Surname Saturday: McBRIDE from Eastern USA to Louisiana

Today we have my McBRIDE line, originating from my paternal great-grandmother. Corrections, additions, and questions welcomed; this is a work in progress. Numbers refer to ahnentafel (pedigree chart) numbering. Sources below; see my blog ("about me" on the right sidebar) to contact me for more info or to share info.

L to R: Siblings Marie McBride Dupre, Clothilde McBride Devillier, Joseph "Joe" McBride and Octavie "Tavie" McBride Legere on the day of brother Felix McBride's funeral, 10 Dec. 1941, Port Arthur, TX.  Photographer unknown; copy of original privately held by Hall family of La. and edited by Liz Hall Morgan.

(The direct line is in bold; spouses in italic. Bracketed numbers refer to footnotes below.)

1. Liz HALL MORGAN - me
2 & 3. Dad HALL & Mom STEVENSON
4 & 5. Robert Bunyan HALL & Elia LEGERE

11. Marie Octavie "Tavie" McBRIDE. Born on 31 Jan 1859 in St. Landry Parish, LA. [1], [2] Marie Octavie "Tavie" died in Lafayette, Lafayette, LA, on 29 Mar 1946. [3], [2], [4] Buried in Carencro, Lafayette, LA. [2]
On 23 Feb 1889, she married her 2nd husband Constant Legere. (Her first husband was Cyprien STEMMANN a.k.a. STEMMANS.  Children: Joseph Henri ("Henry" or "Pete") Stemmans, Joseph Ulysse Stemmans, Philomene Stemmans Weber, Ludovic Stemmans)
10. Constant LEGERE [5], [6] in Carencro, Lafayette, LA. [7], [8]  Constant was born 26 Oct 1837 in Opelousas, St. Landry, LA to Hypolite Paul LEGERE and Marcellite LEBERT [5], died in Rayne, Acadia, LA [5a], and is buried in Carencro, Lafayette, LA. [5b] [Constant had 3 previous wives; click his name above for more info.]
(Children: Elia Legere Hall, Mary "Evia" Legere Hardy, Marie Anita "Nita" Legere O'Toole, Fabien Legere, Claude Legere.)

22. William McBRIDE. [9] Born abt 1822 in St. Landry Parish, LA. [10], [11] William died on 3 Jan 13 Jan. 1875 in Port Barre, St. Landry, LA?  [Everyone & his dog has this date; what is the source? v. 12 of SWLR? Please e-mail me if you know.] Possibly served in the Confederacy in the Civil War.
UPDATE: Southwest Louisiana Records by Hebert, v. 12, p. 345 has: "McBRYE [sic], William d. 13 Jan 1875 at age 45 yrs [sic]. (PB Ch: v. 1, p. 95)."  This is Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Port Barre, LA.  The Confederate soldier is another William McBride.

On 20 Jan 1852 William married:
23. Melasie HOLLIER [9] in Opelousas, St. Landry, LA. [12], [13] Born on 11 Dec 1830 in Opelousas?, St. Landry, LA to Isidore HOLLIER and Arthémise TRAHAN. [14] Melasie died in Scott, Lafayette, LA, on 19 Aug 1925; she was 94. [4] Buried in Scott, Lafayette, LA. [15]
(Children: William McBride, Thomas Jean McBride, Marie Arthémise McBride Duhon Dupre, Marie Octavie McBride Stemmann or Stemmans Legere, Joseph Octave "Joe" McBride, Felix McBride, François Ignace McBride, Mathilde McBride, Marie Clothilde McBride Devillier, Cecile McBride Devillier)

44. Thomas Walter McBRIDE. [16], [17] Born in Virginia. [18] Thomas Walter died on 12 Oct 1824 in New Orleans, Orleans,  LA. [19], [20], [21]  He was a blacksmith.
UPDATE: Probate records are now available at familysearch.org in the collection "Louisiana, Orleans Parish Estate Files (under "Walter McBride").  He lived on Tchoupitoulas Street in New Orleans.  Five enslaved persons are named in the probate: Adam, Babe [spelling?], James, Mary and Mary's daughter Maria.
In St. Martinville, St. Martin, LA? [16], [23], Thomas Walter married:
45. Julienne BOGARD a.k.a. BAUGARD, BOGART. [22] Born on 25 Aug 1793 in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, LA to Jacob BOGARD and Margaret/Marguerite RITTER. [24]
(Children: Thomas Jefferson McBride, Mary Margaret McBride, Robert McBride, David McBride, Walter Scott McBride, Charles McBride, Mary Anna McBride, William McBride, Mathilda McBride)
After Thomas Walter's death, Julienne married Joseph W. TINSLEY and then Jean Frederick GABEREL.

