Colonial Documents with Translations (oversize), 1794, 1803

File — Box: 1, Folder: 1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

Two documents comprise the collection: a certificate presented in 1794 to an Osage chief by Baron de Carondelet and a request for payment from Joseph Hortiz dated 1803. Both documents are in Spanish; both have English translations included in the collection.

In New Orleans on 29 December 1794, Baron de Carondelet presented a medal and a certificate, bearing a presumed likeness of the medal, to Pawagny, also known as Beautiful Hair, of the Osage. The Spanish bestowed the title of Chief of the Little Medal to Pawagny. This certificate is an example of tokens given to Native Americans in recognition of friendship and loyalty to the Spanish. On 16 November 1803 in St. Louis, Joseph Hortiz wrote a request to the Lieutenant Governor of the Upper Louisiana to order David Rohrer to render payment due to him. Hortiz traveled to the saltworks, owned by Louis LaBeaume and Fremon deLauriere, twice to impound goods. His story also mentioned James Clamorgan, who stated in a note on the second page that he had no knowledge of the matter. Charles Dehault Delassus added a note of instruction at the bottom of Hortiz’s request.