TableofContents
FromtheEditor
AGuidetoEarlyModernFrenchLouisianaSources
ANotefromtheEditor
Thisissueofthejournalexaminesthesheertreasureofthearchive.Focusingonthestorage,care,
translation,digitization,andinterpretationandcontextofdocumentsrelatedtotheAtlanticWorldthat
arehousedinLouisiana—andcommenting,too,onthewiderfieldofstudiesdevotedtotheAtlantic
world—thesixarticles,tworeviews,andinterviewherewithreaffirmthevalueofarchivesas
repositoriesofboththeobjectanditsdigitalsurrogate.Inconceivingofthisvolume,guesteditors
GregLambousyandEmilyClarkpurposelylimitedtheirscopetothisfieldofhistoryandcultural
studiesinordertoemphasizebreadthanddepthofthecollections,aswellastheamountof
scholarshipthatawaitsthosewhosuccumbto“theallureofthearchives”—theconditionthathistorian
ArletteFargehassoeloquentlydescribedinlightofherownexperienceswithdocumentsofthepast
andherimaginingsoftheirlivesandafterlives.
LambousyandClarkwereaperfectteamtoconceptualizethisissueofthejournal.Readersof
CollectionsarefamiliarwithGregLambousy,journalBoardMemberandDirectorofCollectionsat
theLouisianaStateMuseum.AlsobasedinNewOrleans,EmilyClark,Ph.D.,istheClement
ChambersBenensonProfessorinColonialHistoryintheDepartmentofHistoryatTulaneUniversity.
Bothhavekeeninterestin,andhavecloselyworkedwith,thearchivesofcolonialLouisiana(1714–
1803),arichresourcethatdrawsscholarsfromaroundtheworld.Inconceivingofthisvolume,they
broughttheirperspectivesandrealizedthepotentialitiesofoneanother ’spointofview.Intendingto
bringtogethertheoryandpraxisforboththescholarandthepractitioner,theysoughtoutarticlesand
reviewsthatwouldspeaktobothaudiences.Theirframingofthisissueofthejournal,thus
underscoresthewayinwhichtheyhavecometovaluethebenefitsofcrossingboundariestofindout
moreabouteachother ’sprofessions.Unsurprisingly,theyhavediscoveredthattheoverlapbetween
interestsandmissionsissignificant,andthatbothareadvancedwhenweexplorethepossibilitiesfor
collaborationandcross-fertilization.
Astothecontentsofthisvolume(whicharefurtherdescribedinthefollowingnotefromthe
guesteditors),SophieWhite,HowardMargot,MélanieLamotte,SusanTuckerandJennyMarie
Forsythe,ErinKinchen,andErinRousselhavecontributedarticleswhileMatthewBrennanand
KristinCondottahaveofferedreviewsofrecent,relevanttexts.Inaddition,theguesteditorsoffer
theirthoughtsontheintersectionsbetweencollectionsprofessionalsandscholars.Theirinterview,
conductedlastfall,isadelighttoreadforitremindsallofusthatarchivesmatter.Further,their
framingoftheReadingRoomasapopulistspaceratherthananelitistplaceinterestedmeasascholar
andpractitioner,butmuchmoresoasafacultymemberwhoworkswithcollectionsandthe
professionalswhocarefor,interpret,preserve,andsharethem.Myworkasafacultymemberand
scholarsimplycouldnotbedonewithoutcollectionsandtheirkeepers.
Perhapsitmightbesuggestedthatarunningnarrativethroughoutthisissueisthatof“living
dangerously,”tousethewordsofSocietyofAmericanArchivists(SAA)PresidentKathleenRoe
who,astheincomingchiefofficerinthefall2014,askedarchiviststospendthenextyear“living
dangerously”andtakingonthechallengeofshowingwhyarchivesmatter.Withoutquestion,
Lambousy,Clark,andthecontributorstothisvolumehaveclearlytakenupthischallenge.And,I,for
one,amgratefulthattheyhave!
JuileeDecker,Ph.D.
AssociateProfessorofMuseumStudies
RochesterInstituteofTechnology
[email protected]
AGuidetoEarlyModernFrenchLouisiana
Sources
MélanieLamotte
PostdoctoralResearchFellow,UniversityofCambridge,NewnhamCollege,Sidgwick
Road,CambridgeCB39DF,UnitedKingdom;[email protected]
Abstract
Recentdecadeshavewitnessedsteadyandsignificanthistoriographicalinterestinthe
historyofearlymodernFrenchLouisiana.Thefieldpresentlyboastsadynamicsetof
analystsactivelyinvestigatingprimarysourcesacrossAmericaandFrance.Inaddition,
manyFrenchLouisianasourcesandhistoricalissuesremainunexplored,thereby
suggestingthatthehistoriographyofearlymodernFrenchLouisianawillcontinueto
growsubstantially.WhilenumerousinventoriesofLouisianasourceshavebeen
published,fewhavespecificallyfocusedtheirattentiononearlymodernFrench
Louisianadocuments.Severaloftheseguidescontaininformationthatisnolongervalid
bypointingtosourcesthathavebeenmovedorhavesubsequentlydisappeared.In
addition,manysourcesarebeingmademorereadilyavailablethroughdigitizationand
thecreationofonlinedatabases.Thisarticleprovidesmuch-neededguidanceon
identifyingandusingFrenchLouisianasources.Itliststhesourcesavailableand
investigatestheirnature,detailsofaccess,stateofpreservation,aswellastheirstateof
digitization.Italsosuggestspotentialusesandinterpretationsthatmightbegleanedfrom
suchsourcematerial.
Recentdecadeshavewitnessedsteadyandsignificanthistoriographicalinterestinthehistoryofearly
modernFrenchLouisiana.Thefieldpresentlyboastsadynamicsetofanalysts,activelyinvestigating
primarysourcesacrossAmericaandFrance.1ThisandthefactthatmanyFrenchLouisianasources
andhistoricalissuesremainunexploredsuggestthatthehistoriographyofearlymodernFrench
Louisianawillcontinuetogrowsubstantially.
Thisessayprovidesmuch-neededguidanceonidentifyingandusingFrenchLouisianasources
inlightofrecentarchivaldevelopments.Itliststherelevantsourcesavailableandinvestigatestheir
nature,detailsofaccess,stateofpreservationand,whenrelevant,stateofdigitization.Italsosuggests
potentialusesandinterpretationsthatmightbegleanedfromsuchsourcematerial.Numerous
inventoriesofLouisianasourceshavebeenpublished,butfewhavespecificallyfocusedtheir
attentiononearlymodernFrenchLouisianadocuments.2Someoftheseguidescontaininformation
thatisnolongervalid,featuringsourcesthathavebeenmovedorhavesubsequentlydisappeared.
Manysourcesarebeingmademorereadilyavailablethroughdigitizationandthecreationofonline
databases—thecreationofthe“LouisianaDigitalLibrary”(LDL),anonlinelibraryholdingavast
numberofdigitizedsourcesfromdiverseresearchinstitutionssituatedinLouisiana,isaprime
examplehere.
Althoughmanydocumentshavedisappeared,thosethatsurviveareabundantandscattered
throughoutmultiplerepositoriesinFranceandtheUnitedStates.Thisguideexaminesthesources
heldbytwelvearchivesandrepositorieslocatedinLouisiana,includingTheHistoricalCenterofthe
LouisianaStateMuseum,TheHistoricNewOrleansCollectionattheWilliamsResearchCenter,The
LouisianaStateArchives,TheLouisianaResearchCollectionoftheHoward-TiltonMemorial
LibraryatTulaneUniversity,TheNotarialArchivesDivisionoftheClerkofCourtoftheParishof
NewOrleans,TheSpecialCollectionsDepartmentoftheDupréLibraryattheUniversityof
LouisianaatLafayette,TheOfficeofArchivesandRecordsoftheArchdioceseofNewOrleans,the
CatholicLifeCenteroftheDioceseofBatonRouge,andtheUrsulineConventArchivesinNew
Orleans.EightotherarchivesexaminedinthisarticlearelocatedelsewhereintheUnitedStates:these
comprisetheArchdioceseofMobileArchives,TheManuscriptandRareBookandSpecial
CollectionsDivisionsoftheLibraryofCongress,aswellastheIllinoisStateArchives.Theguide
alsofocusesonthesourcesheldbynineresearchinstitutionssituatedinFrance,includingthe
ArchivesNationalesd’Outre-Mer,theCentred’AccueiletdeRecherchedesArchivesNationales,as
wellastheDépartementdesManuscriptsandtheDépartementdesCartesetPlansoftheBibliothèque
NationaledeFrance.ThevastmajorityofearlymodernFrenchLouisianasourcesarehousedinthese
institutions.Theseresearchfacilitiesareindividuallyexamined.Initslastsection,thearticlealso
investigatesnumerousdigitalprojects.Theholdingsoftheselectedlibrariesandarchivescan,
naturally,beofgreaterorlessersignificance,dependingonthehistoricalthemeexamined.Needless
tosay,itisnotpossibletodiscussallofthesesourcesandtomentioneveryrelevantresearch
institutioninthisarticle.
Infact,thescopeofthispaperispurposelylimited.Sinceitisonlyintendedtobeaclearand
practicalguideforscholarsseekingtouselibrariesandarchivesholdingFrenchLouisianasources,
fewreferencesaremadetothehistoryofthecollectionsandarchivesinquestion.WhileIhave
workedinmanyoftheseresearchfacilities,Ihavenotsearchedallofthecollectionsmentionedin
thisarticle.Asaresult,Ioftenrelyontheguidanceofarchivistsandonsometimesimprecise
researchguides,whichexplainthedisparitiesintheamountofdetailinthedescriptionofthe
collectionsprovidedhere.
Theperiodcoveredinthispaperextendsfromtheseventeenthcenturyto1762–63,when
FrenchLouisianawasdisbanded.Followinganearlierperiodofexploration,permanentsettlementin
thegulfcoastregionbeganin1699,whenPierreLeMoyned’IbervillefoundedFortMaurepasat
Biloxi,neartoday’sOceanSprings,Mississippi.3TheLouisianaterritorythenclaimedbytheFrench
encompassedthelandonbothsidesoftheMississippiriver,eastwardasfarastheEnglishcolonies
ontheAtlanticcoastandwestwardasfarastheRedriver.TheIllinoissettlements,startedin1673,
wereintegratedintothejurisdictionofLouisianabyroyalordinancein1717.Historiansrarelystudy
Louisianaasawholeandinsteadfocustheirattentiononparticularregions,suchasNewOrleans,
LowerLouisiana(laBasse-Louisiane),ortheIllinoisCountry(paysdesIllinois).Thisrenderstheir
researchmoremanageable,buttheseregionsshouldnotbestudiedcompletelyseparately.Political,
economicandculturalexchangesexistedwithintheentireLouisianaregion.Althoughthisarticle
paysmoreattentiontoLowerLouisianasources,thecollectionsinvestigatedcontainmanysources
concerningtheIllinoisCountryunderLouisianarule.Thisarticlealsoincludesasectionthatfocuses
oncertaindocumentsavailableattheIllinoisStateArchives,wherealargenumberofUpper
Louisianasourcesarenowhoused.
