Family:John Bourie and Maria Chapoton (1)

John Baptiste Bourie, Sr.

John Baptiste Bourie, Sr. was born March 25, 1801 in his father's trading post at present Elkhart, Indiana. His father was Louis B. Bourie and it is believed that his mother was a Miami or Potowatomi Indian. However, in 1801 John Bourie was christened in Detroit where his father and his father's wife, Mary Francoise Meloche Bourie maintained a home.

Maria Ann "Nancy" Chapoton

Maria Ann "Nancy" Chapoton, daughter of Maria Catherine Meloche and Louis Alexis Chapoton and niece of Mary Frances Meloche, was born on December 28, 1800 in Michigan Territory. Nancy married John Baptiste Bourie, Sr.. Nancy also married Joseph Brown. Nancy then married William H Brooks on May 15, 1842 in Allen County, Indiana.

Maria Ann Chapton and John Bourie, Sr. Marriage

They had the following children:

1) Desdemona Bourie

Desdemona Bourie was the daughter of Maria Ann "Nancy" Chapoton and John Baptiste Bourie, Sr.. As directed in 16th clause of the will of George Washington Ewing, "lot six and the south 3 feet of lots seven and eight, Hamiltons' addition to the City of Fort Wayne, Allen Co., Ind., near the Cathedral in the city of Fort Wayne" were purchased by the executor, William A. Ewing. The executors "erected buildings thereon, as provided by said will, and put the said Desdemona Bourie in posession thereof, on about the ___ day of ___, 1868." "That said Desdemona Bourie has taken care of and provided for the maintenance and education of said Charlotte Smith, ever since the death of said Geo. W. Ewing, and is still doing the same, the said Charlotte being now fifteen years of age." The will stated that Charlotte Smith was the daughter of Mary Ann Smith of Baltimore. It is assumed at this time, that Mary Ann Smith was the daughter of George W. Ewing, and that she had died before George. It appears that Desdemona never married. Desdemona died on February 9, 1920 and is buried in the Catholic Cemetery at Fort Wayne, Indiana.

2) Louis Thompson Bourie

Louis Thomson Bourie, son of Maria Ann Chapoton and John Baptiste Bourie, Sr., was born on June 12, 1829 in Detroit, Michigan. Louis married Ophelia Dubois on October 1, 1855 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The family is enumerated in Fort Wayne in the 1880 US Census as well as on June 6, 1900 on the US Census.

3) Brutus A. Bourie

Brutus A. Bourie, son of Maria Ann Chaoton and John Baptiste Bourie, Sr, was born January 8, 1839. On April 24, 1861 Brutus served as a First Lt. in Company E, 55th Indiana Volunteer Infantry of the Union Army during the American Civil War<onlyinclude>^I1I3. A memorial with a photo of his cemetery Marker is located on the Find A Grave website.