Summary

Two free Black women, Genoveva Junon and Maria Juana, arbitrate the sale and possession of legal title to a plot of land, inclusive of thirty feet of building frontage on which merchant stalls can be placed, on Calle del Arsenal de las Ursulinas (St. Ursulines Ave.) in the French Quarter. This document gives us insight into the merging of French and Spanish property laws in colonial Louisiana under Spanish dominion, as well as the rights of free people of color under that law.

Transcription
Translation
Notes

Transcription (Spanish, diplomatic)

[folio 19 recto] [digital 2]

[Marginalia:]

27 no^bre 1770

Venta

Genoveva
Junon
a
Maria Juana
Negra

[Rubrica, Garic]

(10806.)

[Cuerpo:]

                            (97309.)       19  

En La ciudad del Nubo Orleans y noviembre
veinte y siete de mil setecientos y setenta ans ante \
mi Escribano P.^o porcuid Genoveva Junon negra
Libre vecina de esta ciudad quien dijo que ottorga que
y da en venta real para Siempre Y mas a maria
Juana negra libre vezina tambien de Esta ciudad
y a quien Sus derechos representare trinta pies de
un Solar¹ de frente Sobre el fondo que puede tener
puestos en la calle de S.^ta Ursula Lindada de un
La So de la ottorgante y del otro alterreno de la
sucession del difunto D.ⁿ Joseph des Ruissoux conto=
=dos Susezos costumbres y Servidumbres y todo lo
demas que le pertenece puede pertenecer de fecho y
de derecho Libre de tributo memoria hipoteca ni otra
cargo Senorío ni obligacion Special ni Général y
portal Se Da assegura por precio de cinquenta pes=
=sos fuertes de la qual cantidad Se me ha pagado_
veinte y cǐnco pessos de contado, y Las vente y cinco
restantes deudan pagar Se meal veinte y Siete \
de No.^bre mil Setecientos y Setenta y uno de que Se
Satisface y da por entregado de Los veinte y cinco
pessos y aununcio a Las Leyes De La non numerata
pecunia nia intrega ã prueba y ottorga recivo
in forma y declara que el Justto ivalor del dicho__
Solar son las dichas cinquenta pessos y del que mas
puede tener en qual^alquiera forma y cantidad Le haza
gracia y donacion peuro perfecto y’a eabado a la dhal
cumprodora intervivos con intimación y Renuncia
La Ley del ordenamien^to real fecha Las cortas de alcal[a]

—[Rubrica, Forstall]—

[f. 19 verso] [dig.3]

[Marginalia:]

(97310.)

[Cuerpo:]

de henores y los quatro ans para repetir el ingreso
y Las demas Leyes que con ella concuerdan y desde
oy de adelante La ottoro ante Sede Supoderdesiste
y aparte de la accion propriedad Senoris y posse=
sseion titulo vosy recurso y otro qualquiera derecho
que Le pertenesea al dhõ solar y todo illo Locedo
anuncia y traspassa en la dhã Maria Juana
comprador y en quin sucediere en su derechos para
que como propia Suya La possé goze cambié y
Enagene a Su voluntad como dueño del solar dor Sin
dependencia alguna y Le da poder el que le
se quiere Constituindo la en Su Lugar mismõ y en
Su fielo y causa propia para que por Su autoridad
ô judicialen^te y a pretenda possession y tenencia
del dhô Solar y Se obliga a la evicion seguridad
y saneomiento de esta venta en tal manera
que de qualquera plieto debate o distrerencia que
Sobre ella fuere movido los Seguira y destendza
a Sus costas hasta de jarle en queta possession__
osino Le Bolvere Los dhos cinquenta pessos Las Labores
y aumentos que ubiera echos Sobre dhô Solar, y el mas
valor adquirido con el tiempo y Los daños y costas
que Se Le Siquieren y quiere que Se Le execute consolo
Su Juramento en que Lo difiere y haviendo tambien
paresido maria Juana cumpradora quz ha Sido
presente a todo lo dicho dijo que accepto esta
Escritura e todo ê portodo ê segun y como Se ha
referido y recive en esta venta el dhô Solar én Cuya
propiedad y possession Le da por entregrada a

—[Rubrica, Forstall]—

[f. 20r] [dig.4]

[Marginalia:]

(97311.)

[Cuerpo:]

                                 20  

Su voluntad, y anuncio las Leyes De La Entrega
ê prueba ê por esta Seobliga de pagar a La dhâ
attorgante Los vientey cinco pessos restantes en
el plazo assignado, y por la firmesa de esta
escritura ambas partes por Lo que a cada una
le toca obligan sus personas y bienes avisos y
por Saver, y La cumpradora obliga specialm.^te
dhô Solar. Sin que La obligacion gral perjudi=
=que a La Especial ni La una a la otra, Sin que
pueda Ser vendido Primero que no Se accabe y
finalize el pagamiento, y dan poder a Las___
Justicias para que Los apremian cumplim.^to
de Esta cada uno por lo que le toca, como Si fuera
Sentencia definitiva de Sus competente passada
en coza Jusgada y por ellas consentido, y renuncian
Las Leyes de Su favory La Grãl en forma Entesti=
=monio de que ottorgan la presentte Siendo testigo

