Friday, July 22, 2011

Joseph Pinta

Joseph was the 8th and the last know child of Jean Baptist and Luce.  He was born in New Orleans on 22 June 1816, baptized at St. Louis Cathedral on 30 Sept 1816. 

For several years it was believed that Joseph's middle name was Dayant.  However, after careful examination of documents including the will of JB, his father, it was determined that Joseph did not have a middle name.  Please see blog post and comments of 6 December 2010 under subcategory of wills, for a discussion of this subject.

The following document is from the Notarial Archives of  New Orleans for Notary Theodore Seghers, January - March 1836.  I believe it shows that Joseph purchased land from Charles Drouet.  However, I can't read French so I don't know what it says for certain.  It mentions Union Street, between Morales and Urguhart Street and I am not sure if is the piece of land he is buying or if that is where he is currently living, or both!  I don't think the document has any other important information, but what do I know!  It is difficult to decipher but I think the document is dated 26 April 1836.






Joseph married Julia Raby (Rabby) on 5 January 1837 at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Mobile, AL.   They had 8 known children from 1837 to 1860 and lost two young children to Scarlet Fever in 1860.

Luce died on 14 December 1838 at her son's home, Joseph.  The death record states he was living on Union Street, between Morales and Urguhart Street, suburb Marigny 3rd municipality, in NOLA.

Joseph was listed  in the early 1840's city directories in Mobile then beginning in the 1851 directory back in NOLA  near Marais and Treme.  The later part of the 1850's they were living on Gasquet and tax lists show he was a retailer and a cigar maker/tobacconist in the 1860's at Canal & Basin in NOLA.

He died 13 February 1867 at 165 Gasquet Street in New Orleans and is buried at St. Louis Cathedral Cemetery #2 in NOLA.  Records show that his son Joseph was living at 165 Gasquet Street in 1869 so we can assume that Joseph, the father, died at his son's home.  The death certificate states he died of liver problems, however, over three thousand people parished in New Orleans from Yellow Fever in 1867.  Perhaps he also contracted Yellow Fever.

4 comments:

  1. Hello Edna,

    Thanks to give new informations on American Pinta to a poor frenchie (and others readers of this blog)!

    In this document (dated 26/04/1836), Joseph Pinta, colored man living in New-Orleans, purchased half a plot in new Faubourg Marigny to Théodule Drouet, bachelor living in New Orleans.

    This land is located on Union St, between Morales and Urquhart St. I found Urquhart St on Google Maps, but not Union St or Morales St!

    Measures of this land are 30*120 french fts (approx. 10mx40m)

    Joseph Pinta payed cash 560 piastres (I believe "piastre" is an other name for "dollar" in formerly french-speaking parts of America, like Louisiana or Canada?)

    Have a good day,

    Michel

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  2. Michel,
    Thanks so much for the translation of this document. We appreciate it so very much. I hope to post more information as time passes but right now I am very busy so I haven't been as active on the blog, as I should.

    Thanks again.

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  3. Michel, I want to thank you as well for the translation. Not speaking French is a real handicap in researching my father's family.

    New Marigny - That part of Union Street is now Touro, and Morales Street is now Marais.

    Wikipedia has this to say about the Marigny:

    Boundaries

    The City Planning Commission defines the boundaries of the Marigny as these streets: North Rampart Street, St. Claude Avenue, Franklin Avenue, the Mississippi River and Esplanade Avenue.[3]

    The area further back from Rampart/St. Claude to Claiborne Avenue is sometimes called "New Marigny", the name dating back to the early 19th century. The lower boundary, with the Bywater neighborhood, is either Press Street (a traditional boundary that is along the railroad tracks) or Franklin Avenue (the upper boundary of the city's 9th Ward).

    The Marigny was laid out in the first decade of the 19th century by eccentric Creole millionaire developer Bernard Xavier Philippe de Marigny de Mandeville on land that had been his family plantation just down river from the old city limits of New Orleans. The portion of Marigny closer to the river was built up first; the area on the side of St. Claude Avenue (formerly "Goodchildren Street") away from the river was sometimes called "New Marigny." In the early 19th century, New Marigny was where white Creole gentlemen set up households for their mistresses of color (and their offspring) in the tradition of "plaçage."[5]



    Judy Vinson

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  4. Edna, Judy,

    I am happy if my translations are useful!
    Thanks for informations about Marigny.

    Michel

    ReplyDelete