1804 Apr. 21
(Carroll, John, Bishop of Baltimore)
Baltimore, Maryland
to (Father Gabriel Richard)
Detroit, (Michigan)
(Carroll) acknowledges (Richard's) letters of July 28 and Sept. 3, 1803 and Feb. 8, 1804. He did not see the first until about Christmas because he was traveling. When he recommended to (Richard) and Father (Jean) Dilhet to advise their parishioners to provide the traveling expenses of another priest he meant this merely as a recommendation. If Richard had reasons for postponing the announcement he is not to be blamed. At the time (Carroll) had fears that all the Sulpicians would be called to France by Father (James) Emery, judging from his letter to Father (Francis) Nagot and himself, but probably will not do so now. (Carroll) would be content to have Dilhet remain with (Richard) if he would be happy and (Richard) so wished, but Father (Michael) Levadoux said something which made (Carroll) think Dilhet might assume too much authority in the parish as (Richard's) senior. (Carroll) proposes that Dilhet take the place of Father (Jean) Rivet at Vincennes, who had died after establishing that parish on a good footing. (Carroll) proposes the separation of the two confreres only because (Richard), being near Canada can receive spiritual ministrations and because the change was suggested by Father Nagot. It appears likewise that Riviere au Raisin can or will not support a priest and (Carroll) thinks the parishioners should be left without one until they learn docility. (Richard) can visit them from time to time from Detroit. He has asked Father (Anthony) Garnier to supply him with some Sulpician who learned English during his exile in England and has hopes because the condition of the clergy who have returned to France is not very happy. (Carroll) approves of the days appointed for the 40 hours indulgence. It is a revival of the practice of the Jesuits to whom (Carroll) formerly belonged and was first introduced by St. Ignatius. It is desirable that the law discipline the wretch who insulted the altar at Makinac. (Carroll) approved of (Richard's) action in removing to Detroit the sacred vessels but suggests that he obtain the consent of the Trustees in a written document with inventories in duplicate, one copy to remain at Makinac. The sets of the synod are not printed but a manuscript copy was carried to Detroit; there is no copy of the ritual left. He is far from disapproving of (Richard's) regulations concerning collections. He had heard of a custom of allowing occasional collections to be taken up by young ladies of high birth, but thinks this would lead to difficulties if persisted in constantly. It is desirable that there be uniformity in the public service in the United States and for that purpose he encloses a copy of the pastoral letter to the faithful of the diocese which will include those statutes about collections. These contemplate only men as collectors. If there be opposition to this rule of the diocese (Richard) is not to push matters until he has conferred with (Carroll) lest the goodwill between pastor and parishioners suffer. (Richard's) friends in the Seminary are well and receive satisfaction in his contentment and good services.
III-2-f A.L.S. 4PP. 8VO.
10
(1804) (May 15)
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1804 Mar. 21
Farjon, Sister Therese de St. Xavier
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
to Thomas Jefferson
(Washington, D.C.)
The U(rsulines) of N(ew) O(rleans), encouraged by the mention made of their order, believe that the deed of transfer and the spirit of justice which characterizes the United States of America, will assure them of the right to their property. Since these are a sacred trust they would like a formal document for themselves and their successors and they ask Jefferson to present their request to Congress. This request is not dictated by ambition but to carry out their solemn vow to educate youth.
Copy (French)
On the same paper is copied:
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1804 May 15
Jefferson, Thomas
Washington, (D.C.)
to Sister Therese de St. Xavier Farjon
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
Jefferson received the letter expressing their anxiety about the lands attached to their institution by the forcer governments of Louisiana. The principles of the Constitution and the government of the United States is a sure guarantee that they will be sacred and inviolable. In the direction of youth they will not lack the protection of the government. The above was translated from English by Father Patrick Walsh. The letter of the president was published in the Moniteur, the only paper of the time. (On the back of this letter is a note): June 24, 1786 Bishop Cyrille (Sieni of Barcelona), Bishop of Cuba.
