USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Cahokia > Cahokia records, 1778-1790 > Part 55
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ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
laisser tous les Biens entre les mains de ma femme pendant Son veuvage jusqua ce que les garçons Soient en age et pour lors chacun d'eux a mesure quils viendront En age tireront leur part mais S'il paroit aux Executeurs testementaires qu'il y ait la moin- dre aparance de degat dans les Biens. cest mon intention quil le prenne entre leurs mains et le place au plus avantageux pour le Benefice des Enfans Et par le present je desaprouve, revoque et Ennule tous les autres testaments anterieurs a celui ci ainsi que les Executeurs par moi nommés ci devant dans mes pre- cedants legs et intentions, je rattifie Et confirme ce present, et aucun autre pour etre mon testament et mes dernieres intentions, En concequance de quoy jy ay posé ma Signature Et mon cachet ce trente unieme jour de May, Lan de notre Seigneur mil Sept cent quatre vingt sept signé James Moore & cachet { signé Cacheté Lû prononcé et declaré par ledt James moore comme Son testament Et Ses dernieres intentions en presence de nous qui en sa presence Et en presence de chacun de Nous avons Signé nos Noms ci des- sous Signé Michel Huff-John Slaughter + Sa marque - frs. Clark - et plus Bas est Ecrit je certiffie la presente traduction Conforme a la original Signé L Dorsiere
Enregistré conforme a la traduction par moy Nre Publique Soussigué.
Labuxiere Nre P.
aujourdhuy troisieme jour de Septembre mil Sept cent quatre vingt huit est comparû au greffe et»Notaria du poste des cahos aux ilinois le Sr jean Bte Dumay habitant dudt lieu porteur de Son contract de mariage avec felicité Peltier Son Epouze passé devant Mr Labuxiere Nre audt lieu des cahos En datte du dixe jour de juin mil Sept cent quatre vingt Six par lequel il apert la donnation que ledt Comparant a fait de tous Ses Biens meubles Et immeubles quil laissera au jour Et heure de Son trepas a ladite felicité Peltier. la dite donnation portée Sur Son Contract de mariage contenant ce qui Suit. Et ledit futur Epoux pour donner des preuves dune veritable affection a ladite future Epouse et luy . marquer qu'il veut Bien Servir d'un veritable pere a Ses Enfans ayant accepté leur tutelle pr veiller a leurs interest et les aider de
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CLERK'S RECORD, SEPTEMBER, 1788
they take it in their hands and place it to the best advantage for the interest of the children. And by the present I disapprove, revoke and annul all other testaments previous to this as well as the executors named by me herebefore in my previous wills and testaments. I ratify and confirm this present and no other to be my last will and testament; in consequence of which I have set thereon my signature and my seal, this thirty-first day of May in the year of our Lord 1787. Signed James Moore { his } Signed, sealed, read, pronounced and declared by the said James Moore to be his last will and testament in his presence and in the presence of us, who, in his presence and in the presence of each of us, have signed our names hereunder. Signed Michel Huff, John Slaugh- ter + his mark, Francis Clark. And below is written, I certify that the present translation conforms to the original. Signed, L. Dorsiere.
Registered, according to the translation, by me, the undersigned notary public.
Labuxiere, N. P.