88. Thomas McBRIDE. [16]
Thomas married:
89. Marie SCOTT. [16]
POSSIBLY, but it has not been proven, they married 28 Nov 1769 in Joppa, Baltimore, MD [27], [28].  More research needs to be done; this record, from an index, may be available on microfilm.

Sources

1. Rev. Donald J. Hebert, Southwest Louisiana Records, 41 volumes, Rayne, LA: Hebert Publications, 1974-1998, v. 6, p. 451, citing Opel. Ch. [St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, LA], v. 6, p. 103: "McBRIDE, Marie Octavie (William & Melasie HOLLIER) b. 31 Jan 1859."
2. Octavie McBride Legere tombstone, St. Peter Catholic Church cemetery, Carencro, LA, photographed by M. Hall, 1995, "Mrs. Constant Legere, 1859-1946."
3. Ancestry.com, "Louisiana Statewide Death Index, 1900-1949 [database on-line]." Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002, Lafayette Parish, LA, vol. 5, certificate #839.
4. FamilySearch, "Louisiana Deaths, 1850-75; 1894-1954." http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.h-tml#c=1609793;p=collectionDetails;t=searchable.
5. "Transcript of Baptismal Record of Constant Legere," St. Landry Catholic Church, 17 Nov. 1961, Opelousas, LA, Baptism Book VII, p. 64, #47, photocopy of official transcript recorded by Rev. Alcide Sonnier, owned by Liz Hall Morgan.
5a.  FamilySearch, “Louisiana Deaths, 1850-75; 1894-1954.,” http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.h-tml#c=1609793;p=collectionDetails;t=searchable.
5b. “Constant Legere tombstone (shared with daughter Odette),” St. Peter Catholic Church cemetery, Carencro, LA, photographed by M. Hall, 1995.
6. Research of K. LeDoux and M. Hall.
7. Rev. Donald J. Hebert, Southwest Louisiana Records, 41 volumes, Rayne, LA: Hebert Publications, 1974-1998, v. 20, p. 250, citing Carencro Ch. [St. Peter Catholic Church, Carencro, LA], v. 2, p. 74, 23 Feb 1889.
8. Ibid. v. 20, p. 250, citing Laf. Ct. Hse. [Lafayette Parish Courthouse, Lafayette, LA], mar. #4319, 20 Feb. 1889.
9. Ibid. v. 5, p. 421, citing Opel. Ch. [St. Landry Catholic Church records], v. A, #17, marriage of Wm.
10. "1860 U.S. Census," Opelousas, St. Landry, LA, p. 187, lines 14-20, 26 Sept 1860, digital image of Nat'l Archives microfilm, www.ancestry.com, b. abt 1825, LA.
11. Rev. Donald J. Hebert, Southwest Louisiana Records, 41 volumes, Rayne, LA: Hebert Publications, 1974-1998, from CD via David Leleux's Rootsweb tree:  "McBRIDE, Guillaume [William] (dec. Walter McBRAID & Pouponne BAUGARD) bt. 1 Feb. 1834 at age about 12 yrs. Spons: Christophe STEEL & Anastasie LEGER, wife of Christophe STEEL. Fr. Flavius Henri ROSSI (Opel. Ch.: v.3, p.267)
12. Rev. Donald J. Hebert, Southwest Louisiana Records, 41 volumes, Rayne, LA: Hebert Publications, 1974-1998, v. 5, p. 421, citing Opel. Ch. [St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, LA], v. A, #17: "McBRIDE, William (Walter & Julie BAUGARD [sic]) m. 20 Jan. 1852 Melasie HOLLIER."
13. Ibid. v. 5, p. 421, citing Opel. Ct. Hse. [St. Landry Parish Courthouse, Opelousas, LA], mar. #931: "MCBRIDE, William m. 22 Jan. 1852 Melasie HOLLIER" [civil ceremony following church?].
14. Ibid. from CD, via Denise Talbot's Rootsweb tree: "HOLLIER, Melasie (Isidore & Artemise TRAHAN) b. 11 Dec. 1830, Pats: Isidor HOLLIER & Sophie LANGLOIS; Mats: Pierre TRAHAN & Elene DUPLECHAIN (Opel. Ch.: v.3, p.149)."
15. Headstone of Melasie Hollier McBride, Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church Cemetery, Scott, LA, digital photograph by Liz Hall Morgan, Feb. 2009, "McBRIDE/Mrs. Wm. McBride/née/Melasie Hollier/Dec. 11, 1825 [sic - should be 1830]/Aug. 19, 1925/In loving memory/by grandchildren."
16. Rev. Donald J. Hebert, Southwest Louisiana Records, 41 volumes, Rayne, LA: Hebert Publications, 1974-1998, v. 1, p. 423, citing SM Ch. [St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, St. Martinville, LA], [n.v., n.p.]: "McBRIDE, Thomas Walter (Thomas & Marie SCOTT) m. Julienne BONGER [sic]."
17. Ibid. v. 5, p. 421, citing St. Landry Catholic Church records, v. A, #17 (m. rec. of son Wm.).
18. "1880 U.S. Census," St. Landry Parish, LA, daughter Mary "Feuta" [sic] Futhy‚ father's place of birth = VA.
19. Rev. Donald J. Hebert, Southwest Louisiana Records, 41 volumes, Rayne, LA: Hebert Publications, 1974-1998, from CD via David Leleux's Rootsweb tree: (d. bef 1 Feb. 1834) "McBRIDE, Guillaume [William] (dec. Walter McBRAID & Pouponne BAUGARD) bt. 1 Feb. 1834 at age about 12 yrs. Spons: Christophe STEEL & Anastasie LEGER, wife of Christophe STEEL. Fr. Flavius Henri ROSSI (Opel. Ch.: v.3, p.267)"
20. "Southwest Louisiana Records CD 101," Rev. Donald J. Hebert, Hebert Publications (now pub. by Claitor's Publishing, Baton Rouge, LA), via Denise Talbot's Rootsweb tree: "McBRIDE, Walter m. Julienne BOGARD died in New Orleans Children: Thomas; Mary; David; Walter; Charles; William; Anna; Malelda [sic-Mathilda]. Succ. dated Feb. 1825 (Opel. Ct.Hse.: Succ.#349)."
21. Louisiana Gazette, New Orleans, Orleans, LA?, 14 Oct 1824, p. 2, col. 2, via G. Bonnet's Rootsweb tree, died of gangrene.
22. Rev. Donald J. Hebert, Southwest Louisiana Records, 41 volumes, Rayne, LA: Hebert Publications, 1974-1998, v. 5, p. 421, citing St. Landry Catholic Church records, v. A, #17 (m. rec. of son Wm.) -- "Julie BAUGARD."
23. Ibid. v. 1, p. 56, citing SM. Ch. [St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, St. Martinville, LA], n.v. (prob. vol. 1), "BONGER, Julienne (Jacob & Peggy RIDER) m. Thomas Walter [MCBRIDE]."
24. Ibid. v. 1, p. 54, citing Opel. Ch. [St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, LA], v. 1, p. 120: "BOGUEN [sic], Julie (Jacques & Marguerite RAITER), b. 25 Aug. 1793."
[footnotes 25-26 deleted as they don't pertain to this direct line]
27. Rev. Donald J. Hebert, Southwest Louisiana Records, 41 volumes, Rayne, LA: Hebert Publications, 1974-1998, v. 1, p. 423, citing SM Ch. [St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, St. Martinville, LA], [n.v., n.p.]: "McBRIDE, Thomas m. Marie SCOTT."
28. Ancestry.com, "Maryland Marriages, 1655-1850," www.ancestry.com, Aug. 2009, Name:  Thomas McBride-Spouse:  Mary Scotty-Marriage:  28 Nov 1769 [St. John's Parish (Joppa)?? - see database notes], Baltimore County, Maryland. Original record may be on microfilm; I need to check.

