James Bowie, free man of color

CATHOLIC

WEDDINGS AND BAPTISMS

At least two of the children of James and Chaney Bowie were married in the rites of the Catholic Church. Several of their grandchildren were also baptised in the Catholic Church, specifically at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Mansura, Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana.

The full marriage certificates are not reproduced, but they are fully transcribed in the original French and translated into English.

Marriage Certificate for James Bowie [Jr.], FMC and Marie Jane Berzat, FWC - January 10, 1860

Marriage Certificate for Albert Bowie, FMC and Juliette Berzat, FWC - February 9, 1860

Baptism certificates of two daughters of James Bowie (son of Annis Bowie, not to be confused with his uncle) and Marie Eugenie Berzat:

Edvige Bowie, born December 25, 1860. Baptised April 11, 1861

Eve Dorothee Bowie, born April 4, 1865. Baptised May 14, 1865.

Baptism certificate of a daughter of Albert Bowie and Juliette Berzat:

Marie Aurelia Bowie, born July 1, 1863. Baptised October 5, 1863

Six of the children of Rufus Bowie and Caroline Belton were baptised on Wednesday, September 13, 1865. (In the certificates reproduced below, unfortunately Rufus Bowie is mistranscribed as "Ruffin Bowie.")

Lutetia Bowie, age 12

John Bowie, age 10

Peter Bowie, age 9

Marianne Bowie, age 4

Joseph Bowie, age 2

David Bowie, age 6 months

A note on the Berzat Family, from the book "Bride's Book of Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, Volume Two, 1856-1880" by Jeraldine DuFour LaCour (1982):

"Baptiste Berzat, a Canadian carpenter, has many mulatto descendants. Baptiste had a natural son, Julien Berzat, whose mother was Perine, a slave of the late Julien Poydras. (Poydras was one of the richest men in colonial Louisiana.) Julien Berzat, fmc, married August 18, 1818 Edvise Joffrion, a free woman of color, natural daughter of Pierre Joffrion (white) and Babe (slave of Martin Rabalais). Julien and Edvise Berzat had at least three children baptized at the Catholic Church in Cocoville, and they had a least ten children."

According to this book, Marie Louise Berzat married Joseph Laurent. This marriage probably accounts for the large number of Laurents represented in the baptisms listed above.

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