Copy of
will obtained by Yvette Rothaermel and transcription provided by Yvette
Herrmann. The terms used in the will of 'mulatress' and 'grif' refer to
ethnic background. Mulatto referred to a person of color who was one-half
black, and a grif as three-fourths black.
______
In the year 1829, the 50th of the Independence of the United States, on the 8th day of November at 11 am, I, Theodore Seghers, public Notary, authorized by the town and parish of New Orleans, State of Louisiana, living there, have transported myself after requisition besides Marie-Adelaïde Lemelle, f.w.c. in a house situated at the corner of St Anne’s street and the ramparts in this town. Where being, I found said Marie-Adelaïde Lemelle ill and lying in bed but with full mental intelligence and memory as it appeared obvious to me, Notary, and to the three witnesses hereafter named. Which one, wanting to settle her affairs, asked me to receive her will in presence of Messrs Maurice Abat, Modeste Lefebvre et Joseph Lombard father, all three living in this town, requested as witnesses before whom the testatrix dictated me her will and I wrote it as she dictated it, as follows :
My
name is Marie-Adelaïde Lemelle, born in this country, almost 58 years old,
daughter of Jacqueline Lemelle and Jacques Lemelle. I have six children, all of
age, named Agathe Giraudeau, Antoine Giraudeau, Adèle Giraudeau, Astrée
Giraudeau, Bruno Giraudeau et Virginie Giraudeau. I name them all my heirs.
I
let them all conjointly my negress called Alizée, 32 years old and her
children, i.e. Louise, 14 years old, mulatress, Julien, 12 years old grif,
Cyprien another little grif aged 4 and another one, Léon, 6 months old. I also
let them a negress called Victoria, aged 22.
I
have a negress named Loïse, over 60 years old, that I let them. She will serve
them but they will take care of her and never sell her.
I
bequeath my tablecloth and my bed-sheets to Virginie, Astrée and Bruno
Giraudeau. And after this I bequeath the rest of my cloth and kitchen utensils,
my china and all my furniture to Astrée and Virginie Giraudeau.
And
the testatrix, having nothing more to mention to the present witnesses and
declaring to cancel any former will, although she does not remember having ever
done one, I, undersigned Notary, read her the present lines loudly and
distinctly in front of said witnesses before whom the testatrix declared to hear
and understand clearly and persisted to say that these were her latest
intentions.
Made
right now without interruption or disturbances in the above-mentioned address in
front of said witnesses and the testatrix, being asked of, signed before them.
The Notary and witnesses...
Adelaïde Lemelle
Mte
Lefebvre
Maurice Abat Jph Lombard
father Th. Seghers,
Notary
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Last updated: 26 February 2004