ResearchFacilitiesintheUnitedStates
TheHistoricalCenter,LouisianaStateMuseum
TheLouisianaHistoricalCenteroftheLouisianaStateMuseumisamajorresearchcenterforthe
studyofearlymodernFrenchLouisiana.ThemanuscriptcollectionsoftheHistoricalCenterare
dividedintotwogroups:the“ColonialDocuments,”includingthejudicialrecordsoftheFrench
SuperiorCouncilofLouisiana(1714–1769);andthegeneral“Manuscript”collection.TheSuperior
Council(ConseilSupérieur)ofLouisianawascreatedin1712,inNewOrleans,“tojudgeinthelast
resortallcivilandcriminalcasesthatmayariseinthisprovince.”4Itsrecordsconstitutethelargest
collectionoftheHistoricalCenter.5Theyprovideinvaluableinformationontheeverydaylivesof
Europeansandnon-EuropeaninhabitantsofLouisiana,freeandenslaved,includingevidenceofthe
social,economic,cultural,andpoliticallifeofFrenchLouisiana.Documentsincludejudicialrecords,
wills,estateinventories,correspondence,successions,marriagecontracts,baptismalandburial
records,slavemanumissionacts,numerousrecordsofcommercialtransactions,suitsforpaymentof
debts,applicationsbymerchantsforlicensestoconductbusiness,andaccountsoftheadministration
ofestates.Inthiscollection,therearecourtcasesandnotarialactsforallofLowerLouisianaaswell
as,toamorelimitedextent,theIllinoisCountry.
TherecordsoftheFrenchSuperiorCouncilhavesufferedseveredeteriorationincluding
mold,insect,andwaterdamage.Muchofthepaperhasbecomedarkerduetoacidicassaults.Certain
typesofinkusedinthedocumentshaveburntthepaper.Asaresult,manydocumentshave
deterioratedtotheextentthattheycannotbeused.TheHistoricalCenterhastakenvariousactionsto
preservethesedocuments.Theyhavebeenplacedinpolyestersleeves,archival-qualityfolders,and
Hollingerboxestopreventfurtherdegradation.AccesstothemanuscriptrecordsoftheFrench
SuperiorCouncilremainslimitedduetothefragilityofthedocuments.Researchersarepermittedto
usemicrofilmcopies,butmanyofthesearedifficulttoread;someareevencompletelyillegible.
Fortunately,theLouisianaStateMuseumhaslaunchedaformidableColonialDocumentsDigitization
Project,todigitizeandpublishtheFrenchSuperiorCouncilrecordsonlineinasearchabledatabase
accessibletoall,freeofcost—pleaserefertothesectionon“DigitalProjects.”
Currently,nocomprehensiveindexoftheFrenchSuperiorCouncilrecordsexists.The
summariesandabstractsfromtheWorksProgressAdministrationarestoredin94chronological
indexescalledthe“BlackBooks.”Thesearegenerallyhelpful,butcontainnumerouserrors,
unreliablespelling,andseveralomissions.TheLouisianaHistoricalQuarterlyhasalsopublisheda
valuableindexofthesesources,butitfailstoincludemanyimportantdocuments.TheLouisiana
HistoricalQuarterly’isavailableonlinethroughsubscriptionorinmanyresearchfacilities,
includingtheHistoricalCenter.Additionally,acardcatalogbasedontheFrenchSuperiorCouncil
recordsandarrangedalphabeticallybyindividualisavailableinthereadingroomoftheHistorical
Center.Unfortunatelysomedocumentsmentionedinthesefindingaidsseemtohavedisappeared
fromthearchives.
The“Manuscript”collectionoftheHistoricalCenteralsocontainsnumerousFrenchLouisiana
sources.Recordgroup3,entitled“FrenchManuscripts,MississippiValley1679–1769”isonloan
fromtheLouisianaHistoricalSocietyandhasbeenmicrofilmed.Itcontainsletterspatentestablishing
theSuperiorCouncilofLouisiana,aswellasvariousedictsandordersissuedbytheFrench
governmentandtheSuperiorCouncil.Thecollectionof“MiscellaneousManuscriptsandModern
Ephemera,1387–1947”(recordgroup68)includesadiaryfromFrenchLouisiana,letters,legal
documents,marriagecontracts,officialappointmentsandphotostatsofotherFrenchdocuments.
Recordgroup297,“Eighteenth-CenturyCommercialPublications,c.1750”containsFrenchtrade
regulations.Thereisacollectionof“PhotocopiedLouisianaFrenchColonialDocuments”fromthe
LibraryofCongress(recordgroup377).Theseincludecorrespondenceandinstructionsissuedby
theFrenchauthorities,theCompagniedesIndes,andtheCompagniedel’Occidenttocolonial
officials,aswellasregulations,appointments,andlistsofsupplies.The“Manuscript”collectionalso
includesthecompilation“MiscellaneousFrenchDocuments,1726–1830”(recordgroup335),which
contains“TheMossmierFamilyPapers,c.1725–1873”(recordgroup15),“TheAlbertL.Lieutaud
Collection,1735–1896”(recordgroup212),and“TheH.P.DartCollection,1618–1776,1878–1920”
(recordgroup284).DetailedcontentlistsareavailableontheMuseum’swebsite.
Moreover,theLouisianaStateMuseumhousesacartographiccollectioncomprisingmany
valuablemapsdatingfromtheperiodofexplorationandearlysettlementinLouisiana,aswellas
severalreproductions.Thesemapsdepict,forthemostpart,Louisiana,NewOrleans,theMississippi
river,aswellasotherLouisianaterritorywaterways,andtheGulfofMexico.Themostsignificant
cartographiccollectionavailableattheLouisianaStateMuseumis“TheHelenandSolisSeiferth
Collection,(1541–1878).”ItcontainsmapsbyrenownedFrenchcartographersJacquesNicolasBellin
(1703–1772)andGuillaumedeL’Isle(1675–1726).Mapscanbesearchedthroughthe“MapSearch”
optionontheLouisianaStateMuseumdatabase.
TheLouisianaStateMuseumalsoholdsalargemicrofilmcollectionthatcontainsdocuments
pertainingtoearlymodernFrenchLouisiana.ThereareeightyreelscoveringtheFrenchperiodin
“TheLouisianaNotarialRecordsCollection,1714–1778.”Notarialrecordsprovidevaluable
informationforeconomicandsocialhistorians.ThemuseumpossessescopiesofrecordsforSt.
Charlesparish(1740–1972)andforSt.LouiscathedralinNewOrleans(January–December1728),
aswellascopiesof“TheRecordsofTheDioceseofLouisianaandtheFloridas,1576–1803.”In
generalterms,parishregistersprovidevaluablesocialandbiographicalinformation.“TheRecords
ofTheDioceseofLouisianaandtheFloridas,1576–1803”manuscriptcollectionisheldbythe
UniversityofNotreDameandincludesitemsconcerningmarriages,funerals,dispensations,
ecclesiasticalfinance,aswellasgrantsofindulgences,lettersoftransferofpriests.6Acalendarof
summariesofthiscollectionisavailableontheUniversityofNotreDameArchiveswebsite.
Finally,theLouisianaStateMuseumlibrarycontainsseveralfindingaidsandcopiesofChurch
archivesandofrecordsavailableintheArchivesNationalesd’Outre-Mer.Thesecomprisecopiesof
censuses(1707–1741),correspondence,landgrants,aswellasbaptismandfuneralrecords(1720–
1734)forLowerLouisianaandtheIllinoisCountry.Ingeneral,FrenchLouisianacensusescontain
preciousinformationconcerningthecompositionoffamiliesandeconomicresources(plantations,
livestock,weaponry,andfactories).Theyoftenindicatethenumbersoffreemen,women,and
children,aswellasindenturedservants,domestics,andslaves.Thereisalsoacardindexbasedonthe
recordsofSt.Charlesparish,called“TheLittleRedChurch”files.Itcontainsbaptism,marriage,and
deathrecordsforthepopulationoftheGermanCoastinthe1740sand1750s.Additionally,thelibrary
holdsseveralearlymodernprintedbookspertainingtothehistoryofFrenchLouisiana.
TheHistoricNewOrleansCollection,WilliamsResearchCenter
OthervaluableearlymodernFrenchLouisianadocumentsareavailableinthemanuscript,map,
microform,andrarebookcollectionsoftheHistoricNewOrleansCollection(HNOC)atthe
WilliamsResearchCenter.SourcesinthemanuscriptdivisionoftheHNOCareinventoriedinonline
inventoriesandthereareunpublishedfindingaidsinthereadingroom.TheHNOCiscurrently
workingondigitizinglargeportionsofitscollection,althoughtheprocessisfarfromcomplete.The
extensive“JohnLawCollection,1715–1726”containsmanuscriptsandprintedpamphlets,broadsides,
andbooksdocumentingthegrowthandcollapseoftheeconomicsystemestablishedbyJohnLaw,the
ScottisheconomistwhodevelopedafinancialschemefortheFrenchcrownaimed,inpart,at
advancingLouisiana’seconomy.7Itcomprisesroyalactsandedictsconcerningpapercurrencyand
theoperationsandadministrativestructuresoftheBanqueGénéraledeFranceandoftheCompagnie
del’Occident,whichlaterbecametheCompagniedesIndes.Thecollection“FrenchLouisiana
Documents1729–1765,”containsfivedocumentspertainingtotrade,medicine,NativeAmerican
tribes,slavery,militaryadministration,andsocialconditionsinFrenchLouisiana.8TheHNOCalso
housesasmall“ColonialFrenchLouisianaLetterCollection,1642–1803”concerningtheCompagnie
desIndes,lifeontheplantations,slavesales,Franco-Spanishhostilities,andwildfires.9Thereis,in
addition,acollectionofprinted“ActsoftheRoyalFrenchAdministrationconcerningLouisiana
1717–1771.”ItcontainsactsissuedbytheFrenchgovernmentconcerningtheCompagniedesIndesin
Louisiana,aswellasletterspatentregardingJesuitpropertyinLouisiana.10Additionally,theHNOC
holdsseveralcollectionsofprivatepapersrelatingtoearlymodernFrenchLouisiana.Agroupof
documentstransferredfromLouisianaStateUniversitycalled“TheChevalierdePradelPapers,
1692–1962,”containsthecorrespondenceandmiscellaneouspapersofJean-CharlesdePradel(1692–
1764),aLouisianasoldier,commandant,andplanter.11Pertainingtobusinessandfamilymattersand
reflectingthelifeofupper-classcolonistsandslaveowners,theydocumentthemilitary,economic,
andsocialhistoryofthecolony.Topicscoveredincludethetreatmentofslaves,contemporaryevents
suchastheFortRosaliemassacre(1729),andLouisianawomen’shistory—thecollectionincludes
letterswrittenbyPradel’swife,AlexandrinedelaChaise.Forfurtherinformation,onecanreferto
theonlineinventory“JeanCharlesDePradelFamilyPapers.”12Thecollection“Louis-Roger
FranssuredeVilliersfolio1714–1752”containsthepapersofLouis-RogerFranssure(1684–1775),a
