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Louis Bouvier
Born: Abt. 1816 at Switzerland
Died: unknown
Buried: unknown
Married: Eugenia Courvoisier.
Born: 31 DEC 1823 at Switzerland
Died: 14 OCT 1889
Buried: Blair Cemetery, Blair, Washington County, Nebraska
Children:
Oliver, b. 17 AUG 1846 at Pennsylvania, d. 22 NOV 1919, bur. Blair Cemetery. Served in the Civil War, enlisted 17 OCT 1862, Co. B., 2nd Regt. Married Cora, b. 11 OCT 1854, d. 7 MAR 1932 at Blair, bur. Blair Cemetery.
Adeline, b. 27 AUG 1850 at Kentucky, d. 11 JUN 1918 at Colorado, bur. Blair Cemetery. Married Damase McPherson, b. 20 SEP 1841, d. 30 DEC 1911, bur. Blair Cemetery.
Samuel D., b. 12 AUG 1849 at Kentucky, d. 12 SEP 1925, bur. Blair Cemetery. Married Alice Elizabeth Richards, b. 15 AUG 1859 at Iowa, d. 22 MAR 1943, bur. Blair Cemetery.
Eugenia, b. 1854 at Indiana, d. unknown, bur. unknown. Married Thomas Halstead.
Louis C., b. 28 APR 1860 at Nebraska, d. 1 OCT 1902, bur. Blair Cemetery
At the time of the 1880 census, Louis and Eugenia were divorced. She was still living in De Soto and her surname was listed as Courvoisier, apparently having taken back her maiden name. Louis was living in Blair in 1880.
REMINISCENCES OF DE SOTO IN 1855 BY OLIVER BOUVIER
Mother Bouvier, a kind old soul, who settled in De Soto in the summer of 1855, had many hardships. Just above her log house, on the ridge, was the regular Indian trail and the Indians made it a point to stop at our house regularly, as they went to Fort Calhoun or to Omaha. She befriended them many times and they always treated her kindly. "Omaha Mary," who was often a caller at our house was always at the head of her band. She was educated and could talk French well to us. What she said was law with all the Indians. Our creek was thick with beavers and as a small boy I could not trap them, but she could, and had her traps there and collected many skins from our place. I wanted her to show me the trick of it, but she would never allow me to follow her. At one time I sneaked along and she caught me in the act and grabbed me by the collar and with a switch in her hand, gave me a severe warming. This same squaw was an expert with bow and arrow, and I have seen her speedily cross the Missouri river in a canoe with but one oar. Our wall was always black and greasy by the Indians sitting against it while they ate the plates of mush and sorghum my mother served them. I have caught many buffalo calves out on the prairies, and one I brought to our De Soto home and tamed it. My sister Adeline, and myself tried to break it to drive with an ox hitched to a sled, but never succeeded to any great extent. One day Joseph La Flesche came along and offered us $50.00 for it and we sold it to him but he found he could not separate it from our herd, so bought a heifer, which it would follow and Mr. Joseph Boucha and myself took them up to the reservation for him. He entertained us warmly at his Indian quarters for two or three days. I have cured many buffalo steak (by the Indian method) and we used the meat on our table.
From Washington County Nebraska History 1980, page 131. The Washington County Historical Association. Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, Texas, 1980:
Louis and Eugenia Bouvier left France and traveled through Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky before finally settling in Desoto, Nebraska in 1856. Louis inherited quite a sum of money from his parents in the old country, and while traveling west in a covered wagon, buried his gold coins in an axle grease bucket which hung on the back of his wagon, so he wouldn’t be robbed. The Bouvier’s had five children, Oliver, Adeline, Samuel, Eugenia and Louie. They lived first in a dug out, then a log cabin. During the Blizzards of 1857, with five children trying to stay warm in bed, Eugenia brought their cow inside to keep it alive for the rest of the winter. They lived on beans and bread. Samuel David Bouvier, their third child was Great Great Grandfather. He married Alice Elizabeth Richards of Neola, Iowa in 1880. While courting Alice, Sam and his horse had to swim the Missouri River because there was no ferry. They had six children - Myrtle, Mabel, Albert, Fred, Ralph and Jessie. They settled near a spring to be close to water, which they carted to their dugout in barrels on a sled. A well was finally dug in 1928. Above the spring was an Indian Village. Settlers soon learned not to aggravate them or leave things around because the Indians would take anything, even cooling pies left in windows. Sam or "Uncle Sam" as he was called, because everyone knew and liked him, would take his wagon filled with farm goods to Omaha, but before reaching his destination Sam had given everything away. Sam had a habit of being generous and would often take a whole family of strangers into a store and buy them all new shoes. Besides giving gifts he also helped needy people find jobs. Sam, who had a loud voice that could be heard a block away, was an honest man, yet never had to pay for a streetcar or trainride in his life. Sam and Alice’s daughter, Mabel Hannah (Bouvier) Hovendick would herd the cows to the spring, and take along her sewing box to make all her clothing. She loved gardening and always had the most beautiful flowers around. Mabel was always busy with church activities and crocheting. Mabel married John (Ed) Hovendick in 1901. They had four children: Raymond Edward, Carl David, Mary Elizabeth and Mildred Lorraine. Your Grandfather Raymond married Edna Marie Harmon in June, 1927. They live in Omaha, Nebraska and have three children. Carl married Eva Metzinger and lives in Davenport, Iowa, they have two children. Mary married Hugh Sutherland, and settled in Blair, Nebraska, they have six children. Mildred married John Thomson and lives in Dixon, California. Submitted By Darlene Hovendick Jensen
Source: Ruth Moss, Washington County Genealogical Society
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