To-day, the third day of September, 1788, there appeared at the office and notariat of the post of Cahokia in the Illinois, M. Jean Bte. Dumay, inhabitant of the said place, bearer of his contract of marriage with Felicité Pelletier, his wife, passed before M. Labuxiere, notary, in the said place of Cahokia under date of the tenth day of June, 1786, in which there appears the donation which the said appearer has made of all his property, personal and real, which he shall leave on the day and hour of his death, to the said Felicité Pelletier. The said donation is contained in his con- tract of marriage and is as follows: And the said future husband, in order to give proofs of a veritable affection to the said future wife and to show her that he wishes to serve as a true father to her children, the guardianship of whom he has accepted, to watch over
1
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ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
Ses avis Et conseil Et marquer a la future Epouse une veritable amitié, il luy a fait a Elle Seule donnation pure Simple Entre vif Et a jamais irrevocable En la meilleure forme que donnation puisse valoir de tous les Biens meubles et immeubles quil lais- sera au jour et heure de Son trepas En cas quil decedde Sans En- fans avant la dite future epouse Et meme de ladite somme de dix mille Sept cent quatre livres portée En Linvantaire dudt dumay pour en jouir disposer et apartenir a ladite future Epouse Sans retour comme de Chose a Elle apartenante de plain luy en don- nant toute proprieté Sans que personne y puisse pretendre au- cunne Chose, comme un bien quil a acquis et gagné par ces pen- ibles travaux dont ladite future Epouse Sera libre de disposer a sa mort En faveur de qui Bon lui semblera Sans que les Enfans dudt picart Son premier mary Et dElle puisse pretendre aucunne chose que ce quelle voudra Bien leur donner cette presente don- nation ainsi faite toutes fois au Cas quil ny ait aucunes enfans vivants nez ni a naitre dudt futur mariage dudt dumay et de la- dite future Epouse car au cas dEnfant ladite donnation Sera nule de plain droit et Sans difficulté &c. Ce requerant ledt jean Bte dumay insinuation de la dite donnation, Nous lavons insinué et enregistré Sur les registres de cette jurisdiction aprés en avoir fait lecture, pour servir Et valoir ce que de raison a la dite felictié peltier. et a ledit dumay fait sa marque ordre ne sachant signer lesdt jour et an
marque + de jean Bte dumay
Labuxiere
aujourdhuy vingt quatre mars mil sept Cent quatre vingt neuf est comparu jean marie dorion tuteur de la mineure lamarche demeurant aux Cahos lequel nous a requis lenregistrement du billet cy aprés.
Je Joseph Robidoub Soussigné declare devoir Et promet payer dans le courant du mois doctobre de lannée mil sept cent quatre vingt dix a lordre de Mr jean marie dorion la Somme de sept Cent piastres En Bon courant ou la valeur en pelterie de
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CLERK'S RECORD, MARCH, 1789
their interests and to aid them with his counsel, and to show the future wife a true affection, has made to her alone a true and simple donation inter vivos and irrevocable, in the best form that donation can be made valid, of all the personal and real property which he shall leave on the day and hour of his death, in case that he dies without children before the said future wife, and also of the said sum of ten thousand seven hundred livres contained in the inventory of the said Dumay, to enjoy, dispose of and to belong to the said future wife without requital as a thing belong- ing to her, and he gives it to her in full proprietorship so that no person can make any pretense thereto, as it is property which he has acquired by his labor, of which the said future wife shall be free to dispose at her death in favour of whom it seems best to her, and so that the children of the said Picart, her first husband, and of herself can make claim to nothing except what she shall be willing to give them. This present donation is so made, however, in case only that there are no living children born or to be born of the said future marriage of the said Dumay and the said future wife. In case of a child the said donation shall be null in full right and without difficulty etc. The said Jean Bte. Dumay requiring the registration of the said donation, we have inscribed and registered it on the records of this magistracy, after having made a reading thereof, that it may be of use and validity to the said Felicité Pelletier, of which this act will testify. And the said Dumay has made his mark, not knowing how to sign, the said day and year.
Mark + of
Labuxiere.
Jean Bte. Dumay.
To-day, the twenty-fourth of March, 1789, there appeared Jean Marie Dorion, guardian of the minors Lamarche, dwelling at Cahokia, who has required of us the registration of the follow- ing note:
I, the undersigned Joseph Robidou, declare that I owe and promise to pay in the course of the month of October of the year, 1790, to the order of M. Jean Marie Dorion the sum of seven hun- dred piastres in current bons, or the value in peltries of receipt at
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ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
(52, 1789.)