D.ⁿ Fran.^co Goudeau D.ⁿ Luis Liotau D.ⁿ Salomon=

=molinez, vezinos de esta ciudad, y no Saviendo

Las partes firmar La hizieron por Genoveva

Junan, D.ⁿ Fran.^co Goudeau unos de los testigos y
por maria Juana D.ⁿ Luis liotau otro testigos de
que yo Es.^no doy feé que conosco___

Por Genoveva Junon,

[Firmado:] Fran.^co Goudeau

Por maria Juana

[Firmado:] Louis Liotau [Rubrica, Liotau]

[f. 20v] [dig.5]

[en blanco]

Translation (English, modern)

[page #1] [digital 2]

[Marginal note:]

27 November 1770
Sale
[by] Genoveva
Junon
to
Maria Juana,

Negra

[Rubric, Garic]

(10806)

[Body:]

In the City of New Orleans on November
twenty-seven, seventeen-hundred and seventy, before the notary public for the city, Genoveva Junon, negra libre, homeowner of this city, I state that I grant that which is to be sold in perpetuity to Maria Juana, negra libre and also homeowner of this city, and to whom rights are drawn-out, [for] thirty feet of un solar of building frontage on which can be placed stalls on St. Ursuline Ave., bordered on one side by the granter [Junon] and on the other land [belonging] to the succession of the deceased Don Joseph des Rouissoux, with all its mores and easements and everything else that belongs to it, to hold de facto and de jure, free of estate tax, hypothèque²] or other seigneurial charge, nor special or general obligation, and [that] portability is assured for the price of fifty pesos fuertes [or one real de a ocho], of which amount I have been paid twenty-five pesos in cash, and the twenty-five remaining [pesos] debt will be paid to me on the twenty-seventh of November seventeen-hundred and seventy-one, by which is satisfied, with the committed twenty-five pesos, and I make notice, [according] to the non-numerary pecuniary laws [of succession], proof of surrender, and grant receipt in [customary] form, and declare that the just value of the solar is the said fifty pesos, of which [obligations] are contracted regardless of form and quantity, as it pleases the aforesaid buyer, and [is] placed into living trust [for any legitimate beneficiaries] with [quitclaim] deed of surrender according to the law [as set forth under] the Royal Ordinance of Alcalá

—[Rubric, Forstall]—

[p. #2] [dig.3]

[Marginal note:]

(97310)

[Body:]

de Henares, and four years recurring revenue, and other statutes which with she is accorded, and that from today forward [she] is granted under her power, [that which I] abandon claim [to], apart from [this] senior ownership action [hypothèque], possession [of] title, recourse, and any other rights that pertain to the aforementioned plot, and I cede everything, proclaim and transfer in the [name of] the aforesaid Maria Juana, buyer, to whom shall succeed rights so that she can as her own enjoy, exchange, and
dispose of at will as owner of the development, without any dependency, and on her power as she wantsconstituted there in her same place, infaith and proper cause by her authority or judgment, and claim possession and tenure of the said plot, is obliged to security inspection and sanitation of this purchase in such a manner that any plight, complaint, or disturbance that arises over it be actuated, easing her costs until it [the property] leaves her possession,or else she shall return the aforementioned fifty pesos, [and] the [costs of any] labor and improvements that had been completed on the aforementioned solar, and the increase [in] value [which has] appreciated over time, as well as [any] damages and costs that follow [from] it, and [she] wants that it is executed with only her oath, to which she defers, and having also appeared Maria Juana, buyer, that has beenpresent to all [that has been] said, [she] has said that she accepts this deed in full in accordance with how it [has been] related and received in the sale of the said solar on whose ownership and possession [she] deems delivered to

—[Rubric, Forstall]—

[p. #3] [dig.4]

[Marginal note:]

(97311)

[Body:]

                                    20  

her will, and announces by the Laws of Surrender evidence that she is obliged to pay the aforesaid guarantor the remaining twenty-five pesos within the assigned time limit, and by the signature of this deed, both parties, as far as each are concerned, bind their persons and assets, as they acknowledge, and the buyer specifically is obliged the aforementioned plot of land [solar] without the general obligation [bond] being prejudiced by the special assessment [bond], or one to the other, without which the sale cannot be made. Firstly, [in that if] the payment is not completed and finalized, [thus] they [would] empower the judges so that they may compel compliance [and fulfillment] of this, each of their part, as it were, definitive of their competent judgment in past adjudicated matters, and by them are consented, and renounce [quitclaim][according to] the Laws of Favor, and [in] the general form, in which testimony they grant [all of] the proceedings, before the witnesses named Don Francisco Goudeau, Don Luís Liotau, and Don Salomon Molinez, homeowners in this city, and [whom] have no prior knowledge of either party. [It has been] done and concluded by Genoveva Junon, Don Francisco Goudeau, two of the witnesses, and by Maria Juana, Don Luis Liotau, [and] the other witness of whom I, the public notary, attest and recognize.

For Genoveva Junon,

[Signed:] Francisco Goudeau

For Maria Juana,

[Signed:] Louis Liotau [Rubric, Liotau]

[p. #4] [dig.5]

[blank]

Notes