Text copyright 2010 by Liz Hall Morgan.  All rights reserved.

Madness Monday (well, Tuesday): My mystery grandpa (part one)

 Robert Bunyan Hall, affectionately known as my "mystery grandpa." Unknown medium/artist [colorized photo?], c. 1940s, Louisiana, owned by the Hall family in La., digital photo by Liz Hall Morgan, Feb. 2009.

My first "Madness Monday" post concerns my biggest brick wall--my "mystery grandpa," Robert Bunyan Hall.  Grandpa Hall never told his kids the names of his parents, and they eventually learned not to ask.  He's one of the reasons I became interested in genealogy when I was young, and I've researched him off and on for more than 25 years.  If you're knowledgeable about Virginia, Georgia, or Spanish-American War records, or just like helping others bust up brick walls (ironically, Grandpa was a brick mason), read on.  I have put him aside for the last few years but am ready to take a sledgehammer to his big ol' wall again.   Would you like to help?

Brief stats on Grandpa:

Robert Bunyan [a.k.a. Bunyon, Bunion] HALL

b. 18 Mar 1878, in Richmond VA, area, or possibly 1877 in GA.
General whereabouts and life before Oct. 1918 unknown.
m. Elia Legere 26 Oct. 1918, Lafayette, LA.
d. 20 Nov 1952, Sulphur, Calcasieu, LA,
Occupation: Brick Mason, Railroad Worker, Contractor

Possible residences before Oct. 1918: Beaumont, Orange, or other cities in TX [worked construction at Gulf refinery; may have worked on railroads in LA/TX]; worked for Wacheson [sp?] & Henigriff in Westlake, LA in 1918 and may have worked in Lake Charles or other LA cities; Atlanta [worked for George Fuller Construction], Stone Mt., GA; Savannah, GA; Louisville, KY; Nashville, TN; [worked on Louisville & Nashville Railroad]; Richmond,VA; Baltimore, MD.