Recette au prix Courant de Lecheance pour un Negre quil ma vendue Nommé Minan agé dEnviron trente Cinq ans provenant de la Sucession de feu Buet Et pour plus grande Sureté du Sr dorion. je Soussigné auguste Chouteaud me rend garant Et caution de la Susdite Somme de Sept cent piastres Et m'oblige la payer comme En faisant ma propre affaire Et debte comme principal debiteur a St Louis le vingt Mars mil Sept cent quatre vingt neuf. signé J H Roubidoub. pr. caution augte Chouteau. 700 Piastres.
Et a linstant remis ledt Billet En original audt Sr jean marie dorion qui a declaré ne savoir signer et a fait sa marque ordre.
marque de + Jean Marie dorion Labuxiere greffier W Arundel temoin
Know All Men by these presents that we Edward William Gray Esquire William Goodall, John Lilly, Peter Bouthiellier, and Robert Cruickshanks merchants executers of the last will and Testiment of William Kay late of Montreal in the district of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec merchant deceas'd Have made Ordained, authorized, constituted and appointed and by these presents DO make Ordain, authorize, constitute and appoint Josiah Bleakley late of michelimakinac, but now of Montreal aforesaid merchant, Our true and Lawful attorney, for us, and in our name or (otherwise) and to and for our use as Executors as aforesaid, to ask demand sue for recover and receive of and from all and every person or persons whatsoever whom it doth, shall or may concern, and particularly of and from David McCrai, David McCrai and Co, Pierre antoine Tabeau, Jean Baptiste morelle, James Aaron Holt, and Charles Gratiot at michel- makinac or elsewhere in the upper Country, all such sum and Sums of money Debts Dues and Demands whatsoever, as are due, owing payable or belonging to the said William Kay at the time of his Decease, and now are or hereafter may become due, owing, payable or belonging to as the Executors of his said last Will and Testament, for or by reason of any cause, matter or thing what- soever and to compound and agree to take less than the whole for
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CLERK'S RECORD, OCTOBER, 1789
the current price at maturity, for a negro, which he has sold me, named Minan, aged about thirty-five years, coming from the estate of the late Buyat; and for greater security of M. Dorion, I, the undersigned Auguste Chouteau, hold myself as guarantor and surety of the aforesaid sum of seven hundred piastres and pledge myself to pay it as if it was my own business and debt as principal debtor. At St. Louis, the twentieth of March, 1789. Signed, J. H. Robidou. For surety, Auguste Chouteau, 700 piastres.
And now the said note in original was returned to the said M. Jean Marie Dorion, who has declared that he did not know how to sign and has made his mark.
Mark of + Jean Marie Dorion.
Labuxiere, Clerk.
W. Arundel, witness.
Know all men by these presents that we, Edward William Gray Esquire, William Goodall, John Lilly, Peter Bouthiellier and Robert Cruickshanks, merchants, executors of the last will and testament of William Kay, late of Montreal in the district of Montreal in the province of Quebec, merchant deceased, have made, ordained, authorized, constituted and appointed and by these presents do make, ordain, authorize, constitute and appoint Josiah Bleakley, late of Michillimakinac but now of Montreal aforesaid, merchant, our true and lawful attorney, for us and in our name or (otherwise) and to and for our use, as executors as aforesaid, to ask, demand, sue for, recover and receive of and from all and every person of persons whatsoever whom it doth, shall or may concern, and particularly of and from David McCrae, David McCrae and Co, Pierre Antoine Tabeau, Jean Baptiste Morelle; James Aaron Holt and Charles Gratiot at Michillimakinac or elsewhere in the upper country, all such sum and sums of money, debts, dues and demands whatsoever, as are due, owing, payable or belonging to the said William Kay at the time of his decease, and now are or herafter may become due, owing, payable or belonging to as the executors of his said last will and testament, for or by reason of any cause, matter or thing whatsoever and to compound and agree to take less than the whole for all or any of
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ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
all or any of the debts or Demands aforesaid, where the whole in all appearance cannot be got, And upon payment, recovery or receipt thereof or of any part or parts thereof, Acquittances, or other Good and sufficient discharges in the Law for the same, for us and in our names as Executors as aforesaid accordingly to make, Seal and deliver, and Generally to do, transact, manage and perform all other matters and things any wise relating to the premises in such manner as to our said attorney shall appear most advisable and Expedient as fully amply and effectually in all respects as if the most special powers were to our Said Attorney for the purposes aforesaid by us given, or as we ourselves might or could do personally, AND an Attorney or Attornies under him for the purposes aforesaid, with the like or more limited powers, to make and at his pleasure to revoke.