militaryofficersenttoLouisiana.13Theseare,inlargepart,correspondenceandlegaldocuments
concerningtheFrenchnavy,andinstructionsfromthekingandthecountdeMaurepasregardingtwo
expeditionstoLouisiana(1735–1736and1739–1740).“TheD’Auberville-BoulignyFamilyPapers,
1618–1873”isacollectionofcorrespondence(1733–1867)andlegalandmilitarypapers(1618–
1860).14Inaddition,itcontains,genealogicalsourcesconcerningtheDaubervilleandBouligny
families.OthernotabledocumentsheldbytheHNOCincludeSieurLeMoyned’Iberville’spetitionto
establishacolonyontheMississippiriverandaSpanish“ReportontheCessionofLouisianato
SpainbyFrance(1762).”15Afewrelevantsourcesarealsoavailablein“TheBouligny-Baldwin
FamilyPapers(1710–1980),”“TheFrançoisFleuriauPapers(1722–1730),”“TheErnestCaliste
VilleréPapers(1691–1981)”and“TheHenryClementPitotPapers(1699–1990).”16
ThemanuscriptdivisionoftheHNOCcomprisesanimpressivelyvastmicroformcollection,
whichgatherssourcesfromdiverseFrenchandAmericanresearchinstitutions.Itcontainsnumerous
microfilmcopiesofearlymodernLouisianasourcesfromtheFrenchArchivesNationalesd’Outre
Mer(ANOM),nowsituatedinAixenProvence.Theseincludethe“Correspondanceàl’arrivéeen
provenancedelaLouisiane1678–1819,”C13series—amajorcollectionofcorrespondencefrom
LouisianareceivedbytheSecrétaired’ÉtatàlaMarine,ofprimaryimportancetoalmostany
researcherworkingonearlymodernFrenchLouisiana(seesection“TheArchivesd’Outre-Mer”in
thisarticle).17TheHNOCalsoholdsamicrofilmcopyofLouisianamapsfromthe“AtlasMoreaude
Saint-Méry,”theoriginalsofwhichareavailableattheANOM(1730–1745).Therearemicrofilmed
documentsconcerningLouisianafromseriesG(1717–1789)oftheANOM.18Thesecomprise
marriageandburialregisters,censuses,commercialpapers,passengerlists,landgrants,reportson
theactivitiesofdifferentpeopleinLouisiana,andaccountsofshipwrecks.Microfilmcopiesof
documents,mapsandplansconcerningFrenchLouisiana(1698–1768)fromthe“Dépôtdes
FortificationsdesColonies”(theoriginalsarelocatedattheANOM)arealsoavailable.19Since“The
ColonialDocumentsDigitizationProject”launchedbytheLouisianaStateMuseumwillnotbe
completeduntil2016,itisalsousefultonotethattheHNOCholdsmicrofilmcopiesoftherecordsof
theFrenchSuperiorCouncil.20
TheHNOCalsoholdsseveralmicrofilmcopiesofsourcesavailableattheNewberryLibrary,
Chicago.Theseincludeanearly-eighteenthcenturymemoirbyaFrenchofficerpostedinLouisiana,
ajournalreportingLouisianaeventsbyFrenchmilitaryofficerandhistorianDumonttheMontigny
(1715–1747)andLouisianamapsfrom“TheEdwardAyerCollection.”Additionally,theHNOC
possessesmicrofilmcopiesofthecorrespondenceofPierreRigaudMarquisdeVaudreuil(1698–
1778)(commonlycalledthe“VaudreuilPapers,1740–1753”)housedattheHuntingtonLibraryinSan
Marino,California.21Thesecopiesare,however,veryincompleteandoftendifficulttoread.There
arealsomicrofilmcopiesof“TheRecordsoftheDioceseofLouisianaandtheFloridas,1576–
1803,”andofthe“ArchivesoftheUrsulineNunsoftheParishofNewOrleans.”22Regardingthis
lattercollection,theoriginaldocumentsareheldbytheprivate,usuallyinaccessible,Ursuline
ConventArchivesinNewOrleans.RelevantdocumentsmaybefoundonReel1“Déliberationsdu
Conseil,1727–1902”(2volumes),Reel2“RegistrepourÉcrirelesRéceptionsdesReligieusesde
FranceetPostulantes,1726–1893”and“LesLettresCirculaires,1728–1894,”Reel3“Premier
RegistredelaCongrégationdesDamesEnfantsdeMarie,1730–1744,”Reel15“Journaldepuis1726
jusqu’en1853,”Reel18“LettresCirculairesdepuis1727jusqu’en1835,”andalsointhePrivate
ArchivesonReels16and17andperhapsin“TheBournigalleManuscripts,HistoryandNotes”on
Reels19and19a—formoreinformation,pleaserefertosection“UrsulineConventArchives,New
Orleans”inthisarticle.TheHNOCpurchasedtheUrsulineLibrary,whichincludeseighteenthcenturyvolumes.
SomedigitalcollectionsareaccessiblethroughtheHNOCwebsite.Theseinclude“AGuideto
FrenchLouisianaManuscripts,”adatabasethatidentifiesLouisianadocumentsinresearchfacilities
inFrance.Thisresourcecanbesearchedbyname,typeofdocument,repository,place,dateand
keyword.ItisanexpandededitionofNancyMillerSurrey’sCalendarofManuscriptsinParis
ArchivesandLibrariesRelatingtotheHistoryoftheMississippiValleyto1803(1926).Thereisalsoa
digitalversionof“TheVieuxCarréSurvey,”alargestudyofpropertieswithintheFrenchQuarterof
NewOrleans,availableintheHNOC’slibrary.Itcomprises,amongotherdocuments,maps,
drawings,engravings,andpropertyrecords.Searchablebynameand“architecturalrating,”the
digitalsurveyrevealstopographical,architectural,sociological,andlegalinformation;italso
identifiesownersamongthegroupoffreepeopleofcolor.Thisprojectwaspartlyfundedbythe
CollinsC.DibollPrivateFoundation.Inaddition,thereisadigitizedcollectionavailableonlineof
“MapsfromtheHistoricNewOrleansCollection,”whichfeaturesseveralearlymodernmaps
representingFrenchLouisianaandheldbytheHNOC.Theseinclude,forexample,amapof
LouisianaandtheMississippiriverbyGuillaumedeL’IsleandamapofCanadaandLouisianaby
JeanBaptisteNolin,Jr.(1686–1762).23
Finally,theHNOCpossessesacollectionofrarebookscontainingearlymodernsources
relatedtoFrenchLouisiana,suchasLouisHennepin’sDescriptiondelaLouisiane(1683)andHenri
Joutel’sJournalHistorique(1713).24
TheLouisianaStateArchives,DivisionoftheLouisianaSecretaryofState’sOffice25
TheLouisianaStateArchivesDivisionoftheLouisianaSecretaryofState’sOfficehousesseveral
sourcesofpotentialinteresttohistoriansofearlymodernFrenchLouisiana.Alloftheserecordsare
onmicrofilmandcanbeviewedinthelibrary.Themicrofilmcopyof“TheMargryCollection:C13A
FrenchColonies”includesPierreMargry’sDécouvertesetÉtablissementsdesFrançaisDansL’Ouest
etdansleSuddel’AmériqueSeptentrionale,1614–1698(6vols.,1876–1886).Italsocontainsselected
documentsfromtheseriesC13andseriesBoftheANOM.SeriesBincludesadministrative
correspondencefromFrancetoLouisiana—pleaserefertosection“ArchivesNationalesd’OutreMer”inthisarticle.26TheLouisianaStateArchivespossessmicrofilmcopiesoftheFrenchSuperior
CouncilRecords:1679–1803,whicharehousedattheLouisianaStateMuseum.27Facsimilesofthe
BlackBooksandofthenamecardindextotheFrenchSuperiorCouncilrecordsarealsoavailablein
thearchives.28Thereisamicrofilmcopyentitled“St.DenisPapers:1732–1885,”whichcontainsthe
testamentandfamilypapersofLouisJuchereaudeSt.Denis,commandantofUpperCaneriver
(1720–1744),aswellasvariousdocumentsrelatedtothehistoryofNatchitochesParish.29An
inventoryofthecollectionwaspublishedintheJune2007issueofLeRaconteur.30Originalsources
arehousedattheofficeoftheNatchitochesParishClerkofCourt.TheLouisianaStateArchives
possess,inaddition,microfilmcopiesof“TheRecordsoftheDioceseofLouisianaandtheFloridas”
andof“TheVaudreuilPapers:1742–1751.”31Themicrofilmcopiesofdocumentsfromthe
NatchitochesandSt.Charlesparishes,called“TheNatchitochesParishCivilRecords,1723–1900”
and“TheSt.CharlesParishRecords,1740–1872”maybeofinterest.32Thisgroupofdocumentsis
composedofcorrespondence,recordsofsales,laborcontracts,agreements,transfers,leases,
obligations,mortgages,manumissionacts,inventories,suits,officialdecrees,marriagecontracts,
succession,petitionsanddeclarations.Amicrofilmedinventoryfor“TheNatchitochesParishCivil
Records,1723–1900”isavailableinthearchives.33Thecollection“St.JohntheBaptisteParish
OriginalActs:1753–1798,”whichcontains,amongotherdocuments,salesrecords,successions,and
suits,mayalsoincluderelevantinformation.34Finally,pertinentdocumentsmaybefoundinthe
microfiche“IllinoisSlaveRecords:1720–1863,”whichcontainsslaverecordsofFrenchIllinois,and
in“TheEdwinA.DavisCollection,1700–1770”oftheBritishMuseum,whichincludesmapsfrom
FrenchcolonialAmerica.35
TheLouisianaResearchCollection,Howard-TiltonMemorialLibrary
ValuableFrenchLouisianasourcescanbefoundintheLouisianaResearchCollectionoftheHowardTiltonMemorialLibraryatTulaneUniversity.FindingaidsareavailableontheHoward-Tilton
MemorialLibraryLouisianaResearchCollectionwebsite,usingthe“Archive”tab.Relevantsources
inthemanuscriptsubdivisionoftheLouisianaResearchDivisionarescatteredindifferent
collections.“TheRosemondeE.andEmileKuntzCollection”containsasectiontitled“French
colonialperiod,1655–1768.”36Itcomprisesnumerousdocuments,includinglettersofofficersofthe
CompagniedesIndes,regulations,landgrants,censusextracts,actsofsale,marriagecontracts,estate
inventories,andsourcespertainingtotheoppositiontothecessiontoSpain.Therearealsoseveral
personalandfamilypapers,includingthoseofFrenchLouisianasettlerandCommissionerofthe
MarineVincentGuillaumeLeSénéchalDauberville.37Thesesourcesconveyinformationconcerning
theestablishmentanddevelopmentoftheLouisianacolony,aswellasearlyFrenchauthorityover
Louisiana.PartoftheKuntzCollectionandotherFrenchLouisianadocumentsareavailableonlinein
theexpandingTulaneUniversityDigitalLibrarycollectionentitled“FrenchColonial,Spanish
Colonial,andNineteenth-CenturyLouisianaDocuments.”MoredocumentsfromtheKuntzCollection
willbedigitizedastimeandresourcespermit.“TheFavrotFamilyPapers,1669–1803”containthe
officialandfamilycorrespondenceofeighteenth-centuryFrenchLouisianaadministratorsand
militaryofficersClaudeJosephFavrotandhisson,PierreJosephFavrot.38Theyalsoinclude
instructions,diaries,pamphlets,landgrants,andcopiesofbaptismal,marriage,andburialrecords.