Copy (French)
V-4-c Copies (French) 4pp. folio
6
(1804) (Jun. 1)
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1804 Apr. 24
Buee(?), Father, Secretary
Paris, (France)
The vicar-general of Cardinal (Jean Baptiste) de Belloy, Archbishop of Paris, declares that: In view of the attestation on October 14, 1803 by Father(?) Wasenflod, former treasurer of the Abbey of St. Denis, in which he testified that a piece of wood in the possession of Father Roch-Ambroise Sicard de Cucurron, honorary canon of the Church of Paris and founder of the Deaf-Mutes (Instruction), which Sicard says is wood of the True Cross, is like a portion of the True Cross preserved at Ste. Chapelle at Paris. This certification is signed by Wasenflod. Sicard attests that the piece of wood of the True Cross in his possession was given him by Mr. Villars, that he separated several pieces to give them to different persons, notably Father (Jean-Baptiste) Rauzan, vicar-general of the Archbishop of Bordeaux. All this considered, the (vicar-general of Paris) declares them to be portions of the True Cross. At the request of Rauzan they were enclosed in two silver crosses (the description of which follows). The two crosses were given back to Rauzan and he was given permission to expose them for veneration.
Copy (French)
On the same paper:
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1804 Jun. 1
Rauzan, father (Jean-Baptiste)
Bordeaux, (France)
Rauzan declares that the first cross, given back to him by the Archbishop of Paris, is the same as that given to Dr. Archbold of Bordeaux. This first cross and the portion of the True Cross enclosed in it, is a gift of Sicard to Archbold which Rauzan was commissioned to bring to him from Paris.
Copy (French)
V-4-c Copies (French) 3pp. 4to.
7
(1804) (Jun. 16)
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1798
(Walsh, Father Patrick
New Orleans, Louisiana)
Proceedings to establish the existence of a negro named Maturin, slave of the Ursulines, supposedly drowned in 1776 and by his death making it possible for his wife Teresa to marry again.
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1798 Sep. 3
Farjon, Sister Theresa de S(a)n Xavier
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
to Bishop (Luis Penalver y Cardenas
New Orleans, Louisiana)
On October 6, 1776 Mathurin, married to Therese, both slaves of the Community, drowned while bathing in the river with another negro. They believed this although the body was not found and they consented to Theresa's second marriage to Domingo upon whose death she married Estevan in 1788. There had always been a suspicion among their negroes that Mathurin had not drowned but had gone to the cape in a boat. Three years ago a mulatto named Ester came from Havana and told the negroes she had seen Mathurin; Ester is now dead. Two weeks ago a free negro named Josef arrived who told Sister that he had seen Mathurin three times in Havana and had heard that he wished he was in New Orleans with his wife and children at the convent. A negress named Naneta who came from Havana told Sister she had seen Mathurin. In view of this news Theresa should not be living with her last husband.
A.L.S. (Spanish)
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1798 Sep. 4
Penalver y Cardenas, Bishop Luis
(New Orleans), Louisiana
The pastor is to furnish testimony of the marriage entry for Theresa and Maturin; her marriage with Domingo; his burial; her marriage with Esteban. The Secretary is to certify about the records since Penalver's arrival in '95. The Mother Superior is to see if there are any documents in her archives about the death of Maturin, The negro who said he accompanied Mathurin on October 6, 1776, Josef, and Ana are to testify. Father Isidro Quintero acts as secretary and adds that the pastor told him there were no records of marriages of negroes up to 1777; that Bishop Ciril(l)o de Barcelona, (O.Cap.), then pastor of St. Louis parish, had made the first one. Domingo's death and Theresa's marriage to Estevan were recorded.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1798 Sep. 4
Sedella, O.M.Cap., Father Antonio de
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
Sedella certifies that in the record of deaths of colored there is the following: On September 15, 1786 Sedella buried Dominique, aged 40, slave of the Ursulines. Also in the record of marriages: On March 1, 1788 he married Esteban and Theresa. Antonio Ximenes, Vicente Llorca's and Calandro's signatures are on this also.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1798 Sep. 4
Quintero, Father Isidro
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
Quintero searched the archives in which are listed all the events since 1795 but found no document to establish the widowhood of Theresa.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1798 Sep. 4
Quintero, Father Isidro
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
Quintero notified the superior of the Ursulines of the bishop's decree. She said there was no other document of Maturino's death except a note in a book which she showed Quintero" "On October 6 Mathurin was drowned; he lived in St. Anthony house." This was in the hand of Mother Santiago Landel, then treasurer of the convent and afterward superior.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1798 Sep. 10
Quintero, Father Isidro
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
