This section will contain a tremendous amount of information, which will be added periodically, probably over many years. To say that the life of my 8 x great grandfather Urbain Baudreau was well documented is an understatement. There once existed an organization in Massachusetts in his honor - the Urbain Baudreau dit Graveline Genealogical Society - who not only wrote an encyclopedia-sized book containing the names of thousands of descendants, they also released newsletters which talked about his life and times in what is now Montreal, Quebec. In a nutshell, Urbain set sail from Gravelines, France in the great migration of 1653, where he agreed to help the French fight the Iroquois in the French and Indian War. After the war, he returned to France for a short time, then moved back to Canada, where he was appointed land Trustee. He raised his family there, including a son by the name of Jean Baptiste Baudreau. Urbain, having sailed from the port town of Gravelines, was nicknamed Graveline ("dit Graveline" is how this is written in French...like an "aka" so to speak). His son Jean Baptiste would adopt the same nickname, and Graveline is the name Jean Baptiste went by until the day he died. He would be my 7 x great grandfather.
This is only a quick summary. There are so many details to share, I hardly know where to begin. I look forward to spending many hours researching the Baudreaus over the next several years in order to help me build this blog.
Stay tuned.
Kelli
Polio
My biological father, Layton Bosarge, Sr., was the lone survivor of 11 babies in his neighborhood stricken with Poliomyelitis in 1952. He was saved via advocacy from the March of Dimes and a team of doctors, surgeons, nurses, and physical therapists who worked hard to give him quality of life. He spent his early childhood in a wheelchair and late childhood on crutches and in braces, Forrest Gump style, until he could walk on his own in his mid teens. He married soon after, divorced, married again and started having children in his 20s. He would divorce, remarry, and continue to have children into his 40s, thus my tribe of half-siblings. He also worked full time at Chevron refinery, was a Scout leader, and a volunteer baseball coach. He died young, but when you look at the big picture, he was pretty lucky to have accomplished all that he did.
Polio is almost eradicated worldwide, thanks to Jonas Salk and his vaccine, which he chose not to patent. His selflessness has saved countless lives. May we not take it for granted.
Polio is almost eradicated worldwide, thanks to Jonas Salk and his vaccine, which he chose not to patent. His selflessness has saved countless lives. May we not take it for granted.
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| Clickable Photo |
Pierre Baudry, c. 1566 - Jean Baudreau, c. 1581 - Urbain Baudreau, c. 1633
Pierre Baudry
In the year 1566, Charles IX was King of France, Nostradamus died, and a man named Pierre Baudry was born. In 1581, Pierre became a father to a son in the community of Clermont-l'Hérault, who was called Jean Baudreau. That strapping young fifteen year old new dad was my 10 x great grandfather.
I unfortunately don't have any further information about Pierre. The mother of his child was supposedly named Claude Huet, but there is a bit of confusion about her history on genealogy sites, so we really can't confirm anything about her. She could have been much older than Pierre, or she could have been a child herself, as was the norm in 1500s Europe (if you'd like an interesting comparison, consider that Shakespeare wrote about young teens Romeo and Juliet around 1594). There is no marriage record of Jean's parents, nor any guesses as to whether or not Jean had siblings. It is remarkable to think of such a young man, who could have possibly been doing nothing more than sowing his wild oats, being partially responsible for my massive family's existence. Of course, he could have gotten down on one knee and proposed to his love at one of the many castles in Clermont, and they all lived happily ever after. It's a lovely thought, but a fabricated one nonetheless.
There is no documentation on the deaths of Pierre nor Claude, so I will move on to my 9 x great grandfather, Jean Baudreau.
Jean Baudreau
Jean Baudreau was born on June 25, 1581 in Clermont-l'Hérault, Languedoc-Roussillon, France. He married Marie Chauveau (born between 1600 and 1610 in Bourges, Cher in central France) in 1632 when Jean was 50 years old. On May 3, 1633, they had a son who they called Urbain Baudreau. Urbain is the only documented child of Jean and Marie. Jean died on May 16, 1655 at the age of 73. Marie died nine years later on October 20, 1664 in Clermont, Dordogne, Aquitaine. One source reports that she died a few years earlier in 1658.
What stands out to me as I learn this information is that while Jean's father was only 15 years old at the time of his birth, Jean was 51 years old at the time of his son's birth. That's a substantial difference, and I can't help but wonder what took Jean so long to settle down and start a family. It is entirely possible that he had married and had children early in life that just aren't documented for some reason. Or, he could have been a first-time husband and father in his 50s, which wasn't as common for that era as it is today. Marie, having been born between 1900 and 1910, was either 23 or 33 when she gave birth. The age gap isn't a surprise, but something I wanted to note. I'd love to know more about Jean and Marie's story, but alas.
