Letter from Frachon Dugas to Jn Mᵉ... (1839)

NRA-L-000501 / 1839

Letter from Frachon Dugas to Jn Mᵉ Frachon, 30 March 1839

The sender writes to his brother in Annonay to inform him of the proposed marriage between his daughter Laure and Alphonse Maniquet from Rives de Giers. He details the financial situation of the suitor and his family, mentioning an estate, canal shares, and coal mines. He expresses his consent to the marriage, his intention to give Laure a dowry, and requests the matter be kept secret for the time being. A postscript adds that Mr. Maniquet has the desired qualities for a son-in-law.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000501

NRA-L-000501 image 1 showing a folded address panel to a Frachon correspondent with postal marks, routing notations and paper folds. — **Image 1**Address panel and postal evidence.

NRA-L-000501 image 2 showing a handwritten French letter page with manuscript text and visible fold lines. — **Image 2**Letter text — Page 1.

NRA-L-000501 image 3 showing handwritten French correspondence with its closing and enclosed or appended text. — **Image 3**Letter text, closing and enclosed or appended text.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000501
Date: 1839-03-30
Original date: Voiron Le 30 Mars 1839
Type: Family correspondence
Language: French / fr
Sender: Frachon Dugas
Recipient: Jn Mᵉ Frachon
Places: Voiron / Annonay
Extent: 3 documentary sides: Documentary page 1; Documentary page 2; Documentary page 3; 3 digital images.
Citation: Neruda Archives, NRA-L-000501.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Address panel

Original transcript

A Monsieur
Jn Mᵉ Frachon
à Annonay

Address panel

English translation

To Monsieur
Jn Mᵉ Frachon
at Annonay

Documentary page 2

Original transcript

Voiron Le 30 Mars 1839

répondu le 4 avril

Mon cher frere

Madame Vve Maniquet de Rives de Giers, vient
de nous Ecrire pour nous faire la demande de notre Laure
pour son fils alphonse qui nous a Eté présenté il y a quelques
jours sans que Laure vit sans se douter que c'était un prétendant
La chose s'est menée bien vite comme tu vois puisque
nous Ecrivons aujourd'hui pour donner notre consentement a
ce Mariage. dont je fait part à Lucie par le meme courier
mais sans entrer dans des détails que je te prie lui donner
ainsi que je le lui annonce
Mr. Maniquet a je crois 34 a 36 ans on ne lui en donnerait
que 30. il possede un domaine aux flaches a 10 minutes de
Rives de Giers ou il a une habitation, il vit la avec sa mere qui
a plus de 70 ans jouit de 10 Mille francs de Rente. la fortune de
Mr Maniquet est de 400 Mille francs, savoir son domaine
qu'on estime 200 M f. il a des actions sur le canal, quelques capitaux
et les Mines de charbons qui sont sous son domaine et qui sont
exploitées par une compagnie lui Re[n]dent 10 M fr. [M = mille, abbreviation unclear] par ans
sans aucun embarras, c'est son droit de propriétaire.
Jusqu'a present il n'a pas encore Eté question d'interets. je
compte donner a ma fille 60 M f. [M = mille] comptant.
Cette alliance qui a l'aprobation de toute la famille de ma
femme aura J'espere la votre. ce que nous aprendrons avec je l'espere
si bien que je Regarde cette affaire comme conclue nous desirons
cependant qu'elle Reste secrette surtout ici. cette circonstance me
porte a Renvoyer a quelques jours, les communications a nos
parents d'annonay il faut etre d'accord, mea [?] Maniquet

Documentary page 2

English translation

Voiron, March 30, 1839

replied April 4

My dear brother,

Madame Widow Maniquet from Rives de Giers has just written to us to ask for our Laure for her son Alphonse, who was introduced to us a few days ago without Laure seeing him, without suspecting that he was a suitor. The matter has been conducted very quickly, as you can see, since we are writing today to give our consent to this marriage. I am informing Lucie of it by the same mail, but without going into details, which I ask you to give her, as I am telling her.
Mr. Maniquet is, I believe, 34 to 36 years old; you would only think he was 30. He owns an estate in Les Flaches, 10 minutes from Rives de Giers, where he has a house; he lives there with his mother, who is over 70 years old and enjoys an income of 10 thousand francs. Mr. Maniquet's fortune is 400 thousand francs, namely his estate, which is estimated at 200 thousand francs. He has shares in the canal, some capital, and the coal mines that are under his estate and which are exploited by a company yield him 10 thousand francs a year without any trouble; it is his right as owner.
So far there has not yet been any question of interests. I intend to give my daughter 60 thousand francs cash.
This alliance, which has the approval of my wife's entire family, will have yours, I hope. What we will learn with, I hope, so well that I regard this affair as concluded. However, we desire that it remains secret, especially here. This circumstance leads me to postpone for a few days the communications to our relatives in Annonay; we must be in agreement, Mrs. [?] Maniquet

Documentary page 3

Original transcript

sur l'epoque où se ferons les communications. c'est encore
un motif pour le peu de Rien pas parler j'écris cependant
au cousin thomas qui nous a toujours temoignee un si vif
interet
adieu mon cher ami je t'écrirai le plutot possible et
te tiendrai au courant. embrasse Ma soeur, ma niece je
t'embrasse cher frere de tout mon coeur

Frachon Dugas

il est inutile de le dire que Mr Maniquet Reunis les
qualités que nous [avons? / aimons?] lieu de trouver chez notre gendre

Documentary page 3

English translation

about the time when the communications will be made. This is another reason not to say anything at all. However, I am writing to Cousin Thomas, who has always shown such a keen interest in us.
Farewell, my dear friend, I will write to you as soon as possible and keep you informed. Kiss my sister, my niece, I kiss you, dear brother, with all my heart.

Frachon Dugas

It is useless to say that Mr. Maniquet combines the qualities that we [have? / like?] reason to find in our son-in-law.

Discovery Terms

Marriage proposals
Dowry
Personal finance
Coal mines and mining
Secrecy
Frachon Family Correspondence

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