The eighth child of Jude W. and Marie Catherine (Sharrai) Bourassa is Theodore Santana Bourassa. Theodore was born September 12, 1848 at either the St. Marys Sugar Creek Mission in Linn County, Kansas or at the Bourassa Farm in Maple Hill Township, Wabaunsee County, Kansas. Most of the historical writings say that Jude and Catherine Bourassa moved to the farm on the banks of Mill Creek, two miles east of Uniontown, Shawnee County, Kansas during 1847 or 1848.

Like the other Bourassa children, Theodore was educated by the Jesuit priests and brothers at the St. Marys Mission School, St. Marys, Kansas. In addition to “the three R’s” Theodore would have learned farming. The St. Marys Mission School had extensive gardens, farm animals and crop fields where they taught Native American students how to be farmers. They felt that they would more easily assimilate into European culture if they could be farmers or could learn some craft.

Theodore is shown as a permanent resident of the Bourassa Farm on the 1860, 1865 and 1870 Census. The 1870 Census shows that his mother, Catherine (Sharrai) Bourassa-Greemore-Leslie is now living in one farm house on a portion of her farm, and that her children are living in a second house on another portion of the farm. Those living in the second house are Stephen Jerome Bourassa, age, 26, Theodore Bourassa age 22, Jane Bourassa age 19, Eleanore 17, Helena age 14, and Peter Greemore, their half brother as a result of Catherine’s second marriage to Francois Greemore. The census reveals that the farm is substantial and that together the property is valued at $2,000 and the real property at $500. Both are high in comparison to other farm families in the area.

Also in the household is the hired man, Madison Brock. Both Madison and his brother James Monroe Brock, worked for the Bourassa families from time to time as farm hands. The Brock family had moved to Maple hill in the late 1850s. Their parents were originally from Kentucky, and moved to Missouri in the 1850s, and four of their children moved to Maple Hill in the late 1850s. They were James Madison, Zerelda Jane and Calvin Monroe Brock. Calvin Monroe Brock stayed in Maple Hill all of his life and is buried in the Old Stone Church Cemetery.

The Maple Hill News Items in the Alma Signal chronicles the marriage of Theodore Santana Bourassa in this way: ” Mr. Theodore. S. Bourassa and Miss Maggie Muller were married June 26, 1872. Miss Mullers father who operates the ferry across the Kaw, is rather unhappy but none-the-less we wish them luck!”

Maggie’s parents were Alexander and Eliza Jane Huffman Muller, and they operated the ferry across the Kansas River at Uniontown. Their daughter Margaret Ellen Muller, was born on May 16, 1856 in Iowa. Theodore was a Citizen Band Potawatomi Indian and had been allotted land on the Pottawatomi Reserve in Oklahoma. He and his bride soon left Maple Hill to take possession of that land.

WIthin the year 1872, they were livin on their new land in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma. The Bourassa were the parents of thirteen children. They are: Margaret “Maggie” Bourassa 1872-1874; Delia Ellen Bourassa 1875-1907; Viola Amelia Bourassa 1877-1977; Iola Garfield Bourassa, 1881-1974; Mary Ann Adele Bourassa, 1884-1958; Theodore William Bourassa, 1887-1940; Christina Mae Bourassa 1889-1910; Hattie Bell Bourassa, 1891-1989; David Freeman Bourassa, 1894-1956; Evan Bourassa 1896; Ewing Webster Peter Bourassa, 1896-1979; Irving Muller Bourassa 1896; Ervin Wesley Bourassa, 1900-1978.

Theodore Santana and Margaret (Muller) Bourassa remained in Pottawatomi County, Oklahoma all of their lives as did most of their children and extended family. They are buried in the Wanette Cemetery, Pottawatomi County, Oklahoma as are many of their children, grandchildren and other descendants.

Theodore Santana Bourassa died on November 26, 1930 and Margaret “Maggie” (Muller) Bourassa died on March 27, 1927. The pictures below represent Theodore and Margaret Bourassa soon after they were married in 1872. THe center photograph is of the Bourassa Children. L-R are Freeman, Adele, Theodore, Lola, Ewing, Hattie, Erving, and their father Theodore Santana Bourassa. The last photo is that of the Bourassa Home in Oklahoma with the family standing in front.