ThepapersdocumentFrenchsettlementinLouisiana,BritishascendencyintheOhioValley,FrenchIndianrelations,andthecollapseofFrenchpowerinNorthAmerica.Therearenocurrentplansto
digitizethecollectionbuttheWorksProgressAdministrationpublishedaseriesoftranscriptionsand
asetofEnglishtranslationswascreatedbyTulaneUniversity(HistoricalRecordsSurvey,Louisiana,
1940;GuillermoNanezFalcon,1940.)AfewFrenchLouisianasourcesareavailablein“TheJohn
MinorWisdomCollection,1710–1960.”39Theseincludecorrespondence,appointments,onepetition,
anactofsale,andabaptismextract.LiketheKuntzCollection,theWisdomCollectioniscurrently
beingdigitizedandaddedtothelargerdigitalcollection,“FrenchColonial,SpanishColonial,and
Nineteenth-CenturyLouisianaDocuments.”“TheLandTransactionsCollection,1721–1935”contains
FrenchLouisianalandgrants,landclaims,correspondence,andsurveys.40Microfilmsand
photocopiesmustbeusedinsteadoftheoriginalsduetothefragilityofthedocuments.“TheDela
VillesbretFamilyPapers,1534–1975”mayalsocontainrelevantsources.41Fromtheeighteenth
century,theDelaVillesbretswereafamilyoflandownersinvolvedintheFrencharmyandnavy.This
collectionconsistsofmilitarypapersincludingcommissions,orders,recordsofservice,diaries,and
correspondence,aswellasfamilypapers,landtitles,certificatesofpurchaseorsale,leases,wills,
andbaptismal,marriageanddeathrecords.Thereisalsoahandwrittenfacsimileofajournalwritten
in1722bySecretaryoftheCounciloftheCompagniedesIndesCharlesRenéBougués.“TheSlavery
DocumentsCollection,1758–1865”containsvirtuallynoFrenchLouisianadocuments.42
AlsoofrelevancetohistoriansworkingonearlymodernFrenchLouisiana,theLouisiana
Collectioncomprisesa“LouisianaIndiansMiscellanyCollection(1682–1737).”Itcontainstranslated
extractsofFrenchtravelaccountsandmemoirs,aswellastranslationsoflettersandreportsonmajor
events.TheprojectwassponsoredbyLouisianaStateUniversityandcompletedbyOliviaBlanchard,
NorrisB.FazekasandStanleyC.Arthurin1940.Iwasunabletoclearlyidentifytheoriginofthe
originaldocumentsonwhichthetranslationsarebased;theymayhavebeenhousedattheHowardTiltonMemorialLibrary.
Finally,theLouisianaResearchCollectionholdsseveralmicrofilmcopiesofdocuments
housedattheFrenchArchivesd’Outre-Mer(notablytheabove-mentionedseriesC13)andcontains
numerousearlymodernprintedbooksrelatedtoLouisianahistory.Thesecanbefoundbysearching
theTulaneUniversityLibrariesClassicCatalog.
TheNotarialArchivesDivision,ClerkofCivilCourt,ParishofNewOrleans
Since2009,theNotarialArchivesDivisionoftheOfficeoftheClerkofCivilCourtfortheParishof
NewOrleansholdsseveralearlymodernFrenchLouisiananotarialrecordsbeginningintheyear
1735.Analphabeticalindexbyfirstname,indicatingdatesandacttypes,isavailableontheClerkof
CivilCourtwebsite,andaspreadsheetisaccessibleintheResearchCenter.Thesourcescanbe
examinedintheResearchCenterordigitizedcopiescanbeprovidedonrequestviaemail.Thereare
notranscriptionsortranslationsofthedocuments.Thenotarialdocumentsincludesuccession
records(1738–1792),severalsalesofproperties,andwills.Forthemostpart,thesedocumentswere
producedinNewOrleans.TherearealsomanuscriptsofSuperiorCouncilcourtproceedingsfromc.
1744(17folios).Thedocumentswererecentlyde-acidified,disbandedandstoredinarchivalfolders
andboxes.
SpecialCollectionsPublicServices,HillMemorialLibrary,LouisianaStateUniversity
TheSpecialCollectionsoftheHillMemorialLibraryatLouisianaStateUniversitycompriseafew
earlymodernFrenchLouisianasources.Asalreadyexplained,theoriginal“JeanCharlesPradel
FamilyPapers,1719–1954”havebeenrelocatedtotheHistoricNewOrleansCollection.43Microfilm
copiesare,however,availableattheHillLibrary.“TheEdmeGoudeauFamilyPapers,1670–1811”
(onmicrofilm)containstheprivatepapersofafamilyofcolonialFrenchLouisianamedical
doctors.44Theseincludemedicalcommissions(1670–1722),aswellasordersandpermissionsfrom
theauthorities(1756–1811).Usefulinformationmaybefoundin“TheNatchitochesParishRecords,
1734–1792,”whichincludejudicialrecords,landclaims,marriagerecords,andnotarialacts.45There
isalsoaninventoryofthepropertyofNewOrleansresidentPaulPailloux,dated1727,anda
marriagecontractofPierreVezinandMarieduPlasseycreatedinNewOrleansin1749.46The
libraryalsoownsmicrofilmcopiesoftheANOMseriesC13A,1694–1807.
SpecialCollectionsDepartment,EdithGarlandDupréLibrary,UniversityofLouisiana
atLafayette
TheSpecialCollectionsDepartmentoftheDupréLibraryattheUniversityofLouisianaatLafayette
housesavarietyofmicrofilmcopiespertainingtothehistoryofearlymodernFrenchLouisiana.
Researchersshouldusethefindingaidsavailableinthereadingroom.TheLouisianaColonial
RecordsCollectionwasrecentlytransferredtotheUniversitySpecialCollectionDepartment.The
collectioncomprisescopiesof“TheKaskaskiaManuscripts,1714–1816,”whichcontainnotarial
records,aswellasthejudicialrecordsoftheFrenchCouncilofIllinois.TheProvincialCouncilof
Illinoiswascreatedin1722atFortdeChartresasasatelliteoftheSuperiorCouncilofNewOrleans.
MajortrialsandappealsweresenttoNewOrleans,buttheIllinoisCounciloversawcivilandcriminal
cases,executedlandgrants,regulatedtitles,andmanagedlocalestates.47MostoriginalIllinoispapers
arecurrentlyhousedintheRandolphCountyCourthouseinChester,Illinois.Inaddition,thereare
microfilmcopiesof“TheNatchitochesParishRegisters(1729–1795),”of“TheNotreDameduFort
CondédelaMobileChurchRegisters(1704–1764),”andof“TheSt.CharlesParishColonialBooks
(1740–1759).”“TheSt.CharlesParishOriginalActs(1740–1803)”containnotarialrecords,andthere
arealsocopiesof“TheSt.JohntheBaptistOriginalActs(1753–1778)”andof“TheRecordsofthe
DioceseofLouisianaandtheFloridas(1576–1803).”Relevantdocumentsarealsoavailablein“The
RecordsoftheStatesoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica”pertainingtoLouisiana,acorpusofsources
compiledbytheLibraryofCongressandtheUniversityofNorthCarolina.Itincludesearlymodern
manuscriptordinancesconcerningNorthAmericanterritoriesissuedbymetropolitanauthorities.The
libraryalsoownsmicrofilmcopiesofselecteddocumentsfromtheArchivesNationalesd’OutreMer.TheseincludesroyalregulationsfromseriesAandB,correspondencesentfromLouisiana
fromseriesC,militarypapersfromseriesDandreligiousandeconomicpapersfromseriesF.There
arealsomicrofilmcopiesofdocumentsfromtheArchivesduMinistèredesAffairesÉtrangères,
ArchivesdelaGuerre,ArchivesdelaMarineandtheBibliothèqueNationaledeFrance.
OfficeofArchivesandRecords,ArchdioceseofNewOrleans
SeveralearlymodernFrenchparishregistersareaccessibleattheOfficeofArchivesandRecordsof
theArchdioceseofNewOrleans.AfindingaidisavailableonthewebsiteoftheArchdioceseandthe
sacramentalrecords(forpersonswithasurname)havebeenpublishedintheArchdioceseofNew
OrleansSacramentalRecords,1718–1831(1987–2004),editedbyCharlesE.Nolan.48Pertinent
informationwasabstractedfromtherecordsandpublishedalphabetically.Thedocumentsinclude
recordsofbaptisms,marriagesandfuneralsforNewOrleans(St.LouisCathedral)—baptisms,
marriagesandfunerals,1731–1733;baptisms,1744–1753;baptisms,1753–1759;baptismsand
marriages,1759–1762;andbaptismsandmarriages,1763–1767.49Thereisalsoamarriageindex
entitled“St.LouisCathedral,NewOrleans,1720–1730,”whichcontainsmarriagerecordsforBiloxi,
Yazoo,FortLouisandNatchez.50The“St.CharlesBorromeo,Destrehan,CombinationBook,1739–
1755”listsmarriagesandbaptisms.51TherecordslistEuropeansandpeopleofcolor,bothfreeand
enslaved.Partlyowingtofire,thereareseveralgapsinthesetsofrecords.Theoriginalsacramental
registersforthatperiodhavebeende-acidified,encapsulatedinmanycases,andrebound.Inaddition,
theArchdioceseholdsanaccountofthetrusteesofSt.LouisCathedral,inNewOrleans(1756–1801).
TherearephotocopiesoftheearliestrecordsofbaptismsofSt.LouisCathedral(January-December
1728)andphotocopiesofreportssenttoParisbyNewOrleanspriestsbetween1724and1734.The
originalsaresupposedlyhousedattheArchivesNationalesinParis.Thereportsincludebaptisms
(1729–1730)andfunerals(1724–1728,1729–1730,1734).52Finally,theofficeholdscopiesof“The
RecordsofTheDioceseofLouisianaandtheFloridas,1576–1783.”
TheCatholicLifeCenter,CatholicDioceseofBatonRouge
TheCatholicLifeCenteroftheCatholicDioceseofBatonRougepossessesbaptism,marriage,and
deathregistersforSt.FrancisofPointeCoupée,thefirstofwhichcoverstheyears1727–1784.53The
sacramentaldocumentsfortheDioceseofBatonRougehavebeenabstractedandpublishedinThe
DioceseofBatonRougeCatholicChurchRecords1707–1900(1978–2003).54
TheArchdioceseofMobileArchives
TheArchivesoftheArchdioceseofMobilepossesssacramentalregistersforNotreDamedeFort
CondédelaMobile,1704–1778.Baptismalrecordsstartin1704andregistrationsofmarriagesbegin
in1724.Accesstothedocumentsmustbeapprovedbythearchbishopandisthereforelimited,but
microfilmsproducedbytheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-DaySaints(MormonChurch)are
accessiblethroughtheirFamilyHistoryCenters.TheJacksonCountyGenealogicalSocietypublished
anindexoftherecordsin1992.55Translationsofthedocumentsareavailableinthearchivesand
PeterJ.Hamiltonundertookatranscriptionofthesourcesinthelate1800s.56Theseareamonghis
papersheldbytheAlabamaDepartmentofArchivesandHistoryinMontgomery,Alabama.
UrsulineConventArchives,NewOrleans
TheUrsulineConventArchivesisaninstitutionalarchiveseparatefromtheArchdioceseofNew
Orleanslocatedat2635StateStreet,NewOrleans.Thearchiveisusuallynotaccessibletothepublic
buttheHistoricalNewOrleansCollectionholdsmicrofilmcopiesofthedocuments.Aninventoryhas
beenpreparedbySisterJaneFrancesHeaneyandisavailableinCharlesE.Nolan’sASouthern
CatholicHeritage:ColonialPeriod,1704–1813(1976).57TheUrsulinenunsarrivedinNewOrleans
in1727.Theyservedasnursesandteachersandtheyalsorananorphanage.58
Thecollectioncomprisesseveralboundedvolumes.Pertinentmaterialcanbefoundinvolume
“PrivateArchivesIII,”whichcontainstheBrevetofLouisXVallowingtheestablishmentofthe
Ursulineconventin1726.Thevolume“RegistrepourÉcrirelesRéceptionsdesReligieusesde
FranceetPostulantes,1726–1893etlesLettresCirculaires,1728–1894”includestherecordsof
receptionofnovicesandtheirprofessions,aswellasobituaryaccountsofdeceasednuns,which
providepreciousbiographicalinformation.Thevolume“DélibérationsduConseil,I1727–1902”
comprisesrecordsofcouncilmeetings,whichcontainimportantdecisions.Thevolume“Premier
RegistredelaCongrégationdesDamesEnfantsdeMaries,1730–1744”includesaccountsofthe
convent,itsrules,practices,membersandelections.Thevolume“Journaldepuis1727jusqu’en1853”
containsajournalofevents.Finally,thevolume“GeneralAccounts,1789–1812”alsoincludesa
relevantdocument,entitled“MémoiredeLingesetHardesdesOrphelinesce6Avril1752.”
