Anne-Jeannette "Janne" Bonneau

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The headstone for Anne Jeanette "Janne" (Bonneau) Dubois says she was 28 when she died in November of 1800. This would make her birth year 1772, however, many believe her actual birth date to have been April 12, 1770. Documentation?

Janne was born in or near old Ft. Vincennes which then belonged to Great Britain. Her father was Charles Bonneau (1714-1784) who was born in Quebec, New France (now Canada). Her mother, Genevieve Charlotte Dudevoir (1732-1773), was born in Ft. Detroit which was then a part of New France.

On Oct. 6, 1788, Janne married Toussaint Dubois Sr. (abt 1855-1816) at the St. Francis Xavier Church in Vincennes. She was just 16-18 years of age at the time of her marriage. Toussaint was considerably older, possibly 38.

Some believe that Toussaint was born of nobility in France and that he was disinherited by his father for following Marquis de Lafayette to America to join the fight for independence from England. Interesting story, however, there does not seem to be much, if any, truth to it. Toussaint was born near Montreal, Quebec, New France (now Canada). Both of his parents, while definitely of French descent, were also born in Quebec.

At the time of Janne's marriage to Toussaint, Vincennes was located in "The Territory Northwest of the Ohio River", more commonly known as "The Northwest Territory". Today, Vincennes in located in Knox Co., Indiana.

Janne and Toussaint were married for twelve years and had six known children. They were Susanne Debois (1789-1825), Toussaint Debois Jr. (1790-1833), Henry Debois (1792- ?), Francois Debois (1794-1794), Charles Debois (1795-1819) and Emanuel L. Debois (1798-1818). All were born in or near Vincennes.

Janne died on Nov. 15, 1800 in Vincennes when she was only 28-30 years of age. She was buried in what is now referred to as the "Old Cathedral French and Indian Cemetery" located in Vincennes. This cemetery contains the grave sites of over 4,000 early settlers and patriots of the Vincennes area, many buried on top of each other, not an uncommon French custom in those days.

Janne's burial site is one of the few that is still marked. On her stone her name is spelled "Boneau" and her husband's name is spelled "Touissaint Duboi". As mentioned earlier, her age (28) may also be incorrect. Janne's grave marker is one of the oldest in the state of Indiana that is still readable.

Janne's husband, Toussaint, remarried in 1805, to Jane Baird (1781-1842). By then he was about 50 years of age. Jane was just 24. She was the daughter of Revolutionary War soldier Thomas Baird II (1749-1834) and Hannah Esther Kilgore (1758-1790), both born in Pennsylvania. Toussaint and Jane were married about eleven years and had three known children.

Toussaint drown on Mar. 1, 1816 while attempting to cross the rain swollen Little Wabash River in Clay Co., Illinois on horseback. He was about 61 years of age at the time of his death. According to Masonic records, Toussaint was buried in the same cemetery as his first wife, Janne. Unfortunately, his grave site is one of the 4,000+ burials in that old and historical cemetery that are no longer marked.

• ************************************************* Inscription: Here lies Janne Boneau...The Wife of Touissaint Duboi...Who departed this life...The 15th November 1800...Aged 28 years
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: May 18 2017, 4:04:54 UTC