramrod in the barrel, and playfully snapped the gun at the dog's head; this he did several times, until an old hen belonging to Mrs. Austin ran by him, when he turned and snapped the gun at it; a sharp report followed, and the unfortunate fowl went squawking away, transfixed by the ramrod; out came Mrs. Austin, with fire in her eye, and a rolling pin in her hand (possibly), and demanded who had treated her fowls foully.  Seeing the trouble, she immediately went to Bourie and told him that he must take care of his Indians, and not let them trouble her fowls again.  Bourie, when he learned the truth, was so incensed at the Indian for snapping at his dog (which had narrowly escaped being shot), that he seized the unfortunate redskin and butted his head again and again against a log until his face and scalp were covered with bruises and blood.  He also seized the gun (a fine silver-mounted rifle) and bent it almost double across a log, utterly ruining it.  The Indian came back the next day, demanding amends for the loss; but Bourie shrewdly stated that he (Bourie) had been drunk the day before, was sorry if the Indian was, and there the matter was dropped, as the Indians forgave wrongs done while under the influence of liquor."

Reports of Dr. David P. Bourie

David P Bourie of Noble County is listed in the 1886 Annual Report of the Indiana State Board of Health [1]. The Medical Standard also reported his death [2].

Obituary

"Bourie, David P, 76, died Sunday at the residence of his son-in-law, John Biddle, Ligonier. The cause of death was due to a runaway accident he met with on May 5. He was thrown from his buggy and received serious injuries, which at his advanced age were too much for his system to overcome. He was perfectly conscious up to a few minutes before his death, and about half an hour before he expired, he remarked to his attendants, "Now Ma (meaning his lately deceased wife to whom he was devotedly attached) has come after me, I must go." He was born in Detroit, Mich. Sept. 1, 1813. He moved with his parents to Fort Wayne when about two years old, and with an older brother came to Noble County when about 14 years of age, and commenced trading with Indians. He went into business on his own account when only 18 years of age and built the first store in Noble County. It was situated three miles east of Ligonier on the Elkhart River. Here he continued in business for many years. He was married in 1837 to Miss Teressa Driver, who, until the time of her death a few months ago, remained his lifelong companion. They were the parents of thirteen children, only four of whom survive, viz: Mrs. John Biddle of Ligonier, Mrs. John B. Hoff of Angola, and William and Wesley of Ligonier. At the time of his death, it is believed that he was the oldest settler in Noble County. His father and mother were French-Canadians, born at Montreal, Canada. His father was a silversmith and was doing business in Detroit during the War of 1812 when the British and their Indian allies partially burned the town and plundered the inhabitants. His father suffered among the rest, and much of his property was stolen and destroyed, among the articles stolen from him by the Indians being several articles of silverware, cups, spoons, etc. Several years after Dr. Bourie had moved to this county, he recovered many of these articles from the Indians who were then roaming around here, being enabled to identify them by his father’s initials which were engraved upon them, and some of these silver articles are now in the possession of his daughter, Mrs. John Biddle of Ligonier. He was a resident of this county for over fifty years and one of its most widely known and respected citizens. From his intimate business relations with the Indians he gleaned a good knowledge of their peculiar method of treating disease and adopted their style of practice by roots and herbs, and for thirty years pursued it with eminent success. He also leaves one sister, Mrs. L. P. Perry who lives at Fort Wayne. Funeral took place Monday from the Christian Church." + 1889 that is 4-17-1889 --End of GED-157 note--aeh

David Proctor Bourie Memorial Marker

Terressa Driver Bourie died January 4, 1889 in Ligonier, Nobel County and is buried in Oak Park Cemetery in Ligonier. A memorial page with a photo of his grave marker is found on the Find-A-Grave website.

David Proctor Bourie died only a few months later on May 12, 1889 in the home of his son-in-law, John H. Biddle, in Noble County, Indiana. David is buried in Oak Park Cemetery in Ligonier, Noble County. A memorial page with a photo of his grave marker is found on the Find-A-Grave website. j

1.   Allen County, IN Historical Society. A C Lines.

   pp147-149. Bourie

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1