Thearchivesalsocontainnumerousmanuscriptsheetsclassedinfoldersaccordingtothe
subjectandnatureofthedocuments.Thesecomprisecorrespondencefrombishops,Frenchofficials,
andcopiesofletterswrittenbyUrsulinenuns.Thesesourcesprovideinformationconcerningstudent
admissions,thecloister,courtappearances,plansforbuilding,aswellaspurchasesandsalesof
property.
Therearealsoafewprintedbooks,includingCérémonialdesVesturesetProfessions,pourles
ReligieusesdeSainteUrsuledelaCongrégationdeParis(Paris,1681),DirectoirepourlesNovicesde
L’OrdredeSainteUrsule,delaCongrégationdeParis(Paris,1709)andRèglementsdesReligieuses
UrsulinesdelaCongrégationdeParis(Paris,1705).Thislatterbookfocusesonstudentinstruction
andrulesoflifeintheconvent.From1727,theUrsulinenunsconventpossessedacopyofthis
volume.
TheLibraryofCongress,ManuscriptDivision/
RareBookandSpecialCollectionsDivision
AvarietyofcollectionsofearlymodernFrenchLouisianasourcesandcopiesofsourcesare
availableintheManuscriptDivisionoftheLibraryofCongress(LoC).Theseinclude“TheLouisiana
MiscellanyCollection,1724–1837,”whichcontainsearlymodernFrenchLouisianaworkcontracts,
aswellaspaymentbillsforbuildings,fortificationsandmaintenance.59JudyRiffelhascreateda
GuidetotheLouisianaMiscellanyCollection1724–1837(2006),inwhichshestatesthat“few
historiansandevenfewergenealogistshavecitedtheserecordsintheirpublishedworks”despite
“theirenormousvalue.”60ThereisalsoamanuscriptbookletbyDumontDeMontignytitled
“HistoiredelaLouisiane:PoèmeenQuatreChants,circa.1736.”61Evokingseveralimportantevents,
itcanbeofgreatusetomanyhistoriansofearlymodernFrenchLouisiana.Inaddition,the
ManuscriptDivisionoftheLoCpossessesnumerousmicrofilmcopiesofcollectionsavailablein
researchfacilitiesthatarescatteredacrosstheUnitedStatesandinFrance.Thereisafacsimileofthe
collection“MemorandaonFrenchColoniesinAmerica,IncludingCanada,Louisiana,andthe
Caribbean,1702–1750,”ofwhichtheoriginalsarepossiblyhousedattheNewberryLibrary.62It
containsmemorandaandtravelaccounts,probablytranscribedbetween1702and1750.Thesedepict
Louisianaanditsinhabitantsandalsorelatetocommerceandnavigation.TheManuscriptDivisionof
theLoCalsopossessesmicrofilmcopiesof“TheRecordsofTheDioceseofLouisianaandthe
Floridas,1576–1803,”aswellascollectionsofcopiesmadefromarchivalrepositoriesinFrancethat
documenttheFrenchpresenceinNorthAmerica.63Thesecompriseacollectioncalled“The
LouisianaColonialRecordsProject,”whichconsistsofmicrofilmedcopiesofmaterialrelatingto
Louisianadatingfrom1620to1875,fromtheColonies,Plans,andMarineseriesoftheArchives
Nationales.64Additionally,thedivisionholdsmicrofilmcopies,transcripts,andaninventoryof
seriesC13A(volumes1–54),thoughtheymaybeincomplete.
Finally,theRareBookandSpecialCollectionsDivisionoftheLoCholdsnumerousbooks
relatedtoFrenchLouisianahistory.
TheIllinoisStateArchives,Springfield,Illinois
OneofthemostimportantcollectionsforFrenchUpperLouisianahistoryis“TheKaskaskia
Manuscripts”housedintheRandolphCountyCourthouseinChester,Illinois.Mostofthedocuments
comefromFrenchKaskaskiaandFortdeChartres.Forpreservationpurposes,itispreferredthatone
usethemicrofilmcopiesavailableattheIllinoisStateArchivesorinotherresearchinstitutions.The
IllinoisStateArchivesholdtwosetsofmicrofilmsof“TheKaskaskiaManuscripts,”coveringthe
period1714–1816.Thefirstmicrofilmseries(48rolls)includestheRandolphCountyrecordsaswell
asotherFrenchperioddocuments.Afindingaidforthesemicrofilmswasoriginallypublishedinan
articleofIllinoisLibraries(June1961issue),whichbrieflydescribesthecontentsofeachmicrofilm
roll.65ThesecondmicrofilmseriesincludescopiesofseveraloriginalKaskaskiamanuscripts,
summaries,andanincompletenameindex(14rolls).MostKaskaskiaManuscriptsarenotarial
documents,includinginventories,salesofeffects,landtransactions,bills,receipts,workagreements,
wills,inheritancesettlements,appointmentsofguardians,marriagecontracts,baptismalrecords,and
letters.TheProvincialCouncilrecordsincludedintheKaskaskiaManuscriptscontainreportsofcivil
andcriminaltrials,courtinterrogationsanddepositions.LiketheSuperiorCouncilrecordsandthe
otherLouisiananotarialdocuments,“TheKaskaskiaManuscripts”offerawealthofinformationto
historiansbydocumentingtheeconomic,social,administrativeandpoliticallifeofFrenchUpper
Louisiana.Thecollectionwasdividedintothreegroups,“CommercialPapers,”“PrivatePapers”and
“PublicPapers,”buttheprinciplesforthisclassificationareunclear.Thecollectionhasbeen
calendaredandthereareindexes,abstracts,andtranslations.66Maps,travelaccounts,fractional
censuses,andparishregistersforFrenchUpperLouisianaareextent—someofthemarelocatedin
collectionsmentionedinthisarticle.
OtherrelevantresearchinstitutionsintheUnitedStates
OthercollectionscontainingsourcesonearlymodernFrenchLouisianaintheUnitedStatesinclude
theFrenchcolonialrecordsofthepostofNatchitoches,whicharehousedintheNatchitochesParish
ClerkofCourt’soffice.Therecordsstartinthe1720sandinclude,amongotherdocuments,salesof
landandslaves,donationsofland,receipts,andapprenticeshipcontracts.67ThewebsiteoftheCreole
HeritageCenterofNorthwesternStateUniversityprovidesanewonlinesearchableindexforthe
NatchitochesFrenchcolonialdocuments(1732–1819).
AttheUniversityofTexasatAustin,theBriscoeCenterforAmericanHistoryholdsearly
modernFrenchLouisianatravelaccounts,correspondence,androyaldecrees,availablein“The
AlexanderParsonsCollection(1678–1928,1951).”Thecollectionmustbeaccessedonmicrofilmdue
tothefragilityofthedocuments;afindingaidisavailableontheBriscoeCenter ’swebsite.
Asnotedabove,theHuntingtonLibraryholdsthecorrespondenceofPierreRigaudMarquisde
Vaudreuil(1740–1753),and“TheEdwardAyerCollection”oftheNewberryLibrarycontains
Louisianasources.TheseincludememoirsconcerningearlymodernLouisianaandthepostof
Natchitoches,aswellastwotravelaccounts.
TheResearchCenteroftheChicagoHistoryMuseum’s“FrenchAmericaCollection(1635–
1817)”includesseverallettersrelatingtotheMississippivalley,amemoirbyLePageduPratz,anda
patentunderwhichLaSalleexploredupperLouisiana.Anindextoalargepartofthecollectionis
availableintheResearchCenter.
MicrofilmcopiesofcolonialdocumentsfromSt.Charlesparish(1740–1872)areavailableat
theNewOrleansPublicLibrary.TheNewOrleansPublicLibraryalsoholdsacopyof“The
HeartmanManuscriptsonSlavery(1724–1897),”theoriginalsofwhicharehousedatXavier
University,NewOrleans.ButthereisrelativelylittlefromtheFrenchperiodinthiscollection.
Relevantdocumentsmayalsobefoundinthecollection“Ste.GenevièveArchives,1756–
1930,”whichisheldbytheStateHistoricalSocietyofMissouri.Itincludesmarriagecertificates,land
grants,inventories,wills,ordinancesandletters.Severalofthesedocumentspertaintoenslaved
laborersandtoNativeAmericancommunities.
ResearchfacilitiesinFrance
TheArchivesNationalesd’Outre-Mer
TheArchivesNationalesd’Outre-MeristhemostsignificantrepositoryofearlymodernFrench
LouisianasourcesavailableinFrance.Manyofitsholdingsareofparamountimportance.Accessto
someofthesedocumentsisrestrictedduetotheirprecariousstateofpreservation.Usually,
researchersarenotpermittedtouseoriginalsourceswhenmicrofilmcopiesareavailable.Many
detailedinventoriesareaccessibleonlineandtherearefindingaidsinthereadingroomofthe
ANOM.The“FondsMinistériels”comprisesourcesfromtheFrenchministriesinchargeofthe
colonies.IntheearlymodernperiodthiswastheMinistryoftheMarine.SeriesA,“ActesduPouvoir
Souverain,1628–1779”containsmajorlegislativetexts,includingordinances,declarations,edicts,
orders,provisions,andmemorandafromthemetropolitanandLouisianagoverningbodies.These
provideavarietyofinformationtohistoriansbydocumentingtheeverydaylivesoftheinhabitantsof
Louisiana,theirconcerns,aswellasthoseoftheauthorities,theevolutionofcolonialpolicyand
economy,andcontemporaryeventsincludingwarsandrevolts.Manyrelevantdocumentscanbe
found,inparticular,inthesectionsA22–23.SeriesB,“CorrespondanceauDépart,1665–1789”
containsadministrativecorrespondencefromFrancetoLouisiana.Composedoforders,instructions,
memorandaandletterstoLouisianagovernorsandadministrators,itdocumentsvariouseconomic
issuesandpoliticalmatters,includingrelationswithNativeAmericancommunities,andEuropean
diplomacyregardingLouisianaterritories.68SeveralsubseriesareofinterestinseriesC,
“Correspondanceàl’Arrivée,1610–1815,”whichincludesadministrativecorrespondencefrom
LouisianatoFrance.SubseriesC2,“CompagnieFrançaisedesIndes,1649–1835”containsnumerous
documentsconcerningtheactivitiesoftheCompagniedesIndesinLouisiana.Otherrelevantsources
maybefoundinsubseriesC11D,“AmériqueduNord(1661–1771).”Thelargestandmostimportant
subseriesissectionC13anditsmainsection,C13A,“Correspondanceàl’Arrivée:Louisiane,1678–
1819.”Thiscorrespondencecontainsreportsandmemorandasentbytheauthoritiesinchargeofthe
colonies(especiallygovernors,administrators,andmilitaryofficers)totheministryinFrance.