HEREBY allowing ratifying and confirming all and what- soever our said Attorney or his Substitute or Substitutes shall Lawfully do or cause to be done in or about the Premises by Virtue of these Presents IN WITNESS whereof we have hereunto sett our hands & Seals the twenty fifth day of April in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Seven Hundred & Eighty Eight.
Signed Seal'd and
deliver'd in the presence of
Jn Bouthillier Sam1 Genard
Edwd Wm Gray [LS]
WV Goodall ELS
John Lilly [LS
P Bouthillier [LS
R Cruickshank [LS]
Lequel Enregistrement a Eté fait a la requisition du Mr Charles Grassiot conforme a loriginal Et transcrit par me jean dumoulin Negt au deffaud par moy Nre d'Entendre la langue Englaise aux Cahos le 28 8bre 1788
Ch Gratiot Jn Dumoulin Josiah Bleakley
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CLERK'S RECORD, OCTOBER, 1788
the debts or demands aforesaid, where the whole in all appearance cannot be got; and upon payment, recovery or receipt thereof or of any part or parts thereof, acquittances or other good and suf- ficient discharges in the law for the same, for us and in our names as executors as aforesaid, accordingly to make, seal and deliver and generally to do, transact, manage and perform all other matters and things anywise relating to the premises in such manner as to our said attorney shall appear most advisable and expedient as fully, amply and effectually in all respects as if the most special powers were to our said attorney for the purposes aforesaid by us given, or as we ourselves might or could do personally; and an attorney or attorneys under him for the purposes aforesaid, with the like or more limited powers, to make and at his pleasure to re- voke.
Hereby allowing, ratifying and confirming all and whatsoever our said attorney, or his substitute or substitutes shall lawfully do or cause to be done in or about the premises by virtue of these presents. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals the twenty-fifth day of April in the year of the Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight.
Signed, sealed and
delivered in the presence of
Jn. Bouthiellier
Samuel Genard.
Edw. Wm. Gray [LS]
Wm. Goodell [LS]
Jonne Lilly [LS]
P. Bouthiellier [LS]
R. Cruickshank [LS]
This registry was made on the requisition of M. Charles Gra- tiot and conforms to the original and was transcribed by me, Jean Dumoulin, merchant, in default of a knowledge of the English language by me, notary, at Cahokia, October 28, 1788.
Ch. Gratiot. Jean Dumoulin. Josiah Bleakley.
CAHOKIA DOCUMENTS. French
GRATIOT TO G. R. CLARK, FEBRUARY 3, 1779.
Monsieur
Je suis au desespoir que mes affaires icy soyent dans le cas de me priver de me joindre avec nos jeunes gens, pour vous prouver le desir que j'aurais en toute occasion de vous témoigner mon attachemt et mon Zêle en tout ce qui vous regarde, et vous as- surer en même tems de l'affection que vous vous ete sy dignement acquise de tous les citoyens de ce Village, dont je me flatte que dans toute les occasions vous les verrés Zêlé et devoué entière- ment a tout ce qui conserne les Interest de la Cause dont vous etes le deffenseur dans ce pays. Pour ce qui me regarde, comme je suis dans la triste Necessité de rester, cy je puis vous etre icy de quelques utilité, j'espère que vous n'epargnerés pas dans auqu'une occasion celui qui est pour la vie
Votre trés humble & Devoué Serviteur Ch Gratiot
NB: Mes respect s'il vous plait le Capn Bowman et tous vos officers vous obligere infiniment C Gt.
