Background
Bouvier was born in East Hampton, New New York
Bouvier was born in East Hampton, New New York
Yale College; Yale University.
His nickname, "Black Jack", referred to his omnipresent dark tan and his flamboyant lifestyle. He was the eldest of five children born to Major John Vernou Bouvier, Junior. (1865–1948), a successful attorney, and Maude Frances Sergeant (1870–1940).
Bouvier"s great-grandfather, Michel Bouvier (1792–1874), was a French cabinetmaker who left France in 1815 after the defeat of Napoleon.
He settled in Philadelphia, where he opened a cabinet making or furniture shop, making fine furniture for customers including Stephen Girard and Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon"s brother who lived for a time on his estate, Point Breeze in Bordentown, New Jersey. As well as doing fine cabinetry Michel Bouvier had a business distributing firewood.
To support this he acquired large tracts of timber, some of which turned out to be above coal. Michel gained his fortune later in real estate speculation.
Bouvier had a younger brother, William Sergeant "Bud" Bouvier (1893–1929), who died from alcoholism, and three younger sisters, Maude R. Bouvier Davis, Michelle C. Bouvier Scott Putnam, and Edith Ewing Bouvier (wife of Phelan Beale, Senior, mother of Edith Bouvier Beale, Phelan Beale, Junior, and Bouvier Beale).
Bouvier attended Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University. He graduated in 1914. Upon his graduation, he went to work as a stockbroker at his brother-in-law"s firm.
In 1917, Bouvier left the firm to join the United States Navy.
When the Navy proved to be too strenuous, he transferred to the United States Army where he served as a major. Bouvier was discharged in 1919 whereupon he went back to work as a stockbroker on Wall Street.
He spent the majority of his time drinking alone at his New York City apartment located at 125 East 74th Street. In the spring of 1957, Bouvier was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer.
He checked into Lenox Hill Hospital on July 27, 1957 to undergo chemotherapy.
On August 1, he fell into a coma and died two days later on August 3 at the age of 66. Bouvier was portrayed in the 2000 television mini-series Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis by Fred Ward. He was also played by Rod Taylor in the 1981 television movie Jacqueline Bouvier Portrayed by William Devane in the 1991 television miniseries A Woman Named Jackie.
While attending Yale, he was a member of the Book and Snake secret society and the Cloister Club.