Page 16 - THE BOOK MCLHHC

MAISON CHENAL & LACOUR HOUSE PROPERTIES & COLLECTION A Louisiana French Creole Tout Ensemble
ABSTRACT OF TITLE OF BENJAMIN POYDRAS’ FALSE RIVER RESIDENCE
A.K.A. “MAISON CHENAL” OF DR. AND MRS. JACK HOLDEN.
HOUSE ORIGINALLY LOCATED IN SECTION 44-T4S-R10E
Abstracted by Brian J. Costello
from conveyance records and civil suits of Pointe Coupee Parish Clerk of Court, New Roads, Louisiana, April 2003.
AB 1807-2717: Inventory of the succession of Francoise LeGros, late wife of Joseph Andre: on the residence plantation, measuring 5 1⁄2 by 40 arpents on False River, were the following household movables: In the salle: an armoire holding crockery; Small cabinet adjoining the salle: a lot of empty bottles; Another cabinet: cypress table avec tretaux (trestles), small double door and locked cypress buffet; Chambre: 2 beds, small locked cypress armoire.
CB 1808-2917: Sale from succession of Francoise LeGros, late wife of Joseph Andre to Julien Poydras: a tract measuring five arpents fronting on False River by a depth of 40 arpents, less a 40’ strip along the west side of the property and a one-arpent lot on the riverbank at the foot of the road, having been acquired by Poydras from Andre in 1806 (CB 1806-2545).
Included in the 1808 transaction are outbuildings and “a main house 46 feet wide by 34 feet deep, and having galleries, the said house containing a salle, a chambre and three cabinets, on sills, bousillier entre poteaux, clapboarded above and below and covered in shingles.”
The movables were: In the salle: an old double- door cypress armoire, 2 poor cypress tables, 9 straw bottom chairs (good and bad); Chambre: an old double door, locked cypress armoire, 3 cypress beds, 2 straw bottom chairs, poor straw bottom armchair, small cypress table, small jarre de Provence; Cabinet adjoining the chambre: a cypress bed; Cabinet adjoining the salle: an old double door cypress buffet, large cypress table a tretaux (trestle); Another cabinet adjoining the salle: 3 barrels, containing sugar, flour and coffee, 7 smoothing irons.
CB 1815-3849: Julien Poydras transfers in an act to exchange with nephew Benjamin Poydras de la Lande: the above, subject property, including a house measuring 46’ wide by 30’ deep “on sills”, with galleries front and rear, and containing a salle, chambre and three cabinets.
NOTE: Along the western boundary of this tract was a 40’ strip, being a roadway linking False River with Julien Poydras’ main plantation on the Mississippi River, which said strip Poydras had purchased from Joseph Andre in 1806 along with a one-arpent lot on the riverbank at the foot of the road (CB 1806-2545).
Further note: On this one-arpent riverbank lot, Julien Poydras operated a store, which he conveyed to Benjamin in 1807 (CB 1807-2749). Benjamin bought both the one-arpent lot and the 40’ strip serving as a roadway from Julien’s succession in 1825 (CB 1825-1690).
CB 1834-388: Inventory of the succession of Guy Richard, who was living in Benjamin Poydras’ False River residence, the subject property: in the chambre: a lot of books, an armoire (holding clothing), a necessaire or toilette made of racine d’erable (maple root), there pair of pistols, six couverts d’argent (6 silver spoons and 6 silver forks), razors, soap, another armoire (holding books), 13 bottles of wine, a briefcase holding notes, a gun, a lot of carpenter’s tools, a demijohn containing (?), a demijohn containing eau de vie, an ancre (brace, ?meaning flask) of eau de vie, a cherry bed, a porcelain bowl and pitcher, six large goblets, six small goblets, two trays, two glass decanters, two loupes (magnifying glasses), a mahogany armoire (holding clothing), two tobacco boxes, a canteen, an empty trunk, a large trunk, (outside: a cabriolet, two horses, a cart); inventory continues inside with another lot of books, 25 bottles of syrups, four bottles of bitters, four bottles of wines, (outside again: a pirogue), inventory continues inside again with a yellow box and a lot of bottles.
NOTE: Richard’s books totaled 395 volumes.
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