Aux Cahos le 3ª Fevrier 1779
[On the reverse] Jespere qu'au Retour de votre Campagne nous aurons le plaisir de vous voir en notre Village, et que vous viendrés avec vos Messieurs nous aider a boire Notre Vin, dont je crains bien que cy vous tardis longtems il ne Surisse de telle maniere quil n'y ast plus moyen den boire.
1 The following documents come from several archives. This collection does not con- tain all the stray papers from Cahokia of the period, but it does contain all the important known documents, hitherto unprinted. Several documents from the Dr. MSS. were published by F. J. Turner in Amer. Hist. Rev., viii., 491 et seq. Other papers have been printed by M. I. J. Griffin in Amer. Cath. Hist Researches, New Series, ii., 3. The classification into French and English documents was necessitated by the composition of the book.
526
CAHOKIA DOCUMENTS.1 FRENCH.
GRATIOT TO G. R. CLARK, FEBRUARY 3, 1779.2
Sir:
I am in despair because my affairs here are in such condition that they prevent me from joining with our young men, in order to prove to you the desire which I have of testifying to you on every occasion my attachment and zeal in all that concerns you, and to assure you at the same time of the affection, which you have so worthily earned from all the citizens of this village, whom, I flat- ter myself, you will see on all occasions zealous for and entirely devoted to everything which concerns the interest of the cause, of which you are the defender in this country. As far as I am con- cerned, since I am under the sad necessity of remaining behind, if I can be of any use here, I hope that you will not spare, on any occasion, him who is for life
your very humble and devoted servant,
Charles Gratiot.
N. B. My respects, please, to Captain Bowman and all your officers and you will oblige infinitely
C. Gratiot.
At Cahokia, February 3, 1779.
[On the reverse] I hope that on the return from your campaign we shall have the pleasure of seeing you in our village and that you will come with your gentlemen to aid us in drinking our wine, but I fear that if you delay a long time, it will come about that there will be no longer means of drinking any.
2 Dr. MSS., 49J3, original manuscript. The letter was written to Clark at the time he was preparing to set out for Vincennes. Dr. Louise Phelps Kellogg kindly collated the proof of all the documents from the Draper MSS., printed in this volume, with the originals.
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ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
MCCARTY TO HIS WIFE, APRIL 28, 1779.
Ma chere femme Voila la derniere foy que je vous ecrit cet anné un des postes de St. Martin et celuy par votre frere laid &c. depuis quelque tems je necesse de rever de vous et ma chere fille je vouderette a dieu que vous pouvroient etre ici, je craigne fort pour eux et vous tacher ma chere femme de venir avec quelqu'un me rejoindre ici avec eux est il possible ma chere que vous ne pouvroit point trouver quelqu'un Voila Mad. la Captitaine Mc- Durald souhait que vous estoit ici pour me voire en ma habit d'ordonnance Je suis Capitaine dans la Bataillon des Islnois et aide de Camp du Commandant en chef du department ouest. Voila vous me dira bien de avancement subite mais il est vray; je cherche dans cet temps de trouble de affixer un Bien etre pour nos Enfants et je ne peut le faire pour nous, mais cy vous estoit rie vous seray bien en cas de ma mort, Votre pention est assure en s'adressant a l'Etat ou Republique de Virginie. Mon Moulin en mon absence par la grand Abbat de pluie est encore partes mais mon General m'ait promis de faire camper un Regement dans le beau temps au moulin pour la remettre tacher donc ma chere femme de venir me joindre je ne doute point que vous en- tenderoient parler de moy car j'ai eu Bon part dans la prise de Gouverneur Hamilton et je me flatte que je lui ait rendû service dont il a eu besoin par sa meurteure qu'il faisoit commettre journalmt sur les femmes et les Enfants de mes Compatriotes et je croy que cy le Traitteur de Mississippi me rend justice je suis chere a eux par le soin que je en ai prise vis a vis les sauvages &c. et que je prend constammnet. Chere femme tacher de me rejoin- dre et votre famille, vous cousine espere cela au moins cy vous me haissoit point je suis en esperant de vous y voire avec estime et respect a grand mere, mama oncle Baby & Tant & les francais sont nos alliés.