TopicscoveredincludethesettlementanddevelopmentoftheLouisianacolony,itseconomy,
defense,andrelationswiththeNativeAmericans.Otherrelevantdocumentsaresituatedinsubseries
C13B,“Louisiane:Supplément,1699–1773”andC13C,“Louisiane:Divers,1675–1767.”InseriesD,
“TroupesetPersonnelCivil,1658–1885,”subseriesD2Cdocumentsthecareerofthemembersofthe
military,civil,judicial,andreligiouspersonnelofFrenchLouisiana.69Theseincludemilitaryroll
numbers,datesandplacesofbirth,certificatesofadmissionsandretirement,reportsondesertion,
healthanddeath,physicaldescriptionsofmilitarymen,propositionsofrewardanddecoration,as
wellassalarybills.Althoughseveraldocumentsfromthissubserieshavebeenlost,itprovidesa
wealthofbiographicalinformation.SeriesE,“PersonnelColonialAncien,XVIIe–XVIIIe”issimilar,
asitcontainsreports,correspondence,andmemoirsconcerningthemilitary,civil,judicial,and
religiouspersonnelofLouisiana.NumerousearlymodernFrenchLouisianadocumentsareavailable
inseriesF,“DocumentsDivers”aswell.SubseriesF1Acontainsfinancialsourcesdocumentingthe
politicalandeconomichistoryofLouisiana.Theseincludeaccountrecords,budgetreports,reports
onexpenses,paymentordersandreceiptsfortheyears1703–1706,1709–1728,1731–1737and
1750–1759.70SubseriesF2A,“CompagniesdeCommerce,1626–1821”includesdocumentsissuedby
severaltradecompanies,includingtheCompagniedelaLouisiane(1712)insectionF2A11.Themost
significantsubseriesinseriesFisthecompilationF3,“CollectionMoreaudeSaint-Méry.”Originals
arenotaccessible,butmicrofilmcopiesareavailable.SubseriesF3includesoriginalsandcopiesof
lettersbygovernorsandadministrators,instructionsfromthemetropolitanauthorities,andsources
issuedbythelocalauthorities.Compilationsinclude“Louisiane1680–1803,”andcorrespondence
fromLouisiana.71DifferentmapsofLouisianaareavailableintheAtlasMoreaudeSaint-Méry.
SubseriesF5A,“MissionsReligieuses,1638–1808”comprisescorrespondence,memoirsand
requestsforshipboarding.TopicscoveredencompassJesuits’propertyandthemanagementof
ecclesiasticalresources.RelevantsectionsincludeF5A1,“MissionsduCanadaetdelaLouisiane,
1667–1782”andF5A3,“CanadaetLouisiane,XVIIe–XVIIIe.”SubseriesF5B,“Passagers”contains
listsofpassengersboardinganddisembarkationinFrenchandcolonialports,includingciviland
militarypersonnel(see,especially,thelistofLouisianapassengersboundtoFrance,1732–1765.).72
ThesubseriesF6,“PapierDauvergne,1648–1870”includessourcesrelatedtoLouisianahistoryand
theslavetrade.
Inthe“FondsMinistériels,”the“DépôtdesPapiersPublicsdesColonies”(DPPC)contains
administrativepapersfromLouisiana.Section1DPPC2866,“Louisiane1720–1734”(formerly
classedG1412)includesparishrecordsofbaptisms,marriagesanddeathsforBiloxi,Notre-Dame
desKaskaskia,FortdeChartres,andNewOrleans—theFrenchÉtatCivil.However,duetotheirpoor
stateofpreservation,theynormallycannotbeexaminedandcurrently,therearenomicrofilmcopies
available.SectionG1464,“Louisiane1706–1732”containscorrespondence,listsofpassengers
travellingfromFrancetoLouisiana,accountsofresourcesincludingweaponryaswellascensuses
forLouisianaandforDauphinIsland,Hoffen,Mobile,Natchitoches,NewOrleans,andtheIllinois
region.TopicscoveredcompriseFrenchrelationswithNativeAmericantribes,theJohnLaw
concessionandthemanagementoftheCompagniedesIndes.PortionG1465,“Concessions:
Louisiane,1696–1881”containslandgrantsandroyalinstructionsconcerningthelandgrantregime
inLouisiana.
The“FondsMinistériels”alsoincludethe“DépôtdesFortificationsdesColonies,1636–1913,”
arepositorycontaining,amongotherdocuments,mapsofLouisianaandLouisianaterritoriesaswell
aslegalsources,memorandaandreportsoftenpertainingtomilitarydefense.
Independentofthe“FondMinistériels,”alimitednumberofrelevantdocumentsfromthemideighteenthcenturyareavailablein“TheAlbertLouisLieutaudCollection”inthe“ArchivesPrivées”
oftheANOM.73TheseconcernseveralLouisianafamilies.
Finally,the“Bibliothèque”oftheANOMhousesavastnumberofcontemporaryandmodern
editionsofprintedbooksrelatedtothehistoryofearlymodernLouisiana.Thesecanbesearchedin
the“Bibliothèque”databaseavailableonthewebsiteoftheANOM.
Centred’AccueiletdeRecherchedesArchivesNationales(CARAN)
WhileinFrancethevastmajorityofsourcesrelatedtoearlymodernFrenchLouisianahistoryare
locatedintheArchivesNationalesd’Outre-MerinAix-en-Provence,theCentred’Accueiletde
RecherchedesArchivesNationales(CARAN)inParisholdsasignificantnumberofrelevantsources
aswell,ofwhichinventoriesareavailableonline.Someofthesedocumentscannotbeexamineddue
totheirpoorstateofpreservation,butoftenpermissionmaybeobtained.Manysuchdocumentsare
locatedinthe“FonddelaMarine.”SeriesAmaybeofinteresttoFrenchLouisianahistorians,asit
containsearlymodernedicts,declarations,letterspatent,andordinancesconcerningtrade,theMarine
andthecolonies.SeriesB,“ServiceGénéral,”comprisesdecisionsfromtheMarineCouncil(Conseil
delaMarine),regulationsfromtheKing’sCouncil,aswellaslogbooks,travelaccounts,memoranda
andletters.ManyofthesedocumentsconcernLouisiana—see,especially,subseriesB3.These
documentspertaintocolonialmattersincludingtrade,war,andtheCompagniedesIndes.The
CARANseriesC,“Personnel”completesseriesD,“TroupesetPersonnelCivil,1658–1885,”andE,
“PersonnelColonialAncien,XVIIe–XVIIIe”fromtheANOM.Itnotablydocumentsthecareersof
civilofficers,administrators,marineofficers,militarypersonnelandmerchantofficers.Sources
comprisecorrespondence,certificatesofadmissions,boardingdates,reportsofinvolvementin
particularactions,recordsofbestowedrewards,criminalproceedings,tradepapersandorders.
TherearealsocrewrollsofshipsbelongingtotheroyalmarineandtheCompagniedesIndes,
indicatingplacesoforigin,healthconditionsandinformationconcerningcrewrecruitments.These
documentsprovideawealthofbiographicalinformation,revealtheoriginofsomemigrantstothe
coloniesandcovervarioussubjectspertainingtomilitaryhistoryandthehistoryoftrade.SeriesE,
“ConseilduRoi”containsdiverseregulationsissuedbytheKing’sCouncil,someofwhichconcern
theadministrationofLouisianawhenundertheadministrationoftheCompagniedesIndes.SeriesG,
“DocumentsDivers”includescorrespondenceandmemoirsconcerningtrade,thecompaniesandthe
administrationofthecolonies.SubseriesG6pertainstoJohnLaw’seconomicprojectandtheformer
CompagniesdesIndes.AndinSeriesJJ,thereareseveralcorpusesofsourcesdocumentingLouisiana
history.74Thesecontainearlymoderntravelaccounts,scientificdescriptions,lettersandmaps.Serie
4JJcontainsslaveshiplogbooksincludinginformationconcerningshippositionsanddailylifeon
slavevessels.Seriesoutsidethe“FonddelaMarine”compriserelevantdocumentsaswell.Suchisthe
casewithSeriesK,“MonumentHistoriques,”whichincludememoirsfromLouisiana,1693–1783,
documentsconcerningtheexplorationoftheMississippivalleyintheeighteenthcenturyandother
Louisianasources,1540–1759.75InSeriesM,“Mélanges,”therearedocumentsconcerningtradein
Louisiana,missionaryactivityintheMississippivalley,relationswithNativeAmericans,the
CompagniedesIndesandmilitaryequipmentinLouisiana.76Pertinentdocumentsarealsoavailablein
SeriesT,“PapiersPrivéeTombésDansleDomainePublic,”whichcontainsdocumentsrelatedto
Louisianalandgrants,aswellascorrespondenceandreportsconcerningLouisiana.77Finally,
subseriesV7“CommissionsExtraordinairesduConseil”containspapersrelatedtoLouisianaland
grants,theCompagniedesIndesandthefailureofJohnLaw’seconomicproject.78Post-revolutionary
sourceshousedattheCARANhaverecentlybeenmovedtoanewbuildinginPierrefitte-sur-Seine,in
ordertoenhancestorageconditionsintheParisianarchives.
BibliothèqueNationaledeFrance(BNF),DépartementdesManuscrits/Département
desCartesetPlans
TheBibliothèqueNationaledeFrance(BNF)housesavarietyofearlymodernFrenchLouisiana
sources.Findingguidesareavailableonlineonthelibrarydepartments’websitesandWaldoLeland’s
GuidetoMaterialsforAmericanHistoryintheLibrariesandArchivesofParis(1932)canalsohelp
inidentifyingrelevantsources.
IntheDépartementdesManuscriptsoftheBNF,thevastcollection“PierreMargry”pertainsto
thehistoryofFrenchexplorationandcolonization.Itcontainssomeoriginaldocumentsandmany
notesandcopiesofdocuments,ofwhichtheoriginalshavesometimesdisappeared.Copiesarebased
onsourcesfromvariousdepartmentsoftheArchivesNationales,theBibliothèqueNationalesde
France,theBibliothèqueSainte-Geneviève,theArchivesDépartementales,aswellasprovincial
librariesandprivatecollections.Thecollectioncontainsoriginalcorrespondence,travelaccounts
andtheLouisianacensusesfortheyears1722,1724and1732.The“CollectionEusèbeRenaudot”
containssourcespertainingtoexploration,geography,anddiplomacyinAmerica.Thereisan
accountofavoyageintheMississippivalleybyHenrideTonty(1678–1690)andadescriptionofa
voyagefromtheIllinoisCountrytotheGulfofMexicobyFathersFrançoisJollietdeMontignyand
JulienBinneteau(1699).The“CollectionAbbéDangeau”comprisesthecorrespondenceofCabartde
Villermont(1628–1707),whokepthimselfinformedofcolonialmatters,inwhichreferencesare
madetoLouisiana.StillinthemanuscriptdepartmentoftheBNF,relevantinformationcanbefound
inthe“MélangesdeColbert”collection,whichcontainsoriginalsandtranscriptsofvarious
documents,includingthecorrespondenceofContrôleurGénéraldesFinancesandSecrétaired’Étatà
laMarineJean-BaptisteColbert.Naturally,manyofthesesourcesconcernthecolonies.
Additionally,theDépartementdesCartesetPlansoftheRichelieusiteoftheBNFholds
numerousearlymodernFrenchmapsofLouisianaandLouisianaterritories.Thecollectionsofthe
formerMarineHydrographicServiceandthe“CollectionD’Anville”areofparticularinterest,as
theydocumenttheperiodofexplorationandcolonialsettlementinNorthAmerica.TheD’Anville
collectioncontainsa“CartedelarivièredePascagoula,”amongotherexceptionalitems,drawnby
DumontdeMontignyin1732.