My genealogy is as follows:
10 x GGP:
Pierre Baudry (b. 1566) + Claude Huet (b. ukn) - Clermont-l'Hérault in Southern France
One son: Jean Baudreau (b. 1581)
9 x GGP:
Jean Baudreau (b. 1581 d. 1655) + Marie Chauveau (b. 1900-1910 d. 1658-1664) - Clermont-l'Hérault
One son: Urbain Baudreau (b. 1633)
As always, if I find any further information, I will edit this document accordingly.
8 x GGF Urbain Baudreau's history is exciting and incredibly complex. Stay tuned.
In the year 1566, Charles IX was King of France, Nostradamus died, and a man named Pierre Baudry was born. In 1581, Pierre became a father to a son in the community of Clermont-l'Hérault, who was called Jean Baudreau. That strapping young fifteen year old new dad was my 10 x great grandfather.
I unfortunately don't have any further information about Pierre. The mother of his child was supposedly named Claude Huet, but there is a bit of confusion about her history on genealogy sites, so we really can't confirm anything about her. She could have been much older than Pierre, or she could have been a child herself, as was the norm in 1500s Europe (if you'd like an interesting comparison, consider that Shakespeare wrote about young teens Romeo and Juliet around 1594). There is no marriage record of Jean's parents, nor any guesses as to whether or not Jean had siblings. It is remarkable to think of such a young man, who could have possibly been doing nothing more than sowing his wild oats, being partially responsible for my massive family's existence. Of course, he could have gotten down on one knee and proposed to his love at one of the many castles in Clermont, and they all lived happily ever after. It's a lovely thought, but a fabricated one nonetheless.
There is no documentation on the deaths of Pierre nor Claude, so I will move on to my 9 x great grandfather, Jean Baudreau.
Jean Baudreau
Jean Baudreau was born on June 25, 1581 in Clermont-l'Hérault, Languedoc-Roussillon, France. He married Marie Chauveau (born between 1600 and 1610 in Bourges, Cher in central France) in 1632 when Jean was 50 years old. On May 3, 1633, they had a son who they called Urbain Baudreau. Urbain is the only documented child of Jean and Marie. Jean died on May 16, 1655 at the age of 73. Marie died nine years later on October 20, 1664 in Clermont, Dordogne, Aquitaine. One source reports that she died a few years earlier in 1658.
What stands out to me as I learn this information is that while Jean's father was only 15 years old at the time of his birth, Jean was 51 years old at the time of his son's birth. That's a substantial difference, and I can't help but wonder what took Jean so long to settle down and start a family. It is entirely possible that he had married and had children early in life that just aren't documented for some reason. Or, he could have been a first-time husband and father in his 50s, which wasn't as common for that era as it is today. Marie, having been born between 1900 and 1910, was either 23 or 33 when she gave birth. The age gap isn't a surprise, but something I wanted to note. I'd love to know more about Jean and Marie's story, but alas.
My genealogy is as follows:
10 x GGP:
Pierre Baudry (b. 1566) + Claude Huet (b. ukn) - Clermont-l'Hérault in Southern France
One son: Jean Baudreau (b. 1581)
9 x GGP:
Jean Baudreau (b. 1581 d. 1655) + Marie Chauveau (b. 1900-1910 d. 1658-1664) - Clermont-l'Hérault
One son: Urbain Baudreau (b. 1633)
As always, if I find any further information, I will edit this document accordingly.
8 x GGF Urbain Baudreau's history is exciting and incredibly complex. Stay tuned.
Intro
I was born in March of 1978 at Singing River Hospital in the coastal city of Pascagoula, Mississippi. My mother Linda was born in the same small town in September 1952. So was musician Jimmy Buffett, but that's another story.
My father Layton was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in April 1950. He barely survived polio in infancy and wasn't expected to have full quality of life. He not only lived, he walked again, played softball, worked full time, and had seven children.
This will be an account of my family history, both as I know it and as found in my genealogical research. I am very fortunate to share a tree with prominent members of society whose lineages have been traced as far back as the mid-16th century. I look forward to documenting it all here.
Thank you for your interest, and feel free to visit again.
Kelli
My father Layton was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in April 1950. He barely survived polio in infancy and wasn't expected to have full quality of life. He not only lived, he walked again, played softball, worked full time, and had seven children.
This will be an account of my family history, both as I know it and as found in my genealogical research. I am very fortunate to share a tree with prominent members of society whose lineages have been traced as far back as the mid-16th century. I look forward to documenting it all here.
Thank you for your interest, and feel free to visit again.
Kelli
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