Summary

An enslaved man named Pierrot was sold to enslaver Michèl Brosset by Claude Boisson (“tailladier en cette ville,” tool maker in this city) and his wife, Magdelaine Chenier, who had acquired Pierrot as a piece d’inde from the Company of the Indies.¹ However, Pierrot went missing after having gone maroon. Boisson and Chenier promise to catch Pierrot for Brosset in exchange for cash upon delivery, which they succeed in accomplishing.

Transcription
Translation
Notes

Transcription (French, diplomatic)

[feuille 1 recto] [digital2]

[Marginalia:]

22 Juillet
24 7^bre

1. ~
   Brosset Bosson
   Vente a
   Brosset
   (2652.)
   f^o 13

[Corps:]

(11687.)

furent Presence Claude Boisson taillandier
en cette Ville et Magdalaine Chenier son Epouse
q^l authorisé aleffet des presentteS lequelS___
Par CeS presentes ont VendueS et promettent___
Livrer aSieur Michel Brosset habitant
En cette Ville un Negre piece dInde Nommé___
Pierrot Le garantir detouS troubleset Empechements
envers et Contre touS quil appartiendra___
Et Comme lesup>d</sup> Negre estmarron les^d _
VendeurS sobligent dela Remettre en mains
dudS^r Acqueruer desquilS auront pour Lattrapper
Led acqueruer Connoissant parfaitement
Led Negre et En Estant Content auleffet
du Jouir Luy et les sieurs connu dunbien
aluy apartenant ainsy que’n a Jouyled.
Boisson qui la aquis deLa Comp^e des Indes
aqui Il aetté payé suivant lepermis Cy_
Joins duS dumanoir agent delaComp^e _
endatte du Vingtun dupresent lad
Ventte et Cession ainsy faite moyennant
Leprix et somme deQuinze Cent_
Livres que ledS Brosset promet

[f. 1 verso] [dig.3]

[Marginalia:]

(11688.)

[Corps:]

Luypayé Comptant ala Remise dud
Negre Et au moyen de quoy le present Vaudra
quittance et Ce son autre formalité attendu
q^l nya aucun Luy poraqui special sur led
Negre et LedS^r Brosset demeurera bien et
Libre possession sain que pour Raison du
Il puisse estre Inquieté dequi queue___
passeestre generallement quelonquisde
promettant Lesd Vendeurs le garantis
et Indeminise Envers et Contre tous q^l
appartiendra aussy q^l a eté Convenu
Entre les parties Car ainsy promet
oblig^[eant] Renon^[çant] fait et Passé
a la Nlle orleans en Etudes Lan mil sept cent
trente neuf Le Vingt deux Juillet presence
de Sieurs francois Roumier et francois
Jahan temoins y demeurant et ont lesd.
Boisson et Sa femme declaré ne Scavoir
Ecrire ny Signer du Enquis Suivant L’ord^ce

[Signé:] Brosset
[Signé:] marque de X Claude Boisson
[Signé:] marque de X Madelaine Chaine
[Signé:] Roumier
[Signé:] Jahan
[Signé:] Henry Greffe

[f. 2 r] [dig.4]

(11690.)

sont Comparus En Etude Le S^r Claude Boisson et___
magdelaine Chenier son Epouse lesquels Reconnoissant
et Confesser Cejour lejourdhuy Recu Comptant enNos presences___
Lesomme de quinze Cent Livres porté en Lavente Cydessus
Comme ayantle^d S Brosset Reconnu avoir Recu le^d_
Negre au moyen de quoy leS^r Brosset Reste bien
etLibre possesseur du^dEsclave sans que apour Raison
de Il puisse estant Inquieté dequi que a soit generallement
aqueleonquin ainsy q¹ a eté Convenu Car ainsy
promets-obligeetRenon fait et-passé
Levingt quatre septembre mil sept Cent trente
Neuf presence desieurs francois Roumier et francois
Jahan temoins ydemeurant Et ont le^d Boisson_
etsa femme declaré Nescavoir Ecrire nysigner du
Enquis suivant L’ord.^ce

[Signé:] Roumier [Rubrica, Roumier]
[Signé:] Jahan
[Signé:] Henry [Rubrica, Henry] N^n

Translation (English, modern)

[page # 1] [digital2]

[Marginal note:]

July 22nd
September 24
1739
~
Brosset Bo[i]sson
Sale to
Brosset
(2652)
file 13

[Body:]

(11687)

Present were Claude Boisson, tool maker in this city, and Magdelaine Chenier, his wife, who authorized for these proceedings which, per those present, have sold and promise to deliver to Sieur Michèl Brosset, resident in this city, a nègre pièce d’inde named Pierrot, guaranteed from all troubles and impediments[to whom] against all odds [he] will belong. And as the aforesaid nègre has runaway, the said sellers oblige themselves to take him back into their hands from the said Sieur Purchaser, as soon as they will [have a chance to] catch him. The said purchaser, knowing perfectly well the said nègre and being happy as the result of being able to enjoy him, and the gentlemen [who have] known [of him] as property belonging to him as well as the said Boisson, who acquired [him] from the Company of the Indies, to whom [he] was paid, according to the attached license from Sieur Dumanoir, agent of the Company, dated the twenty first of present [year]. The said sale and transfer thus [is] made by means of the price and sum of fifteen hundred livres that the said Brosset promises

[p. # 2] [dig.3]

[Marginal note:]

(11688)

[Body:]

to pay him in cash upon delivery of the said nègre by means of which these proceedings will constitute receipt. And another formality,as expected, given there is no special claim on the said nègre, the said Sieur Brosset will retain free and clear possession without which, for any reason, [possession] can be disturbed, as is generally typical [for] whomever is the promisee [party]. The said sellers guarantee and indemnify against any and all by virtue of title, as it has been agreed between the parties, thus, the promisee obliges and forswears. [It was] done and passed at New Orleans in ministerial office in the year one thousand seven hundred thirty nine, the twenty second of July, in presence of the gentlemen François Roumier and François Jahan, witnesses residing there [in the city], and [before] the said Boisson and his wife, declaring not knowing how to write nor sign of [which has been] inquired, in accordance with the law.

[Signed:] [Michèl] Brosset
[Signed:] x-mark, Claude Boisson
[Signed:] x-mark, Magdelaine Chenier
[Signed:] [François] Roumier
[Signed:] [François] Jahan
[Signed:] [Nicolas] Henry, Notary

[p. # 3] [dig.4]

(11690)

Having appeared in the ministerial office, Sieur Claude Boisson and Magdelaine Chenier, his wife, whom are appreciative [of the council] and avow [on] this day today [to have] received money in our presence [of] the sum of fifteen hundred livres brought [forth] in the above [stated] sale. As [of] that, the said Sieur Brosset [also] recognized having had received the aforesaid nègre by means of which the aforementioned Sieur Brosset [shall] retain free and clear the possession of the aforesaid slave without which, for any reason, it may be possibly be disturbed as it is generally [understood under the law] [and as] which as it has been agreed, thus, the promisee [party] obliges and forswears. [It was] done and passed [on] the twenty-fourth of September one thousand seven hundred thirty- nine [in the] presence of the gentlemen François Roumier and François Jahan, witnesses, residing there [in the city] and the aforesaid Boisson and his wife, declaring not knowing how to write nor sign of [which has been] inquired, in accordance with the law.

[Signed:] [François] Roumier [Rubric, Roumier]
[Signed:] [François] Jahan
[Signed:] [Nicolas] Henry [Rubric, Henry] Notary

Notes