Bishop Skidmore Bordeaux & Emma Jane Devane

Bishop Skidmore Bordeaux & Emma Jane Devane

Bishop Skidmore Bordeaux was born 5 May, 1882 in the White Oak region of Bladen County. He was the son of Marshall William Bordeaux and Ellen Ann Johnson, both of Turnbull Creek. Bishop, as well as 3 of his brothers, Tillet Asbury, Julius Joshua, and Edward Jurium, were named after Methodist ministers. His mother, Ellen, was the daughter of Joshua Johnson, who was a Methodist minister in the Turnbull Creek area. Bishop was only 6 years old when his father, Marshall, died from pneumonia. His older brothers, Tillet and Onslow had to take a hand in helping raise the family of five sons.

Bishop and 2 of his brothers, Tillet and Julius, moved across the Cape Fear River and settled in between Dublin and Elizabethtown on what is now known as Owen Hill Road. Bishop owned a large farm directly across from the old homestead of John Owen, who had been Governor from 1828-1830. Bishop raised various crops, primarily tobacco and corn. His mother, Ellen, lived with Bishop and his family in her old age. Bishop died on his farm on 14 October, 1949 from a severe stroke. His son, James Bordeaux, came home from working in the shipyards in Virginia and helped run the farm with his brother-in-law Jim Nance.

Bishop and Emma were married 8 October, 1905 at Shiloh Baptist Church. They had 4 children. They also adopted one of Tillet's sons after his first wife died in childbirth.

Bishop and 2 of his brothers, Tillet and Julius, all married Devane girls, sisters. Tillet married Sudie Devane, and Julius married Maggie Devane.

Emma Jane Devane was the daughter of Francis "Franklin" Davis Devane and Sarah "Sallie" Elizabeth Young of White Oak. Emma did not know her exact birth date. She guessed at it and set the date at 13 May, 1886. The Bladen court house had burned and her birth certificate was not available. However, if we look at the 1900 census and examine the family of Sallie Devane, Emma's mother, you will find a birth date of January, 1887 for Emma. The 1900 census gave the month a child was born and the age at the time of census taking. Like Bishop, Emma's father, Franklin Devane, died when she was around 5 years old. Emma lived with her family a short time, but she was raised by Griff Jones and his wife. Emma used the nickname Emmie. Emmie was described as a very proper woman. After the death of Bishop in 1949, Emmie lived with her son, James Bordeaux, who built a new house in 1954 on the Bishop Bordeaux farm. Emmie got sick in 1969 and died in the Lumberton hospital on 28 July, 1969.

Bishop Skidmore Bordeaux

Edward Jurium Bordeaux & brother Bishop Skidmore Bordeaux

Bishop Skidmore Bordeaux

Emma & Bishop Bordeaux

Marshall Bishop Bordeaux & Nannie Ruth Bordeaux

Marshall Bishop Bordeaux, Nannie Ruth Bordeuax, & Eugene Asbury Bordeaux