Summary

On August 1, 1763, a man named Antoine, enslaved to the Capuchins, commenced a blacksmith apprenticeship. Less than a month later, Reverend Dagobert, Capuchin priest in New Orleans, notarized the agreement he made with the blacksmith Jean Roy to train Antoine for three years. This document summarizes the terms of their agreement.

Transcription
Translation
Notes

Transcription (French, diplomatic)

[feuille 1 recto] [digital 2]

[Marginalia:]
1763
29 aout
Le R.[everend] p.[ère] Dabogert
acte D’aprentissage
Dun negre chez
Jean Roÿ

(8447).

[Signé:] Duverger
[Signé:] DeLeggue
[Signé:] Ducros

(70636).

[Corps:]

Aujourdhuÿ vingt et neuvieme aout mil sept cent soixante et trois, avant midÿ par devers nous
avocat au parlement et notaire Roÿal de La province
de La Loüisianne fut present Le R.[everend] p.[ère] Dagobert
Curé primitif de La paroisse St. Louis de cette ville
de La N. ^[ouv]elle orleans Superieur des Missions Entretenues icy
En cette province, Lequel Reconnoit avoir mis en
apprentissage de ce premier de Ce mois pour trois années
avec Le Sieur Jean Roÿ M^e [maître] forgeron Demeurant en
cette ville un Negre nommé Antoine[;] pour par Le dit
Jean Roÿ Cÿ present et acceptant, retenir Le dit negre
et Le prendre pour son aprentif auquel pendant Le dit tem[p]s il promet Luÿ enseigner et apprendre
son metîer de forgeron ==et tout Ce dont il se mêle==
et Entrainer en iceluÿ Le nourrir, Loger, Coucher, et Le traiter doucement et humainement Comme il convient et appartient de le faire. Le dit negre
antoine present a promis d[’]apprendre Le dit metier
du mieux quil Luý sera possible servir son maitre
en iceluÿ et en tout ce quil Luÿ commandera de Licite
et honnette, faire son profit, eviter son Domage
et L’en avertir sil vient a sa Connaissance sans
Sabsanter, ni aller servir ailleurs pendant les dites
trois années, auquel cas d[‘]absence Le dit R. P.
Dagobert promet de Le chercher et Le faire
chercher, et le ramener ou faire ramener a
son dit maitre, pour parachever le temps qui pourra
Lors rester a Expirer du present apprentissage pour
Lequel est Convenü La somme de trois cent livres
Dont Celle de Cent cinquante Livres, devant actuellement
etre paÿées au dit S^r . Jean Roÿ et Les cent Cinquante
Livres Restantes devant Luÿ etre paÿes a La fin
des dites trois années Du dit apprentissage

[feuille 1 verso] [digital 3]
(70637).

Laquelle somme de Cent Cinquante Livres
premier terme Le dit Jean Roÿ Reconnoit
et Confesse avoir Receû du R. p. Dagobert
dont Le tient quitte, et Les Cent Cinquante Livres
Restantes, Le dit R. p. Dagobert s[‘]oblige de Les
paÿer, au bout des Dites trois années au dit Jean
Roÿ oü au porteur des presentes, a peine de
tous depens Domages et interets. Car ainsi
sont Convenüs, prometant &obligeant &
Renonceont & fait et passé en Etudes a
La Nouvelle orleans Le susdit jour mois et
an, presence des Sieurs Joseph Bicat et pierre
Gauvin temoins ÿ Demeurants et ont signé
avec nous notaire soussigné.

[Signé:] jean Roÿ
[Signé:] f.[rère] dagobert cap.[ucin] Sup.^[erieu]r
[Signé:] Gauvain fils
[Signé:] j. ^[osep]hBicat
[Signé:] Garic, Notaire

Translation (English, modern)

[page # 1] [digital 2]

[Marginal note:]
1763
August 29
The Reverend Father Dagobert
Act of Apprenticeship
for a nègre at the place of
Jean Roy.

(8447).

[Signed:] Duverger
[Signed:] De Leggue
[Signed:] Ducros

(70636.)

[Body:]

Today, the twenty-ninth of August one thousand seven hundred and sixty-three, in the morning, before us, lawyer in parliament and royal notary of the province of Louisiana, was present the Reverend Father Dagobert, curé primitifⁱ of the parish of Saint Louis in this city of New Orleans, Superior of Missions maintained here in this province, who acknowledges having placed in an apprenticeship from the first of this month for three years with the Sieur Jean Roy, master blacksmith residing in this city,ⁱⁱ a nègre named Antoine; for the said Jean Roÿ, here present and accepting, to retain the said nègre and take him as his apprentice, to whom during the said time he promises to teach and instruct his trade, blacksmithing, and all that it involves and to train him in it, feed him, provide him housing and a bed, and treat him gently and humanely as it is proper and fitting to do. The said nègre Antoine, present, has promised to learn the said trade to the best of his ability to serve his master in this trade and in all that he may lawfully and honestly command, make his profit, avoid causing him damage and inform him [Jean Roy] if any [damage] comes to his [Antoine’s] knowledge; without being absent, nor going to serve elsewhere during the said three years, in which case of [Antoine’s] absence the said Reverend Father Dagobert promises to look for him and to have him looked for, and to bring him or have him brought to his said master to complete the time that may then remain to expire from the present apprenticeship for which the agreed sum of three hundred livres, of which one hundred and fifty livres must be paid now to the said Sieur Jean Roy and the remaining one hundred and fifty livres must be paid to him at the end of the said three years of the said apprenticeship,

[page # 2] [dig. 3]
(70637).

which sum of one hundred and fifty livres first term the said Jean Roy acknowledges and confesses to have received from the Reverend Father Dagobert, of whom he holds in good faith, and the remaining one hundred and fifty livres, the said reverend father Dagobert obliges himself to pay, at the end of the said three years to the said Jean Roy or to the bearer of those present, under penalty of all expenses, damages, and interests. Thus, those agreed, promising and obliging and renouncing and made and passed in office at New Orleans the aforementioned day, month and year, in the presence of Sieurs Joseph Bicat and Pierre Gauvin, witnesses residing there, and having signed with our notary, the undersigned.

[Signed:] Jean Roy
[Signed:] Brother Dagobert Capuchin Superior
[Signed:] [Pierre] Gauvain [Jr.], son
[Signed:] Joseph Bicat
[Signed:] [Jean Baptiste] Garic, Notary