He did claim to be from the Richmond, Virginia area (we can't find a birth record; based on the 1880 census, he may be from GA) and that his family owned a grist mill.  At least one of his children thought he mentioned a sister named Fanny, and that she may have died young.  His children remember various places in the South he may have mentioned and where he may have lived (outlined above).  He said he was in the Navy in the Spanish-American War (we can't find a record of a Robert B. Hall born in either VA or GA) and that he went to Johns Hopkins at one time (no record in the school archives).  He said he worked on the railroad (but too early to have a railroad retirement record), as a bricklayer, and as a contractor.  He claimed Irish roots, and was Protestant.

He met my grandma Elia Légère in Sept. or Oct. 1918 in Orange, TX, through her brother-in-law, who knew him only as a fishing buddy he met on the Neches or Sabine River.  They married soon after (I wrote about their relationship here) and we know his whereabouts (Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana) from then on, but his life from his birth c. 1873-1878 until 1918 (He and Grandma both died in La. in the 1950s) is almost a complete mystery to us.  Well, the only answers we've found so far, anyway, just lead to more questions.  To wit:

1.  My mom (brava!) found his application for a marriage license to marry my grandmother (Elia Légère), on which he entered his parents' names as "George Hall" and "Georgia" [Burnaman? Burnam? Burnham? -- it's hard to read].  Oh, and a previous wife (deceased) is listed: Corrie [or Connie, Carrie??] Williams.  (My father and his siblings, by the way, had never heard of any other wives, living or deceased.)

Notes: I can't find a George and Georgia Hall (or G. Hall) with son Robert (or R.) of approximately the correct age anywhere in the 1880 census except Georgia.  Nothing in Virginia looks right to me.  I should perhaps go back and check for one spouse alone or remarried with Robert.

Williams??!!  Really, Grandpa???  Couldn't you have married someone with a slightly less common name?  I've barely tried looking for her.  "Williams" is worse than "Hall" for searching!

No marriage records for Grandpa in the Orange or Beaumont, TX, areas where we know he lived.  No Cora/Corrie/Cornelia/Cordelia or Connie/Constance or Carrie/Caroline Halls who died in Texas so far who died by/before 1918 that I've found who fit.

2.  I found his WWI draft registration not long after they became available online--here's the image:

It lists his full name [middle name probably misspelled by the draft board], his birthday, March 18, though the year [1873] is off [it's 1878 in other records], and his description ["medium" height and build, "blue" eyes, "light" hair] fits.  He's a natural-born citizen, working as a bricklayer in Lake Charles, LA, for Wacheson [sp?] & Henigriff in Westlake, LA.  This all makes sense. 

But wait!  He has another wife!  "Mrs. Jessie Hall (wife), Box [579? 577?], Beaumont, Texas."

 

The kicker?  This record is dated Sept. 12, 1918.  What's the big deal?  Robert married my grandmother on Oct. 26, 1918, just over six weeks later.  What happened to Jessie?

Notes: Could she have died in the 1918 flu pandemic, between Sept. 12 and Oct. 5 or so?  I can't find her in Texas death records so far.  I'd like to access Sept./Oct. 1918 Beaumont, Texas, newspapers for possible obituaries or lists of those who died from the "Spanish flu," but I don't think they're online for that date.  I know Lamar University in Beaumont has them on microfilm; maybe I can request them through ILL or via LDS.  
Or: did she die, they divorced, or could he have just left her?  Or maybe they were not officially married? Were they separated?  He did sometimes travel to get work, so living apart doesn't necessarily mean they were separated.
Would the Beaumont post office have archives of box holders back to 1918?  Or was this a rural route box?  How do I find out?  Would it be on a map, if a rural route?

3. My dad took a Y-DNA test for me a couple of years ago.  We're in a Hall DNA study group, but no one has come closer than matching 22 of 24 markers (we tested 37 markers; our closest match tested on only 24) yet--meaning our nearest common ancestor was probably 18-20 generations ago, most likely in the British Isles, perhaps Ireland.  Maybe as more folks join, we'll find a closer match.

Interestingly, the others preliminarily grouped with us have roots going back to Virginia in the 1700s, so maybe Grandpa actually was telling the truth about being from Virginia.  And now at least we know Grandpa was really a Hall, and not a Dillinger or a Capone! (though the jury's still out on whether he was in trouble with the law--which would explain why he didn't discuss his past... )

More to come, including notes on Grandpa's parent-candidates in Georgia...  
UPDATE: Read Part Two here.


If you have ideas, please leave a comment or drop me an e-mail at hallroots (at) sbcglobal (dot) net.  Or stay tuned for more info.  Thanks!


Copyright 2010 by Liz Hall Morgan, all rights reserved