Summary

In March of 1740, an enslaved woman named Bradiguene traveled to the office of the Intendant in New Orleans. There, she faced a crowd of enslavers who gathered to bid for her purchase. As property of the King, Bradiguene likely lived on the King’s plantation, located on the present-day West Bank of New Orleans in Algiers and Gretna and home to a large community of enslaved people.¹ During the height of the slave trade to French-controlled Louisiana, enslaved people originating from Senegambia, the Bight of Benin, and the Congo regions who disembarked in Louisiana traveled first to the King’s plantation before enslavers gathered to purchase them. On this day, Bradiguene crossed the Mississippi River to the Vieux Carré where Nicolas Henry, the Clerk of the Superior Council, purchased her and inscribed this sale permanently into the archive.

Transcription
Translation
Notes

Transcription (French, diplomatic)

[feuille 1 recto] [digital 2]

[Marginalia:] 23 Mars 1740 Vente d’une Negresse Bradiguene Cotté N.^o443.

fo 14 (2827.) (14586.)

[Corps:]

Lan mil sept Cent quarante le vingt troisième jour
du mois de mars En vertu de lordonnance de monsieur
de Salmon Commissaire de la marine ordonnateur et premier Juge au Con^eil Superieur de la Louisianne
Il a eté publié et affiché dans tous les Endroits
de cette ville dimanche Dernier vingtieme
du present mois et Rendüe publique Cejourd_ huy au son du tambour dans tous les Carrefour
de cette ville, et s[‘]y estant trouvé nombres D[‘]enchérisseurs Nous Jean Baptiste Claude Bobé Desclauseaux, Con^eer de la marine accompagné du Greffier Con^ee
sommes
transporté a lIntendance a l’effet de proceder
a la vente et adjudication dune negresse Nommé Bradiguene appartenant au Roy après avoir fait publier que toutes personnes Seront recues a y Encherir en payant comptant Le prix de leur adjudication et ap[r]e[s] avoir Eté Enchery par diverses personnes Jusque A la somme de deux milles livres par le sieur Henry et ne s’y estant trouvé dautres Encherisseurs Lad[ite] negresse luy a été adjugé et a payé a l Instant comptant Lad[ite] Somme de deux mille Livres En

[f. 1 verso] [dig. 3]

Mains du tresorier de la Marine En Cette Colonie au moyen de quoy Il demeure bon et Libre possesseur de la[dite] Esclave pour En jouir Comme d[‘]un bien a luy appartenant fait à L’hotel de l Intendance Les Susd[it] jour mois Et an et a signé
[Signé:] henry [Signé:] Bobé Desclosseaux

Translation (English, modern)

[page #1] [digital 2]

[Marginal note:] March 23, 1740 Sale of a Negresse Bradiguene Numbered N.^o</sup443.

fo 14 (2827.) (14586.)

[Body:]

In the year one thousand seven hundred and forty on the twenty-third day of the month of March by virtue of the order of Monsieur de Salmon, Commissaire of the Navy, ordonnateur, and first judge of the Superior Council of Louisiana It was published and posted in all parts of this city last Sunday, the twentieth of this month, and made public today by the sound of the drum at all public squares
of this city, and there being found a number of bidders, we, Jean Baptiste Claude
Bobé Desclauseaux, Commissary of the Navy, accompanied by the Clerk of the Council, went to the Intendant² for
the purpose of proceeding with the sale and auction of a negresse named Bradiguene belonging to the King after having made public that all people will be received to bid for her by paying in cash The price of their adjudication/auction and after having been bid for by various people until the sum of two thousand livres [bid/offered] by the Sieur Henry and not having found other
bidders, the aforementioned negresse was adjudicated to him and paid immediately in cash the said sum of two thousand livres in[to] the

[p. #2] [dig. 3]

hands of the treasurer of the Navy in this Colony by means of which he remains the rightful and free possessor of the aforementioned slave to enjoy
as a possession belonging to him, made at the office of the Intendant the above mentioned day, month, and year and signed [Signed:] [Nicolas] Henry [Signed:] [Jean Baptiste Claude] Bobé Desclosseaux

Notes