Fran(cis)co, a free negro, appeared before the bishop and swore that more than 20 years ago he went with Mathurin on an errand. Halfway to the house they pulled the pirogue on land and he left Maturino and on returning a little later found neither Maturino or the pirogue. He asked some people in a boat if they had seen him and they said no but Francisco saw the pirogue tied behind the boat. Then three men said that the negro had drowned. Francisco notified the administrator of the Convent. Three years ago Ester, belonging to Mrs. Vilmond assured him that Maturin was alive in Havana. At the time of the pirogue event, Maturin was married to Theresa and they had three children. francisco looks to be about 70.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1798 Sep. 14
Quintero, Father Isidro
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
Ana Maria, negro slave of Mr. Duseux appeared and swore that about a week before she left Havana in August she was in St. Augustine Street with a mulatto who had been with Father Sedella, named Mathurin Serafin, when they met a negro who spoke to the mulatto in French. The mulatto told Ana that the name of this negro was Mathurin. He had no particular marks except some smallpox scars and a grayish beard. The mulatto could give information as he is the slave of a mulatto(?) named Isabel Lacosta of Havana who has a sister here named Roseta Galo. Ana is 22.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1798 Sep. 13
Quintero, Father Isidro
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
Jose Salvador appeared and swore that in 1797 when he was in Havana, a negress named Angelica, a native of New Orleans, showed him a negro who called himself Mathurin, and he learned from his own mouth that he was married to a slave of the Ursulines at New Orleans and had several children. Mathurin was somewhat darker than Jose, pockmarked, and between 50 or 70 years old. Mathurin was a sailor on a boat between the Cape and a French port and the declarant is also a sailor of New Orleans. Angelica lives in the vicinity of the port in the home of Captain Antonio Pasqual Regas, her master, who bought her from Mrs. Bisaro. Salvador seems to be about 50.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1798 Sep. 17
Penalver y Cardenas, Bishop Louis
New Orleans, Louisiana
The superior of the Ursulines is to take away Theresa so that she does not live as a married woman. If Serafin and Angelica can learn the whereabouts of the negro Mathurin he is to be brought to this city for trial.
D.S. (Spanish)
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1799 Mar. 28
Farjon, Sister Theresa de Sn. Xavier
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
to Bishop Luis Penalver y Cardenas
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
In compliance with (Penalver)'s decree of September 17, 1798, Sister separated Theresa and Estevan and asked in Havana the whereabouts of Maturino through Fran(cis)co (Jose) Bas(s)ave y Cardenas to whom she wrote (giving him the details of the case, already given above on back of sheet). (Sister also quotes Bassave's reply of December 15, 1798 which appears later in this calendar under that date).
A.L.S. (Spanish)
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1799 Apr. 6
(Penalver y Cardenas), Bishop (Luis)
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
The (above) is to be added to the case and as soon as the Mother Superior hears any news the tribunal is to be notified.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1799 Aug. 1
Farjon, Sister Theresa de Sn. Xavier
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
to Bishop Luis Penalver y Cardenas
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
In compliance with the decree of April 6, Sister commissioned Josef Bazquez who went to Havana to find out about Mathurino. In a letter of April 19, 1799 Bazquez said that Angelica had no information but he learned that during the governorship of Baron (Francisco Luis Hector de) Carondelet there was sold and sent to Havana a negro named Domingo, a slave of the deceased Mr. Enuil, who had changed his name and master several times and said he belonged to the Sisters and who resembled Maturino but was younger. In the stories Maturino seemed younger than he would have been and Domingo could have been mistaken for him.
L.S. (Spanish)
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1799 Aug. 2
Penalver y Cardenas, Bishop Luis
(New Orleans), Louisiana
The (above) is to be added to the case.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1799 Aug. 23
Penalver y Cardenas, Bishop Luis
(New Orleans), Louisiana
Conjectures cannot be allowed; the decree of September 17, 1798 is to continue in force.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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(1800)
Ramos, Sister Antonia de Sta. Monica
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
to Bishop (Luis Penalver y Cardenas
New Orleans, Louisiana)
Sister Antonio encloses Basave's letter and in view of the impossibility of learning the whereabouts of the negro, she would like to have the case ended in favor of Estevan and Teresa.
A.L.S. (Spanish)
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1801 Jul. 21
Penalver y Cardenas, Bishop Luis
(New Orleans), Louisiana
Penalver appoints Father Pedro (de) Zamora, O.M.Cap. to examine the proceedings and determine what is just.
