Marriage: Early Rapide Post Marriages, 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
Submitted by Houston Tracy, Jr.        

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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 Agreements, Civil Suits, Probate, Contracts, Land
& Slave Sales, we will show here, only the Marriage references revealed
within.  Although there is no exact date and usually the bride's name is not
given, it still shows that the groom was married 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 (  )

Jean Maglaem
Louis Berjo
Alexandre Ennis (Alexander Innis)
Paul LaToray (LaForay)
Simon Socie (Saucier or Socia)
Thomas Essex
Baptiste Poirie (Poiret)
Baptiste Bellegarde
Antoine LeMoine
James Bruster (Brewster) and Susane Ruth (Routh)
Jean Doyl (John Doyal or Doyle)
Jannot (Jean Baptiste Jannot)
Robert Watkin
Tomberlain (no first name has yet been found for this man)

Note:  There is mention of a Register of Baptisms and Marriages of Rapide
Post.
           Unfortunately, that book has not yet been located through many
diligent searches 
           of the locally-available microfilm.