Dansereau, Hercules (MD); Quebec, CAN; now Lafourche Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller
====================================================================
USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing
free information on the Internet, data may be used by
non-commercial entities, as long as this message
remains on all copied material. These electronic
pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit
or for presentation by other persons or organizations.
Persons or organizations desiring to use this material
for purposes other than stated above must obtain the
written consent of the file contributor.
====================================================================
Dansereau, Hercules, M. D., of Thibodaux, Lafourche parish, is a retired
practitioner, still retaining to a remarkable extent the exercise of his
mental and physical faculties, at the patriarchal age of 82 years. The blood
of the pioneer French colonists of Canada which flows through his veins has
endowed him with that sturdiness of constitution for which the early settlers
were noted. Peter Dansereau was the first of the name to come to America,
from France, about the year 1700, locating near Montreal, Canada, where many
of the family still reside
. Hercules Dansereau was born in province of
Quebec, May 2, 1832, the son of Joseph Dansereau, merchant, born at Vercheres,
Canada, in 1797, died 1888; his wife, Rosalie (Chagnon) Dansereau, also a
native of Vercheres (1800), died at Vercheres in 1875. After receiving his
primary and grammar school education at home, the subject of this sketch
entered Montreal college, where he remained 7 years. Next he studied for 3
years in the College of Physicians & Surgeons, of Montreal, now Laval
university, and then, for one year, studied in the College of Medicine,
Albany, N. Y., graduating in 1853. During the latter year, Dr. Dansereau came
to New Orleans, followed the clinics and lectures at the Charity hospital for
a few months, and went to the town of Pointe-a-la-Hache, in the parish of
Plaquemines, where he practiced medicine until 1858, when he moved to
Thibodaux. The town was then in its infancy, in the midst of a
sparsely-settled region, and surrounded by woods. On account of the limited
population of Thibodaux, the doctor extended his practice to all parts of the
surrounding country, sometimes traveling many miles in fair and in bad weather
to hasten to the relief of his fellow-citizens. When the Civil war broke out,
in 1861, Dr. Dansereau enlisted in the Southern army and was made lieutenant
of the Lafourche Guards, 4th La. infantry, which was stationed, successively,
at Pascagoula, Miss. , Ship Island, Jackson, Tenn., and Corinth. The
Lafourche Guards took part in the battle of Shiloh. In April, 1862, Dr.
Dansereau resigned from the army, returned to Thibodaux, where he resumed the
practice of medicine until 1906, retiring in that year and leaving his
clientele to his son, Dr. Philip Dansereau. Although well past his 80th year,
Dr. Hercules Dansereau keeps up his interest in matters pertaining to his
profession and to the social life. He is a member of the Roman Catholic
church, and in politics is a democrat, having served 2 terms as alderman of
the town of Thibodaux. In 1868 he married Miss Alida Aycock, daughter of
Onezime Aycock, of Terrebonne parish. His wife died in 1910. Eight of their
11 children are living: Dr. Philip J. Dansereau, of Thibodaux; Mathilde
(Mrs. Richard MeMahon), Anna, Pauline (Mrs. John McNamara), May (Mrs. Albert
Enguand), Marie (Mrs. Lawrence Menuet), Henrietta (Mrs. Charles Gouaux), and
Dr. Henry Dansereau.
Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events,
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp.
115-116. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century
Historical Association.
|
|
Return to Main Page The contents, structure
and design of this Web site may not be copied, excerpted, nor duplicated without
the express written permission of the owner. |