Votre affectioné marie Richard M. Carty Capne Islinois Batallion
1 Can. Archives, B., 182, p. 71, from a copy. All the copies from the Haldimand Collec- tion printed in this volume were furnished by the Canadian Archives.
529
LETTER FROM MCCARTY, APRIL, 1779
MCCARTY TO HIS WIFE, APRIL 28, 1779.1
My dear wife :- This is the last time that I shall write you this year, one by the posts of St. Martin and that by your brother etc.2 For some time past I have had to dream of you and my dear daughter. I wish to God that you might be here, since I have great fear for them and you. Try, my dear wife, to come with some one to join me here with them. Is it possible, my dear, that you cannot find any one? There is Madame Captain McDurald who wishes that you were here to see me in my uniform of orderly. I am captain in the Illinois battalion and aid-de-camp of the com- mander in chief of the western department. There you are, you will tell me, very suddenly advanced; but it is true I am seeking in this time of trouble to establish a fortune for our children and I cannot do it for ourselves; but if that be nothing to you [?], you will be well fixed in case of my death. Your pension is assured by sending to the State or Republic of Virginia. My mill in my absence has been carried away by the great downpour of rain; but my general has promised me that he will have a regiment en- camp in the spring at the mill in order to set it up again. Try then, my dear wife, to come and join me. No doubt you have heard people speak of me, for I was prominent in the capture of Governor Hamilton, and I flatter myself that I rendered him service, of which he has had need on account of the murders, which he has caused to be committed daily on the wives and children of my compatriots; and I believe that, if the traders of the Mississippi render me justice, I am dear to them on account of the care which I have taken against the savages etc and which I am taking constantly. Dear wife, try to join me and your family; your cousin hopes it, if you do not hate me. I am living in hope of seeing you here. With esteem and respect to grandmother, mamma, uncle, baby and aunt; and the French are our allies.
Your affectionate husband
Richard McCarty, Captain Illinois Battalion.
2 The first sentence, like others in the letter, is difficult to interpret.
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ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
Cahos 28 avril 1779
Addressed a Madame MacCarty Chez sa mere a Montreal.
Endorsed: Letter from one Richard MacCarty at Cahos to his wife at Montreal, dated the 28th April 1779. Recd the 24th of July.
INHABITANTS OF CAHOKIA TO G. R. CLARK, APRIL II, 1780. A L'Honorable George Rogers Clark Equier
Colonel et Commandant en Chef des troupes de l'Etat de Vir- ginie dans le Comté des Illinois et ses dependances &c: &c: &c: Monsieur
Dans la situation deplorable ou nous nous trouvons á present, nous vous députons la personne de Monsieur Charles Gratiot l'un de nos citoyens, pour vous representer notre detresse, et la Calamité ou les Nations Sauvage de tous cotés nous Reduisent; Nous Sommes a la Veille d'étre attaqué dans notre Village par des Partis consid- erable de Sauvages, et de ne pouvoir travailler a la Culture de nos terres cy nous N'avons de prompt Secours; C'est pourquoi nous prenons la liberté de nous adresser a vous, par la confiance et l'esperance que nous avons de votre bonté et de l'affection que vous nous avés toujours temoignée, Mais ce qui nous afflige le plus en cas que vous envoya tant icy du Monde, que nous n'eus- sions pas les provisions qui leur Seraint necessaire; Monsieur Gratiot pouvé facilement vous instruire des facultés de notre village et l'avons chargé de conferer avec vous a cet effet, y ayant mis toute notre confiance et que vous ne travaillera de Concert que pour nous procurer la paix et la tranquilité et ne cesserons de faire des Voeux au Ciel pour votre Conservation et prosperité.
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