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1800 Nov. 8
Bassave, Fran(cis)co, Jose de
Havana, (Cuba)
to Sister Ant(oni)a de Sta. Monica Ramos
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
Four copies made June 9, 1801. Bassave has received two letters from Sister dated October 8 and 11 in which as superior, she repeats his authorization to gather information about Maturino. Bassave examined before Jose de Arue Isabel Lacosta and her slave Maturino Serafin who denied the passage cited by Ana Maria of having been in St. Augustine Street and that he knew Maturino. When Bassave wrote on December 18, 1798 to Sister's predecessor he stated that Angelica's declaration had been negative also and that it was very probable that Maturino had died after so many years. This answer is to be the end of his investigation and the ecclesiastical judge should make a decision.
A.L.S. (Spanish)
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1801 Jul. 27
Zamora, Father Pedro de
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
Having studied the case, Zamora believes there is not sufficient proof of (Maturino)'s death and that the aid of authorities in Havana should be asked.
A.L.S. (Spanish)
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1801 Jul. 27
Penalver y Cardenas, Bishop Luis
(New Orleans), Louisiana
Penalver declares the above to be official and on July 31 directs that the help of the Attorney-General of Havana be asked.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
( )
Teresa
New Orleans, Louisiana
to Father (Thomas Hassett
New Orleans, Louisiana)
Teresa appeared and petitioned that Angelica be summoned to give testimony.
D. (Spanish)
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1802 Sep. 14
Hassett, Father Thomas
New Orleans, Louisiana
The petition is to be granted. Fran(cis)co Bermudes acts as secretary.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1802 Sep. 15
Bermudes, Fran(cis)co
New Orleans, Louisiana
Angelica Regis appeared before Hassett and swore that not before leaving this city nor in the 9 years she was in Havana with her master did she know Maturino and therefore it is false that she talked to him in the company of the mulatto Jose Salvador whom she also knew. She was asked by Basabe to gather information but could never find any. Angelica is about 30.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1798 Dec. 15
Bassave, Fran(cis)co Jose de
Havana, (Cuba)
to Sister Theresa de Sn. Xavier Farjon
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
Bassave has investigated Maturino's whereabouts especially searching for Serafin and Angelica. He was only able to talk to Angelica who assured him that she never knew Maturino nor did she remember the passage cited in Sister's letter. Bassave searched for Serafin and discovered nothing. After 22 years it could well be that Maturino had changed his name and thought he was free or that he was dead.
A.L.S. (Spanish)
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1799 Apr. 19
Bazquez, Josef
Havana, (Cuba)
to Mother Superior
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
Bazquez could get no information from Angelica.
Copy (Spanish)
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1800 Nov. 8
Bassave, Fran(cis)co Josef
Havana, (Cuba)
to Sister Antonia de Sta. Monica Ramos
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
(A copy of this letter has been calendared above).
Copy (Spanish)
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1804 Jun. 11
Farjon, Sister Therese de St. Xavier
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
to Father Patrick Walsh
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
Sister asks Walsh to terminate the case. (A summary of the case is given. Angelica's master's name is given as Antoine Pasqual Rojas.) A long suspension will be injurious to this family with their children, a girl and boy.
A.L.S. (French)
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1804 Jun. 12
Walsh, Father Patrick
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Mother Superior is to present the letters and other documents and Angelica is to appear and ratify her testimony.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
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1804 Jun. 16
Broutin, Narcisus
New Orleans, Louisiana
Angelica Regis appeared before Walsh, Vicar General and Governor of the Diocese, and swore that the testimony beginning on page 19 and ending on page 20 was true and she had nothing to add or delete. She is about 32.
A.D.S. (Spanish)
V-4-c A.L.S., A.D.S., D.S., L.S., D., Copies (Spanish and French) 49pp. folio and 8vo.
31
1804 Dec. 16
Hassett, Father Thomas
New Orleans, (Louisiana)
to Manuel de Salcedo
(New Orleans, Louisiana)
Alexander Fulton of Les Rapides has written to Hassett that at the beginning of November George Loveless carried off Sophia Wells to Natchez and married her before a magistrate, being aided by George Row. Fulton is the brother-in-law of the girl and appeared in the name of the girl's mother asking Hassett to rectify this since all three are now in the district of New Feliciana. As Hassett wishes to prevent the consequences of this disregard of the Sacrament of Matrimony, he asks Salcedo to punish the originals as provided for in the Instruction of November 30, 1792, ordered carried out by the Royal Order of December 16, 1792. Hassett has been informed that others of Les Rapides and Avoyelles wish to follow this bad example.
V-4-c A. Draft S. (Spanish) 3pp. 4to.
5