Early Rapides 1796 Court, Rapides Parish Louisiana
Submitted by Houston Tracy, Jr.        

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Court: Early Rapides Post Probates and Civil Suits, ca 1796-1797 
The Cuban Papers, Papeles Procedente de Isla Cuba, 
Archive of the Indies, Seville, Spain Legajo (Bundle) 215-B, 
Folios 392-393 Microfilm Collection, 
Alexandria Historical & Genealogical Library 

In 1797, following the death of long-time Commandant, Civil and Military, 
Valentine Layssard, an order was received by his temporary replacement, 
Cesar Archinard from the office of the Lieutenant Governor of the Posts 
on Red and Ouachita Rivers in the Spanish Louisiana Province, to take an 
inventory of the records in the archives of the Post of Rapide. Archinard 
reported that the records were in great disarray and asked for additional 
time to arrange them. While the inventory includes Marriages, Land & Slave 
Sales, we will show here, only the Court references revealed within. Although 
there is no exact date is shown, it is known that the persons named within 
were at or had transactions at this Post between the years of 1796 and 1797.  
Beginning date of the inventory, 26 Sep 1797       

I, Cesar Archinard, Premier Alcalde of the Post of Rapide, with my witnesses 
and assistants, Mr. Joseph Chevalier Poiret and Mr. Louis Deslaurie, with Mr. 
Valentin Layssard (son of the former Commandant), Captain of the Militia and 
former Commandant, Civil and Military, of the Post of Rapide, before retiring 
le Grette du Dit Poste et le resevoir Sous inventaire come__l  m'est ejoin par 
un Office of Mr. Charles De Grand Pre, Lieutenant Governor of the Posts on Red 
River, it que jar effectui Come Suit          

Savoir  Ending date, 28 Apr 1798  Names as shown here are exactly as they 
appeared in the original text.      

Other spellings, as found in other records, are added in parentheses (  )  
Gaygnard (Gaignard or Gagnard) vs Bradly (Bradley) Meullion vs Walton Decree 
of the Government in Favor of the Succession of DeVille Request in Favor of 
John Tellinte Request of Antoine Martin Freedom of Lussy, negresse of Walton 
Dispatch of the Government in Favor of the Succession of DeVille Copy of one 
obilgation of Walton in Favor of _?_ Quittance of the Succession of Denis in 
Favor of Mr. Monet Joseph Lejsia (Leger ?) vs _?_ Certificate of Bollon 
Layssard concerning the _?_ pf James Magleam and Frederic Riche Notification 
of the Decree of Jn. Archinard in Favor of Francois Escoffie Papers of Mr. 
Camu_? Letter of Don joseph Peigne, Commandant of Natchitoches Post Contract 
between Paran (Parent or Part) and Michel DeVille Decree in Favor of Baptiste 
& _?_ McCarty vs Mrs. Layssard Mathieu Gray vs George Smith      

NOTE: This suit is also found on microfilm of Avoyelles Colonial Records. 
It concerns the inferior construction of vats to store indigo dye. Inventory 
of the Estate of Pierre Perrot Inventory of the Estate of William O'Neal  
Inventory of the Estate of Walton Inventory of the Estate of Marie Fruge 
Inventory of the Estate of Widow Kirkland Inventory of the Estate of Widow 
of Vincent Poirie (Poiret) Demoiselle Histre (Istre) in Favor of William Cooke

NOTE: This suit is also found on microfilm of Avoyelles Colonial Records. 
Last Will & Testament of Azebel Copy of the Obligation of Charles LeDoux in 
Favor of Demoiselle Histre and one letter of this Office Request of William 
Berjo concerning the Sale of Joseph Piernas' land Letter from Mr. Unzaga  

NOTE:  1st French Governor of Louisiana Province Inventory of Estate of Gilbert 
Yunger (Younger), de la forge (Blacksmith) Request & Affidavit of Edward Almury 
vs Jn. Archinard Request of Jn. Archinard vs Gilbert Yunger  Request of Jn. 
Archinard vs Almuny Request of Jn. Archinard vs Pierre Paren Papers concerning 
Chevalier and Lamatte (Lamothe ?) Suit between Walton and Lamatte Agreement 
between Charles LeDoux and Louis Guichard Papers concerning Elliot and Piernot 
Papers concerning Marchal and Bouttet Papers of Walton and Galloway Papers of 
Duforest and Lamatte Request of Gray vs Antoine Flour (Fleur) Contract of Widow 
Kirkland and Louis Duval Demand of Widow Vidrekin _?_ for Sale of Land Suit of 
Charles LeDoux and the habitants of this Post Signification of Gray in favor 
of George Smith Declaration of Bidol concerning burying the dead Letter from 
DelaMorandiere Succession of Powlus (Powell ?), Sale to Chatelin (Chatelain) 
Favor from Mathieu Neugent (Matthew Nugent) to Gabriel Martin Conditions of 
Baptiste Vincent concerning the apparent beasts belonging to the minors of 
Poirie Terms of an Agreement between Pierre Fogarty and James McKim Condition 
between Charles LeDoux and Chev. Valle  Condition between Emond (Ennemond) 
Meullion and John Barkley Condition between Marie Therese and John Bornay 
Condition between Marie Therese and Joseph Torre (Torres) Condition between 
Jn. Archinard and Louis Duval  Condition between Charles LeDoux and John 
Henderson Condition between Jn. Archinard and LeMoine Condition between Vincent 
Poiret and William Brown Condition between Nicholas Grubb and Powel Condition 
between Michel deVille and Pierre Dupuy Condition between Jacques Croock (Jack 
Crook) and Pierre Denoux (Denux) Condition between James Maglaem and Jn. 
Archinard Condition between Mr. Berjo (&) Crook and Jn. Archinard Condition 
between William Berjo and Gabriel Martin Condition between Pierre Paren and 
Jn. Archinard Condition between Jn. Archinard and Pierre Denoux Papers 
concerning Fruge's brother and his Creditors Inventory of the Estate of 
Robert McKim      