OtherrelevantresearchinstitutionsinFrance
InFrance,severalotherresearchinstitutionsholdearlymodernFrenchLouisianasources.These
includetheArchivesduPortdeLorient,whichownsextractsofparishregistersforNewOrleans
(1724–1725),notarialacts,andparishregistersforLouisiana(1709–1760),aswellasdocuments
pertainingtotheslavetradeinLouisiana.Inthisarchivesthe“FonddelaCompagniedesIndes,1718–
1789”mayprovidemuchusefulinformationtoFrenchLouisianahistorians.
Regardingmilitarymatters,subseriesA1inthearchivesoftheServiceHistoriquedela
DéfensecontainsdocumentsandcopiesofletterspertainingtoearlymodernFrenchLouisiana.Other
correspondence,memoranda,regulations,andordersrevealinginformationconcerningmilitary
administrationandoperationsmaybefoundinseriesA,B,MandX.
SeveralrelevantsourcesarealsoavailableattheArchivesDiplomatiquesduMinistèredes
AffairesÉtrangères.TheseincludememorandaonLouisianapertainingtoeconomicanddiplomatic
matters.
AttheBibliothèquedel’Arsenal,thereareseveralmemoirsconcerningeighteenth-century
explorationandtravelinLouisiana.Similarly,theprincipalcollectionandthecollectionsCuvierand
GodefroyoftheBibliothèquedeL’InstitutdeFrancecontainLouisianatravelaccountsandmemoirs.
Thesedocument,amongothersubjects,thehistoryoftradeandnavigation,aswellasFrench
relationswithNativeAmericans.DescriptionsoffloraandfaunabynaturalisttravellersinLouisiana
areaccessibleattheBibliothèqueCentraleoftheMuseumd’HistoireNaturelle.
DigitalProjects
DigitalProjectsDevelopedintheUnitedStates
ManyearlymodernFrenchLouisianasourcesbecameandwillbecomeavailableonlinethrough
digitization.Asmentionedattheheadofthisarticle,the“LouisianaDigitalLibrary”(LDL)contains
Louisianadocumentsfromvariousinstitutions.TheLDLcollectionof“FrenchColonial,Spanish
Colonial,andNineteenth-CenturyLouisianaDocuments”from1655comprisesearlymodernFrench
LouisianadocumentsfromtheRosemondeE.&EmileKuntzCollection,whichishousedatthe
Howard-TiltonMemorialLibrary,TulaneUniversity.Theseincludepropertysalespapers,
professional,militaryandfamilypapers,legaldocuments,maps,aswellascensusextracts.The
collection“FrenchColonial,SpanishColonial,andNineteenth-CenturyLouisianaDocuments”isalso
partoftheexpandingTulaneUniversityDigitalLibrary.MoredocumentsfromtheKuntzCollection
willbedigitizedastimeandresourcespermit.LiketheKuntzCollection,theWisdomCollectionof
theHoward-TiltonMemorialLibraryiscurrentlybeingdigitizedandaddedtothelargerdigital
collection,“FrenchColonial,SpanishColonial,andNineteenth-CenturyLouisianaDocuments.”
ThereisalsoaLDLsectionentitled“EarlyLouisianaFrenchCorrespondence.”Itfeaturesadigital
bodyofFrenchletterswritteninLouisianaintheeighteenthandnineteenthcenturies.Itincludesafew
personallettersbyJeanCharlesdePradel,whicharenowhousedattheHistoricNewOrleans
Collection.RelevantmapsofNorthAmerica,theMississippivalleyandNewOrleanscanbefoundon
theLDLtoo,inthecollection“MapsfromtheHistoricNewOrleansCollection”andinthe
“LouisianaStateMuseumMapCollection,”whichcontainmapsheldbytheHNOCandtheLouisiana
StateMuseum.AlsoavailableontheLDL,thecollection“FreePeopleofColor”comprisesfamily
papers,businessrecords,andpublicdocumentsrelatedtofreepeopleofcolorandhousedatthe
HistoricalCenteroftheLouisianaStateMuseum,attheSpecialCollectionsPublicServicesoftheHill
MemorialatLibraryLouisianaStateUniversity,attheHistoricNewOrleansCollection,atthe
LouisianaResearchCollectionoftheHoward-TiltonMemorialLibraryatTulaneUniversity,andat
theLouisianaDivisionoftheNewOrleansPublicLibrary.Thiscollectionshouldsoonfeatureearly
documentsrelatedtoFrenchLouisiana.Itwillprovideanindex,afindingaid,andscholarly
resourcesforanalystsworkingonfreepeopleofcolorinLouisiana.Finally,theLDLcollection
“RecordsoftheFrenchSuperiorCouncil(1714–1769)”containssomejudicialrecords,legal
documents,correspondence,propertysalespapers,inventories,manumissionacts,business
agreements,aswellaspetitionstorecovermaroonslaves,whichareavailableattheHistoricalCenter
oftheLouisianaStateMuseum.
Asalreadyexplained,theLouisianaStateMuseumhaslaunchedamuchbroaderColonial
DocumentsDigitizationProject,todigitizeandpublishtheFrenchSuperiorCouncilrecordsonline,
inasearchabledatabase.Theoriginalstructureofthearchivewillberespected.Scanningofthe
documentshasalreadybeencompleted,andtheMuseumhasbegunindexingthedocuments—forthe
firsttime,theentirecollectionwillbeindexed.Thedatabasewillbecomeoperationalin2016andwill
alsoincludetranscriptions.TheWorksProgressAdministrationorderedthecreationofsynoptic
transcriptionsandtranslationsofmostofthedocumentsbetween1935and1942.Thesewillbe
availableinthedatabase.TheLouisianaStateMuseumwelcomesthecontributionsofscholarswilling
tosharetheirtranscriptionsandtranslations.
NumeroussourcesissuedbyreligiousauthoritiesandrelatedtoearlymodernFrench
Louisianahistoryshouldsoonbecomeavailableonlinetoo.TheArchdioceseofNewOrleanshas
digitizedmicrofilmsoftheFrenchcolonialperiodsacramentalrecordsandmaysoonuploadthese
imagesontheInternet.TheCatholicLifeCenteroftheDioceseofBatonRougehasmicrofilmedits
sacramentalrecordsandintendstodigitizeallofitsearliestrecords.Inaddition,theArchdioceseof
Mobileintendstomakeitsmanuscriptsavailabledigitallyincomingyears.
Regardingprintedmaterial,mostofthebooksrelatedtoFrenchLouisianahistoryavailablein
theRareBookandSpecialCollectionsDivisionoftheLibraryofCongresshavebeendigitizedand
areavailableonline.Databasesthatmaybehelpfulinclude“Eighteenth-CenturyCollectionsOnline,”
“EarlyAmericanImprints,”andthe“EnglishShortTitleCatalog.”
DigitalProjectsDevelopedinFrance
TheArchivesNationalesd’OutreMerhavedigitizedasignificantnumberofearlymodernFrench
Louisianasources.ThisisthecaseoftheentireseriesC13,“Correspondanceàl’Arrivéeen
ProvenancedelaLouisiane1678–1819”,althoughitisnotpossibletosaywhenthesedocumentswill
bemadeavailableonline.SeriesE,“PersonnelColonialAncien,XVIIe–XVIIIe”andsubseriesF5A
“MissionsReligieuses,1638–1808”havebeendigitizedtoo,andarenowavailableontheANOM
website.ThemapsofLouisianaofthe“DépôtdesFortificationsdesColonies,1636–1913”andofthe
AtlasMoreaudeSaint-Méryareavailablethroughthe“Ulysse”databaseontheANOMwebsite,as
wellasthroughthedatabaseprojectinitiatedin2004entitled“NouvelleFrance-HorizonsNouveaux.”
Since2002,the“Ulysse”databaseprogressivelymakesiconographicalsourcesavailableonthe
Internet.
Thedatabase“Nouvelle-France,HorizonsNouveaux”featuresdigitizeddocumentsconcerning
NewFrance(includingLouisiana)thatarehousedintheArchivesNationalesd’Outre-Mer,the
ArchivesNationalesinParis,theArchivesDépartementalesofCharente-Maritime(LaRochelle),
Gironde(Bordeaux)andPyrénées-Atlantiques(Pau),aswellastheBibliothèqueetArchivesCanada
(Ottawa)andtheBibliothèqueetArchivesNationalesofQuébec(Montreal).
Series4JJoftheCentred’AccueiletdeRecherchedesArchivesNationales,whichincludes
slaveshiplogbooks,hasbeendigitizedandisavailableontheArchivesNationales’database
“CampagnesdeTraiteNégrièreFrançaisesauxXVIIIeSiècle.”
Finally,theBibliothèqueNationaleandLibraryofCongress’sdigitallibrary“LaFranceen
Amérique/FranceinAmerica”providesaccesstosourcesdocumentingtheFrenchpresenceinNorth
Americafromthesixteenthtothenineteenthcentury—theoriginaldocumentsarehousedattheBNF
andattheLibraryofCongress.Theseincludeafewsourcesissuedfromthevastcollection“Pierre
Margry”oftheDépartementdesManuscritsoftheBibliothèqueNationale.Theproject“LaFranceen
Amérique/FranceinAmerica”ispartoftheBNFdigitallibrary“Gallica,”whichalsocontainsavast
amountofdigitizedmanuscripts,printeddocuments,drawings,andengravingsrelatedtothehistory
ofearlymodernFrenchLouisianaheldbydifferentarchives.EarlymodernFrenchmapsof
LouisianaandLouisianaterritoriesfromtheDépartementdesCartesetPlansoftheRichelieusiteof
theBNFcanalsobeviewedintheonlinelibrary“Gallica.”
Acknowledgements
IwishtothankthearchivistsandlibrariansSeanCBenjamin,GermainJ.Bienvenu,AnnT.Boltin,
JeffCorrigan,JacquesDion,DorendaDupont,RichardGilreath,Sarah-ElizabethGundlach,Karen
Horton,KimberlyJochum,JeanS.Kiesel,BruceKirby,MeghannLandry,Marie-AdélaïdeNielen,
SallyReeves,EricSeiferth,BrigitteSchmauch,IreneWainwright,andKathyWoodrellfortheir
helpfulsuggestionsandcomments.Ioweaspecialdebtofgratitudetomysupervisors,William
O’ReillyandFrançois-JosephRuggiu,andtomyfriendsNathanE.Marvin,YevanTerrien,andMary
M.Whitewhocommentedonseveraldraftsofthisarticle.
Notes
1. Foragoodsummaryofrecentworksinthefield,pleaserefertoGilles-AntoineLanglois,Des
VillespourlaLouisianeFrançaise(Paris:L’Harmattan,2003).
2. GuidesfocusingonearlymodernFrenchLouisianasourcesinclude:HenryP.Beers,TheFrench
&BritishintheOldNorthwest:ABibliographicalGuidetoArchiveandManuscriptSources
(Detroit:WayneStateUniversityPress,1964);HenryP.Beers,FrenchandSpanishRecordsof
Louisiana:ABibliographicalGuidetoArchiveandManuscriptSources(BatonRouge:Louisiana
StateUniversityPress,1989);HenryP.Beers,TheFrenchinNorthAmerica:ABibliographical
GuidetoFrenchArchives,Reproductions,andResearchMissions(BatonRouge:LouisianaState
UniversityPress,1957);WinstonDeVille,“ManuscriptSourcesinLouisianafortheHistoryof
theFrenchintheMississippiValley,”inJohnFrancisMcDermott,ed.,TheFrenchinthe
MississippiValley(Urbana:UniversityofIllinoisPress,1965);NancyMillerSurrey,Calendarof
ManuscriptsinParisArchivesandLibrariesRelatingtotheHistoryoftheMississippiValleyto
1803(Washington,D.C:CarnegieInstitution,DepartmentofHistoricalResearch,1926);Waldo
G.Leland,GuidetoMaterialsforAmericanHistoryintheLibrariesandArchivesofParis
(Washington,D.C:2Vols,CarnegieInstitutionofWashington,1932)Vol.1,97–101.
