Quinones, Estevan de, notary public
New Orleans, Louisiana

These copies of documents concerning the removal of Father Bernard de Deva, O.M.Cap. from the curacy of the church of St. Martin at Atakapas (Attacapas, Louisiana) correspond to the original.

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1792 May. 15

Carondelet, (Francisco Luis Hector) Baron de
New Orleans, (Louisiana)

to (Father) Theodore Tirso Henrique Henriquez, vicar and eccles. judge of Louisiana
(New Orleans)

Official letter. By the accompanying documents Henriquez will learn of the noisy differences between Father Bernard de Deva pastor at Attacapas and Captain Juan de la Villebeuvre commandant and civil and military judge of the same place. Because of this discord factions have sprung up among the inhabitants. A meeting was called at which Don Nicolas Forstall commandant at the neighboring post (______) was present and during which de Deva demanded powers and faculties supposing himself superior to the commandant and infringing on the royal prerogatives. Concord can best be restored by the removal of Father de Deva from the pastorate especially since his life little accords with his ministry as the enclosed documents will show. Therefore after consultation with Don Nicolas Maria Vidal his lieutenant and assessor general Carondelet has resolved to petition Henriquez to give De Deva another assignment; at the same time no doubt Villeveuvre will be removed from the office of commandant.

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1792 Jun. 27

Henriquez, (Father) Theodoro Tirso Henrique
New Orleans

to Don Francisco (Luis Hector) Baron de Carondelet
New Orleans

He has received Carondelet's communications of May 15 in which he requests the removal of Father de Deva from the curacy of Attacapas. He will remove de Deva from Attacapas to the parish of St. Louis in (New Orleans) and put in his place Father Estevan Alexo Viel of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri.

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1792 Jun. 27

Henriquez, (Father Theodoro Tirso Henrique)
New Orleans

Decree: He orders that, in the presence of Quinones, de Deva be informed of his transfer from the parish at Attacapas to that of St. Louis in (New Orleans). Father Joachin de Portillo, O.M.Cap. pastor of said church be informed at the same time.

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1792 Jul. 1

Carondelet, (Francisco Luis Hector) Baron de,
New Orleans

to (Father) Theodoro Tirso Henrique Henriquez
New Orleans
Official letter: He has informed the auditor's office of the province (of Louisiana) of the transfer of Father de Deva.

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1792 Jul.

Deva, O.M.Cap., Father Bernard de
(New Orleans)

to (Father Theodoro Tirso Henrique Henriquez
New Orleans)
Petition: He says that he has been notified of his transfer from Attacapas to New Orleans. Ever since Charles III (of Spain) confided Louisiana to the care of the Capuchin of Castile, de Deva has done the best he could. Having appointed in (17)85 to Iverville, Louisiana he at the same time cared for the vacant parishes of Galveston and La Fourche as well as for Manchack (Manchac) and Baton Rouge, (all in Louisiana). The impossibility of attending all these places caused de Deva to represent the difficulty to Martin Navarro who was then general intendent of the colony. De Deva was removed to Attacapas where the labor was not less but he was aided by Alexander de Clouet lieutenant colonel and commandant at Attacapas. But de Clouet died at New Orleans and was succeeded by de la Villebeuvre. The Church was in a ruinous condition so de Deva appealed to Father Joachin de Portillo at that time vicar of the colony. Portillo notified Estevan Miro who was then governor of the province concerning the affairs at Attacapas. At this point the prosecution of de Deva began. The commandants of Opelousas (______) and of New Iberia (______) leagued themselves with Villebeuvre. Fearing violence to his person he fled from the post leaving Father (______) pastor at Opelousas in charge of the souls at Attacapas. On November 15, 1791 he arrived at New Orleans which place he has not left being detained by the governor (Miro) who wished to defer the matter till the arrival of his successor (Carondelet). De Deva asks to be informed of the charges against himself so that he may clear away all accusations and suspicions and be allowed to return to Spain.

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1792 Jul. 2

Quinones, Estevan de
New Orleans

Decree: Father Theodoro Tirso Henrique grants the request (of De Deva).

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1792 Jul. 6

Henriquez, (Father) Theodoro Tirso Henrique
New Orleans
Judgment: After consultation with Baron de Carondelet he has determined that Father de Deva be informed of the charges against him; that he not be sent to the church of (St. Louis in New Orleans) to which he had been assigned but that he be allowed to return to Spain.

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1792 Jul. (6)

Deva, O.M.Cap., Father Bernard de
(New Orleans)

Quinones informed him of the decree of July 5th by which he was assigned to the chaplaincy of the second battalion of the permanent regiment (of Louisville) in order to fill a vacancy made by the removal of Father Joseph de Villa Provedo, O.M.Cap.. He gives the reasons why he thinks he could do little good in this assignment and asks for a reconsideration of the appointment.

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1792 Jul. 6

Henriquez, (Father) Theodoro Tirso Henrique
New Orleans

He grants Father de Deva's request.

IV-4-i A.D.S. 54pp. 8vo. (Spanish)
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