Summary

In October of 1735, sisters Marie Charlotte and Louise gained their freedom from their enslaver Charles St. Pierre de St. Julien. Identified as the daughters of negresse Calaix dit Gaigné, their mother remained enslaved to St. Pierre de St. Julien. Almost a year later, in September 1736, St. Pierre de St. Julien died.¹ The Attorney for Vacant Estates, Raymond Amyault D’Ausseville, claimed that St. Pierre de St. Julien owed money to the Company of the Indies. On the second page of this record, D’Ausseville voided the manumission of Marie Charlotte, forcing her back into slavery to pay the debt of her former enslaver. Over the next ten years, Marie Charlotte waged a legal battle to secure her manumission and the wages she lost while enslaved.²

Transcription
Translation
Notes

Transcription (French, diplomatic)

[feuille 1 recto] [digital 2] (23589.)

Je soussigné s^t. Pierre de s^t Jullien Reconnoit avoir ce jourdhuy donné pleine et entiere Liberté a marie charlotte et Loüise negrites filles de Calaix d^[i]t[e] Gaigne³ ma negresse tant pour les bons et agreables services que nous Rendus lesd[its] enfan[t]s que pour autres Raisons particullieres de Conscience et Consent que lesd[its] Charlotte et Louise jouissent des a present des mesmes privileges que peuvent avoir toutes personnes Libres bien entendu quils observeront Le Respect quils doivent toujours avoir pour les Blancs et pour mieux assurer Lesd[its] Libertés desd[its] enfants Joblige et hypoteque tous mes autres biens meubles et Immeubles presents et advenir sans excepter aucuns de mes autres Esclaves tant pour ceque Je puis devoir a la Compagnie des Indes qu’a d’autres particulliers voulant et Entendant que personne ne puisse a lavenir Leur disputer Leur Liberté ny rien Leur demander p[our] [tear in page] quelle Raison que ce puisse estre, Commaussy quils puissent sestablir ou bon leur semblera des quils seront en age de former un Etablissement

[f. 1 verso] [dig. 3]

(23590.)

Le present Consentement fait double en presence des temoins soussigné a la Nouvelle orleans Ce neufiesme octobre Mil sept cent trente Cinq [Signé:] charle De S^t pierre chevalier De S^t julien [Signé:] henry temoin [Signé:] aufrere temoin

Liberté non Valide donnée par feu M^r. de S^t. Juillien a Marie [page déchiré] mulatresse a cause que le dit S^r. de St. Jullien devois trois fois plus q^l n’avoit de bien, et que cette Liberté a ete donnée Sans le Consentement de Mess^rs. les Gouverneur et intendant

Translation (English, modern)

[page #1] [digital 2] (23589.)

I, the undersigned St. Pierre, c[alled] St. Julien, recognize having granted today whole and entire Liberty to Marie Charlotte and Louise Negrites, daughters of Calaix c[alled] Gaigne, my negresse, as much [in return] for the good and agreeable services that the aforesaid children rendered us as for particular reasons of conscience and consent, that the aforesaid Charlotte and Louise enjoy from the present time [forward] the same privileges that all free people may have, provided that they will observe the respect that they must always have for white people and in order to better assure the said liberties of the said children, I oblige and mortgage all my other goods, moveable and immoveable, present and future without excepting any of my other esclaves, both for that which I may owe to the Company of the Indies and to other individuals, wanting and intending that no one may in the future dispute their freedom nor ask anything of them for any reason whatsoever, as well as that they may establish themselves wherever they see fit when they are old enough to form an establishment

[p. #2] [dig. 3]

(23590.)

The present consent made double in the presence of the undersigned witnesses, at New Orleans, this ninth of October, one thousand seven hundred and thirty five. [Signed:] Charle[s] de St. Pierre Knight/Chevalier of St. Julien [Signed:] [Nicolas] Henry, witness [Signed:] [Antoine] Aufrere, witness

Freedom not valid, given by the late Mr. de St. Julien to Marie [page torn] mulatresse because the aforementioned Sr. de St. Julien owed three times more than he had in property, and that this freedom was granted without the consent of Messieurs the Governor and the Intendant.

Notes