Marriage: Derbanne, Brosset marriage contract, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
Source: Juanita Henry Collection, bound volume #167, page 374, Northwester
University Archives and in #3027 Index of conveyances at the Natchitoches
Parish Courthouse
Submitted by: Gaytha Thompson




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DERBANNE-BROSSET MARRIAGE CONTRACT

"Today, this twenty second day of the month of October, of the year One
Thousand Eight Hundred and Two (22 Oct 1802), before me, Felix Trudeau, civil
and military Commander of the Post of Natchitoches and dependencies, acting as
a notary public ex officio for want of a public scrivener in this place, and
in the presence of Nicolas Lauve and Francois Rouquier, assisting witnesses,
have personally appeared Joseph Derbanne, of age, resident of this Parish,
legitimate so of the late Pierre Derbanne and Marie LeClerc, his father and
mother, on the one hand; and Catherine Brosset, daughter of Pierre Brosset and
Marie Josephe Grillet, her father and mother, on the other hand.

Said parties, with the advice and consent of their relatives and friends,
namely: on the side of Joseph Derbanne - Remy lambre, Manuel Prudhomme, and
Antoine Grillet, Barthelemy Rachal, Bernard Pantaleon, her uncles, and Charles
Lemoine and Bernard Juisarmat, her friends.

In the presence of all said relatives and friends, the contracting parties
have made the following agreement, namely:

That Joseph Derbanne and Catherine Brosset promise to marry each other,
legally and spiritually, according to the rites of the Catholic Church, at the
most convenient time, and that one of the parties shall ask the other.

That the future spouses shall not be held responsible for the debts contracted
before the marriage by the other party; and that such debts shall be
discharged by the one who has contacted them, without the property of the
other person being affected.

The future husband declares that his possessions amount to the sum of Five
Thousand dollars ($5000.00), represented by slaves, plantations, animals and
others, which comes to him from the succession of his father.

The future husband declares besides that he gives to his future wife the sum
of Six Hundred dollars ($600.00) as a fixed dowery to be paid only once.

The future wife declares that she has no possessions but the ones that may be
allotted to her in the succession of her parents.

All the said properties and sums as well as whatever may be allotted to them
in the future, reciprocally to either of the contracting parities, be it by
succession, bequeath, collections, or otherwise, shall go to the surviving
party for the life time only, and after, it shall be turned over to the
relatives in direct line, if the case occurs.

These articles and conditions thus read and clearly stated, the future husband
has sworn before God, our Lord, and made the sign of a cross, as it is
customary, that he will uphold the contents of these presents, pledging his
possessions, present and future, as a security; and he gives power to the
courts of His Majesty to take cognizance of his affairs and force him to the
execution of these presents as though they had power of a court decision,
waiving the laws that are favorable to him.

Done and passed at the said place of Natchitoches, the day and year above
mentioned, and there fore the contracting parities have signed with the
assisting witnesses.  Some of the relatives, knowing not how to write, have
affixed their mark of a cross, while the others have signed with me, aforesaid
Commander.

I attest that the contents of these presents are true and that the contracting
parities are personally known to me.  In witness there-"

Catherine Brosset X
Pantaleon X
Antoine Grillet
Anty
Nicolas Lauve
Frederic
Joseph Derbanne
Manuel Prudhomme
Charles Lemoine X
Remy Lambre
Bernard Guisarnat
Barthelemy Rachal X
Felix Trudeau (Notary)