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1770 | freedom to Louison | FRENCH
This document is described two ways by WPA abstract: first in typewritten words as "Emancipation. Pierre Clermont frees his Indian slave Luison" then with edits in pencil as "Emancipation of Slave Pierre Clermont frees Louison, a Sioux Indian."
Collaboration is restricted.
1772 | interrogation of Bobo and Jacobo | SPANISH
This is a record of the interrogation of two self-liberated Africans by the judge Olivier de Vezin. The two Black men gave their names as Bobo and Jacobo. Transcribing and translating this record will help us know more about Bobo and Jacobo, the questions the judge asked them, and the answers...
Collaboration is restricted.
1776 | dispute between Villier and Armant over trade venture with Native people | FRENCH and SPANISH
Baltazar de Villier, a infantry captain in the Louisiana battalion, claims he gave Joseph Maria Armant, a Natchitoches merchant, 45 thousand pounds to start a trade venture with Indigenous people "of all nations" in 1773 (from the WPA abstract). Three years later, Villier complains to the...
Collaboration is restricted.
1777 | petition by Carlota Castan to administer her own estate | SPANISH
The WPA abstract included with this record, dated July, 28, 1777, tells us that it describes the case of Charlote (Carlota) Castan against her husband, Guillermo Wabster (Webster) "to prevent him from spending all of her money on drink" or "to administer her own estate against drunken...
1782 | petition of Margarita for the freedom of her daughter Naneta | SPANISH
The WPA abstract included here tells us these records records describe efforts of Margarita, a free Black woman (she is called “a free negress” in the 1930s abstract and a “negra libra” in the 1782 record), to petition to obtain the freedom of Naneta, her enslaved daughter. What happens to...
1785 | Agata Juana Francisca and Maria Adelayda Lemelle petition to administer their own property | SPANISH
The WPA abstract included with this record, dated July 29, 1785, describes it as "proceedings instituted by Agata Juana Francisca and Maria Adelayda Lemelle, (free mulattoes ((sic)), to be placed in administration of their inherited property." The abstract also indicates that the petitioners...
1790 | petition by Turner Williams to enter Louisiana in search of Roza, Nelly, Hercules, Chloe, Jean, John, Cesar, Eddy, Sarah, Roger, Judee, Betty, and Venus | SPANISH
The WPA abstract included with this record explains that it is a petition by Turner Williams, who represented Samuel Scott of Georgia and Edouardo Keating of South Carolina and came to New Orleans to search for Roza, Nelly, Hercules, Jean, John, Cesar, Eddy, Sarah, Roger, Judee, Betty, and...
1791 | petition to recover a debt of 200 pesos | FRENCH and SPANISH
This document is dated June 21, 1791. The first page labels it as "Executiuos Seguidos por D.n Santiago Kenedi contra M.r (Malare?), sobre el cobro de pesos" which we might translate as "Actions taken by Don Santiago Kenedi against Monsieur (Malare?) about recovering pesos." The document...
1794 | proceedings against people in gambling party | SPANISH
According to the note included with this document, these twelve sheets contain "official proceedings instituted against several persons charged with gambling in the house of Don Pedro Viroso." The first page of the record tells us that the group of gamblers included "Miguel Pitaluga, Josef...
1798 | memorandum of merchandise needed at the posts | FRENCH
The WPA abstract included with this record dated August 1, 1798, explains that it is a "memorandum of merchandise needed in the Posts at the present time." What kinds of merchandise do people want? Where does this request come from and where is it being sent? Find out more by helping to...