NOTE: These papers are found on microfilm of the Colonial Records of St. 
Landry Parish. It also contains a 1780 Marriage Contract done at the Rapide 
Post. Within, it is revealed that his intended, Francoise, was the widow of 
Vincent Bissainte, Chief of the Apalache tribe at Rapide Post. The Catholic 
Church Marriage reference was found in Elizabeth Shown Mills, 1977 publication, 
Natchitoches, 1729-1803, p. 136. The parents of both are given. Contract of 
Richard Earl Contract of Charles LeDoux Proces of Jn. Archinard and Francois 
Escoffie Proces of Jn. Varangue Papers of Mr. Callaghen (Calligan) Request 
of Louis DeVille against Alexandre Ennis (Alexander Innis) Proces of Ned 
Maden and Francois Escoffie Proces of the Succession of Denis, deceased Proces 
of Meullion and Walton Criminal Proces against Maglaem through Louis Houter 
(Hooter) Succession of Robert Dupre Contract for the construction of a Chapel 
at Rapide Post      

NOTE: This would be the first "documented" church built at Rapide. 100 years 
prior to the present- day Cathedral in Alexandria, 85 years after Alcee Fortier, 
author of Louisiana History claims a Capuchin monastery was built there to 
minister to the Indians at the grande rapide aux Riviere Rouge and 43 years 
after J. Fair Hardin states that an encampment of French soldiers were here. 
Excuse me! But doesn't a "settlement" require permanent shelters and long-term
habitation. According to the French Archive in Paris, France, the Apalache 
nation were the first permanent inhabitants at the rapide (waterfalls in the 
river at low water levels) and Valentin Layssard was commissioned at Fort 
Chartres in the Illinois country of the Louisiana Province as a 1st Lieutenant 
and given the command of their care and needs in 1763. Request of a response 
in the case against Berjo in Favor of Frederic Riche Request of Mongino against 
Vincent Poirie Request of Jn. Archinard for a judgment to force the Sale a 
Horse Request of the habitants of the Post to thrash the walnuts (hickory 
nuts ?) of this Post Request of Pairo (Perot) against Richard Earl and bill 
owed Decree against Mr. Bollon Layssard concerning tobacco due      

NOTE: It was during this time period that a blight struck the tobacco in this 
region and coincidently the primary users, the British, had found the crop 
grew well in the Carribean islands. Thus, causing an economic collapse in 
that commodity. Request of Brown pr (pere, Senior) to retire one horse of 
chez Charlin (Chatelain) Act to cite and transport the Effects of Patus 
Adjudication of the land of Renois to Pierre Paren (Parent or Part) A tax 
against the Inventory of goods of the Patus, deceased Request a Decree 
against the Widow Raimon Sale of a horse at the request for seizure by Jn. 
Archinard Papers due Mr. Ebrard (Ebare or Hebrard ?) Request of Louis Renoul 
against Francois Martin and Bill owed Representation of the habitants to 
enter lands on Bayou Bouef Request of Jean Tellinte Papers of Jn. Archinard 
Meeting of the habitants concerning black walnuts (hickory nuts ?) Renoul 
vs Renois Declaration of Jaques Crook concerning the departure of Denoux 
(Denux) Emond (Ennemond) Meullion vs Widow Poirie Request for a Decree 
against Leonard Dyson in Favor of Widow Poirie Request of the habitants 
of this post in favor of expelling a negresse of Charles LeDoux Declaration 
of Seizure at the Request of James Maglaem against Frederic Riche Burney vs 
Jn. Archinard Decree against Thomas Thompson in Favor of Nicholas Ricardy 
Vincent Poirie vs Jn. Archinard Arbitration between Jaques Crooks & Widow 
Kirklin (Kirkland) Significatio of the case of Gabriel Martin in Favor of 
Jean Baptiste LaCerre Complaints of Demoiselle Histre against Charles LeDoux 
Complaints of Francois Escoffie against Pierre Paren Meeting of Michel Jardin 
and Jean Tellinte Proces concerning Jn. Archinard, Inventory of his goods 
and papers, and Sale of those goods by order of two Decrees in Favor of Mrs. 
Cavalie et Petit and Mr. Philipe Barriere Act of Emancipation of Joseph Hooter 
(Implying that he is a minor, under age 21 at this time) Louis Lambre vs Joseph 
Frocette Signification of Pierre Balliot pour indemorisation the Slaves 
centencie a lavenir Bollon Layssard vs Jn. Archinard Adjudication of the 
Cantine (tavern ?) of William Cooke by the occasion of William Berjo Papers 
concerning the Succession of Vincent Poiret, deceased