Sutter County
Biographies
JOSEPH T. BOURGEOIS
The life record of an honorable and upright citizen, and an industrious and successful agriculturist, is illustrated in the career of Joseph T. Bourgeois, who is favorably known as a business man and fruit-grower in Live Oak, Sutter County. He was born October 3, 1871, at Thibodaux, La., the second in order of birth of the three children of P. U. and Leontine (Gaudet) Bourgeois, who were both descendants of the French exiles of Arcadia. Their children were: Mary, the wife of Charles J. Peterson, joint owner of the orchard at Live Oak operated by him; Joseph T., the subject of this sketch; and Frank U., of Tampico, Mexico, where he is successfully engaged as store manager in the oil fields. In 1880, the family moved to Florence, Ariz., where the father and mother conducted a merchandise and caterer’s business.
Joseph T. Bourgeois attended the public schools and also studied in night school. His first experience in business was in his home town. For several months he was purser for the New York and Cuba Mail Steamship with the Mexican Trans-Isthmus Railroad, in the general offices located at Rincon Antonio. From 1906 to 1910 Mr. Bourgeois was employed in the mines of Charles M. Schwab in northern Mexico, as cashier and paymaster. Afterwards, from 1910 till 1913, he was employed in the general office of the Phelps-Dodge Company, at Nacozari, Sonora, Mexico, as cashier, handling many millions of dollars yearly. In 1908 he purchased fifty-six acres of land, which is jointly owned by him and his brother-in-law, Charles J. Peterson. This land has been devoted to prunes, peaches, and raisin grapes. Since 1917 he has been connected with the Live Oak Warehouses and the Live Oak Raisin Stemming Company. Politically, Mr. Bourgeois maintains a non-partisan attitude, voting for the man rather than the party. He is a staunch advocate of and firm believer in the rights of children, and does his utmost in their behalf. Fraternally, he is a member of North Butte Lodge No. 267, I.O.O.F., of which he is the present Junior Past Grand.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 1087