3. Beers,FrenchandSpanishRecordsofLouisiana,3.
4. COLA22F°19“Éditpourl’ÉtablissementDéfinitifd’unConseilSupérieurdelaLouisiane(n°
12)(septembre1716)”,179,ArchivesNationalesD’Outre-Mer(ANOM).
5. RecordGroup1,“JudicialRecordsoftheFrenchSuperiorCouncil,1714–1769,”Historical
Center,LouisianaStateMuseum;JohnR.KempandEdwardHaas,“LouisianaStateMuseum:
LouisianaHistoricalCenter,”inLightTownsendCumminsandGlenJeansonne,eds.,AGuideto
theHistoryofLouisiana(Westport:GreenwoodPress,1982),173–182,176.
6. SeeThomasT.McAvoyandLawrenceBradley,GuidetotheMicrofilmEditionoftheRecordsof
theDioceseofLouisianaandtheFloridas,1576–1803(NotreDame:UniversityofNotreDame
Archives,1967).
7. “JohnLawCollection,”MSS606,WilliamsResearchCenter,TheHistoricNewOrleans
Collection(HNOC).
8. “FrenchLouisianaDocuments,1729–1765”,MSS315.
9. “ColonialFrenchLouisianaLettersCollection,”MSS264,HNOC.
10. “ActsoftheRoyalFrenchAdministrationconcerningLouisiana,”MSS268,HNOC.
11. “ChevalierdePradelPapers,”MSS589,HNOC.
12. “JeanCharlesDePradelFamilyPapers,”MSS.2866,HNOC.
13. Louis-RogerFranssuredeVillersfolio,”MSS680,HNOC.
14. “Dauberville-BoulignyFamilyPapers,1618–1873,”MSS103,HNOC.
15. “IbervilleProspectus,M556,”HNOC;“ReportontheCessionofLouisianatoSpainbyFrance,”
MSS178,HNOC.
16. “Bouligny-BalwinFamilyPapers,1710–1980,”MSS171,HNOC;“FrançoisFleuriauPapers,
1722–1730,”MSS376,HNOC;“ErnestCalisteVilleréPapers,1691–1981,”MSS13,HNOC;
“HenryClementPitotPapers,1699–Dec–1990,”MSS400,HNOC.Inaddition,acollectionof
“GermanStudyFiles,1704–1981”documentsGermanmigrationto,andGermanlifein,
LouisianafromtheperiodofearlysettlementontheGermanCoastinthe1720s.Itincludes,
amongotherdocuments,legalsources,copiesofcensusesandtranslationofcontemporary
accountsofLouisiana.
17. “ArchivesNationalesdeFrance:C13Series,1678–1819,”84–70-L,HNOC.
18. “CentredesArchivesd’Outre-Mer,GSeries—Louisiana,”2002-68-L,HNOC.
19. “SectionOutre-Mer,DépôtdesFortificationsdesColoniesLouisiane,”84-43-L,HNOC.
20. “RecordsofFrenchSuperiorCouncilandJudicialRecordsofSpanishCabildo,”99-44-L,
HNOC.
21. “VaudreuilPapers,1740–1753,”99-91-L,HNOC.
22. “RecordsoftheDioceseofLouisianaandtheFloridas,”72-69-L,HNOC;“Archivesofthe
UrsulineNunsoftheParishofNewOrleans,”99-1-L,HNOC.
23. “CartedelaLouisianeetduCoursduMississipi,1732,”1954.32i,ii,HNOC;“CarteDuCanada
EtDeLaLouisiane,1756,1982.18,”HNOC.
24. LouisHennepin,DescriptiondelaLouisiane(Paris:1683),F352.H51683,HNOC;HenriJoutel,
JournalHistorique(Paris:1713)F1030.5.J861713,HNOC.
25. SeeJudyRiffel,AGuidetoGenealogicalResearchattheLouisianaStateArchives,revised2ded.
(BatonRouge:LeComitédesArchivesdelaLouisiane,2009),32–37.
26. P1998–34,LouisianaStateArchives(LSA).
27. N1997–14,LSA.
28. N1996–15,LSA.
29. P1976–62,LSA.
30. “St.DenisPapers,1732–1885,NatchitochesPost,St.DenisPapers,1732–1885,Natchitoches
Post,”LeRaconteur(LeComitédesArchivesdelaLouisiane)Vol.27,No.2,June2007,75.
31. Noaccessionnumber;P2004–58,LSA.
32. P1976-42,LSA;P1976-43,LSA.
33. P1976-42,LSA.
34. N2003-027,LSA.
35. N1991-28,LSA;N1976-27.
36. “RosemondeE.andEmileKuntzCollection,”LaRC/ManuscriptsCollection600,Louisiana
ResearchCollection,Howard-TiltonMemorialLibrary(HTML),TulaneUniversity.
37. Formoredetails,seeTheRosemondeE.andEmileKuntzCollection,DonatedbyFelixH.Kuntz,
Collector:ACatalogueoftheManuscriptsandPrintedEphemera(NewOrleans:Howard-Tilton
MemorialLibrary,TulaneUniversity,1981),byGuillermoNanezFalcon.
38. “FavrotFamilyPapers,1669–1803,”LaRC/ManuscriptsCollection550,HTML.
39. “JohnMinorWisdomCollection,1710–1960,”LaRCManuscriptsCollection230,HTML.
40. “LandTransactionsCollection,1721–1935,”LaRC/ManuscriptsCollection506,HTML.
41. “DelaVillesbretFamilyPapers,1534–1975,”LaRC/ManucriptsCollection84,HTML.
42. “SlaveryDocumentsCollection,1758–1865,”LaRC/ManuscriptsCollection503,HTML.
43. “JeanCharlesPradelFamilyPapers,1719–1954,”MSS2866,HillMemorialLibrary(HML).
44. “EdmeGoudeauFamilyPapers,1670–1811,”MSS1377,HML.
45. “NatchitochesParishrecords,1734–1792MSS480,876,929,940,961,”HML.
46. “Pailloux,Paul.Inventory,1727,”MSS91,HML;“Vezin,PierreF.O.Document,1749,”MSS
431,HML.
47. Beers,TheFrench&BritishIntheOldNorthwest,13,14;GillesHarvardandCécileVidal,
HistoiredeL’AmériqueFrançaise(Paris:Flammarion,2003),108.
48. CharlesE.Nolaned.,ArchdioceseofNewOrleansSacramentalRecords,1718–1831(New
Orleans:19Vols.,ArchdioceseofNewOrleans,1987–2004).
49. SR/1,SR/2,SR/3,SR/4,SR/5,OfficeofArchivesandRecords,ArchdioceseofNewOrleans
(ANO).
50. SR/56,ANO.
51. SR/210,ANO.
52. SR/184,SR/185,ANO.
53. PCP-1,PCP-2,PCP-3,TheCatholicLifeCenter,CatholicDioceseofBatonRouge.
54. TheDioceseofBatonRougeCatholicChurchRecords1707–1900(BatonRouge:23Vols.,
DioceseofBatonRouge,1978–2007).Seevolume1,1707–1769.
55. JeromeLepre,“IndextotherecordsofOldMobileCathedraloftheImmaculateConception,
MobileAlabama”(Pascagoula:JacksonCountyGenealogicalSociety,1992).
56. TranslationbyJeromeLepre,1992.
57. “UrsulineNuns,NewOrleans,Louisiana,”inCharlesE.Nolan’sASouthernCatholicHeritage:
ColonialPeriod,1704–1813(NewOrleans:ArchdioceseofNewOrleans,1976)113–133.
58. Beers,FrenchandSpanishRecordsofLouisiana,151;Nolan,ASouthernCatholicHeritage,113.
WorksfocusingonthehistoryoftheUrsulinenunsofNewOrleansinclude:SisterJaneFrances
Heaney,O.S.U.,ACenturyofPioneering:aHistoryoftheUrsulineNunsinNewOrleans(1727–
1827),MaryEthelBookerSiefkened.(NewOrleans:UrsulineSistersofNewOrleans,1993);
SamuelWilson,Jr.,“AnArchitecturalHistoryoftheRoyalHospitalandtheUrsulineConventof
NewOrleans,”TheLouisianaHistoricalQuarterly’,Vol.29,No.3,July1948,559–659;Henry
ChurchillSempleed.,TheUrsulinesinNewOrleansandOurLadyofPromptSuccor:ARecord
ofTwoCenturies,1727–1925(NewYork:P.J.KenedyandSons,1925);andEmilyClark,
MasterlessMistresses:TheNewOrleansUrsulinesandtheDevelopmentofaNewWorldSociety,
1727–1834(ChapelHill:UniversityofNorthCarolinaPress,2007).
59. MSS30585,LibraryofCongress,ManuscriptDivision(LoC).
60. JudyRiffel,GuidetotheLouisianaMiscellanyCollection,1724–1837(BatonRouge,LeComité
desArchivesdelaLouisiane,2006)vii,v.
61. MSS5849LoC.
62. Microfilm17,976LoC.
63. Microfilm13,951LoC.
64. MSS56317LoC.
65. MargueriteJ.Pease,“ArchivesinRandolphCounty:ARevisedInventory,”IllinoisLibraries,
Vol.43,No.5,June1961,433–448.
66. See,notably,thenumerousworksbyClarenceW.Alvord.Seealso,IllinoisStateArchives,
“InventoryofMicrofilmofRecordsinOfficeofCircuitClerkandRecorderofRandolph
County,Chester,Illinois”(1952),revisedintheIllinoisHistoricalSurvey,UniversityofIllinois,
1960;IllinoisHistoricalSurvey,“TranslationsofFrenchRecords,VolI:Documents1–697
1722–1774,IndexedandCalendared”(1960);IllinoisHistoricalSurveyTranslationofFrench
Records,VolII:Documents698–10341725–1810.IndexedandCalendared(1960).
67. JohnF.McDermotted.,TheFrenchintheMississippiValley(Urbana:UniversityofIllinois
Press,1965)225,226.
68. Pertinentdocumentsarelocated—thoughnotexclusively—insectionsFRANOMCOLB4,20,
23,25,27,29–30,32,34–36,42bisand43,52.
69. See,especially,D2C41VolontairesdelaLouisiane,1754–1803;D2C50OfficiersMilitairesen
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
ServiceenLouisiane,1694–1803;D2C51-52,CompagniesDétachéesenLouisiane,1710–1770;
D2C54RôlesdestroupesFrançaisesenServiceenLouisiane,1739–1777;andD2C59Officiers
MilitairesetCivilsenServiceenLouisiane:Matricules,1692–1776.
SeeespeciallyFRANOMF1A11–13,15–26,30–33and37–38.
FRANOMF324–25;FRANOMF3290;FRANOMF3241;242–243.
FRANOMFRF5B34.
FRANOM82APC1.
SeeANOMFR2JJ56,3JJ276,3JJ277,4JJ14–19,6JJ38,61,75.
ANOMFRK1232,1–54;K1374;K1232.
ANOMFRM204,M1026,M1024.
ANOMFRT661–2,T590.
ANOMFRV7215–235,V7254–259,V7215–235.