Letter from François Frachon to Jean... (1839)

NRA-L-000603 / 1839

Letter from François Frachon to Jean Marie Frachon, 1839-01-20

François Frachon writes to his father about family health, money received and the long hours required by his military accounting and provisioning duties.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000603

NRA-L-000603 image 1 showing a folded address panel to a Frachon correspondent at Annonay, with handwritten delivery address, postal marks, sealing evidence, folds and retained annotations. — **Image 1**Address panel to a Frachon correspondent at Annonay, with postal evidence and retained annotations.

NRA-L-000603 image 2 showing a handwritten French letter page with manuscript dateline and text, visible fold lines and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 2**Letter text - Page 1.

NRA-L-000603 image 3 showing a handwritten French letter page with manuscript dateline and text, visible fold lines and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 3**Letter text - Page 2.

NRA-L-000603 image 4 showing a handwritten French letter continuation with closing and signature, visible folds and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 4**Letter text and closing.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000603
Date: 1839-01-20
Original date: Paris le 20 Janvier 1839
Type: Family correspondence
Language: French / fr
Sender: François Frachon
Recipient: Monsieur Frachon
Places: Paris / Annonay, Ardèche
Extent: 4 documentary sides: Documentary page 1; Documentary page 2; Documentary page 3; Documentary page 4; 4 digital images.
Citation: Neruda Archives, NRA-L-000603.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Address panel

Original transcript

Monsieur
Monsieur Frachon
à Annonay
Ardèche

Address panel

English translation

Mr
Mr Frachon
at Annonay
Ardèche

Documentary page 2

Original transcript

Paris le 20 Janvier 1839
Mon cher père
J'ai reçu ta dernière lettre et je t'en remercie, je l'attendais
avec impatience persuadé que j'étais que tu ne manquerais
pas de me répondre de suite ce que tu as fait et ce dont je
te suis gré, je te remercie des nouvelles que tu me donnes
tant sur ta santé que sur celle de ma Mère et ma Sœur
qui d'après ce que tu me dis va mieux; je souhaite bien
ardemment que ce mieux continue et qu'elle se rétablisse
entièrement, mais ne vous pressez pas de la remettre de
sitot en cage, le plus tard sera le meilleur elle n'y est
pas habitué et je suis persuadé que 8 jours après sa rentrée
elle retombera malade, aussi voyais je avec peine par une
lettre précédente, qu'elle y rentrerait au printemps, plut à dieu
que ce ne soit pas tout à fait sitôt, je ne veux pas dire par
là que je souhaite qu'elle ne se porte pas assez bien pour
pouvoir y rentrer, je l'aime trop pour pouvoir le penser,
mais que lorsqu'elle y rentrera sa convalescence ne soit
pas encore bien achevée laisse la encore courrir et prendre
Elle sera plus forte l'année prochaine, et par conséquent plus
à même de travailler et d'apprendre.
J'ai remis à messieurs F[re] et C[ie] le mandat sur lequel il
était ecrit la note de M[rs] Duret & Chomel, je leur ai
fait remarqué d'en avoir reçu le montant, mais je n'aurais
pas voulu que tu m'en envoyas tant à la fois, 20 f.
m'auraient presque suffi tandis que tu m'en as envoyé
50. mais il n'y aura rien de perdu j'en aurai

Documentary page 2

English translation

Paris, January 20, 1839
My dear father
I received your last letter and I thank you for it, I was waiting for it
with impatience persuaded as I was that you would not fail
to answer me immediately which you did and for which I am
grateful to you, I thank you for the news you give me
as much about your health as about that of my Mother and my Sister
who according to what you tell me is doing better; I wish very
ardently that this improvement continues and that she recovers
completely, but do not rush to put her back
in the cage so soon, the later will be the better she is not
used to it and I am convinced that 8 days after her return
she will fall ill again, so I saw with pain in a
previous letter, that she would return there in the spring, would to god
that it is not quite so soon, I do not mean by
that that I wish she would not be well enough to
be able to return there, I love her too much to be able to think it,
but that when she returns there her convalescence be
not yet well finished let her run around some more and gain [strength]
She will be stronger next year, and consequently more
able to work and to learn.
I handed over to gentlemen F[re] and C[o] the money order on which
was written the note of Messrs Duret & Chomel, I pointed
out to them that I had received the amount, but I would not
have wanted you to send me so much at once, 20 f.
would have been almost enough for me while you sent me
50. but nothing will be lost I will have

Documentary page 3

Original transcript

J'ai reçu cette semaine une lettre de Mon oncle
Bruyère, où il m'annonçait le prochain accouchement
de Ma cousine Anna, je ne savais pas qu'elle fut aussi
avancée. je vais lui répondre aujourd'hui ou demain
au plus tard si j'en ai le temps, car je suis très occupé
Je suis de piquet 20 jours à la Comp[ie] et ne me suis pas
encore couché avant 1 heure du matin, et très souvent
à trois ou 4, il m'est même arrivé 2 fois de ne pas me
coucher du tout, vu la manière dont nous étions occupés
Nous avions un trimestre à régler, et une année à
commencer et je t'assure bien que ce n'est pas une petite
affaire, et pour nous amuser nous recevions tous les jours
des pieds bleus (Recrues) qu'il nous fallait habiller armer
équipper, ce qui n'est pas une petite affaire lorsqu'il y
a à 600 par régiment et qu'un seul officier pour faire
tout cela, nous étions obligés de perdre régulièrement
tous les jours, les moments où nous aurions pu travailler
et de veiller la nuit
Quant à mes occupations, je suis chargé sous la
direction d'un sergent major de toutes les écritures de la
compagnie de la copie des ordres, et responsable des
distributions de pain bœuf vins et autres lorsqu'on en
donne ce qui est rare
Quant à ma paye elle est un peu plus forte que
qu'auparavant. nous touchons par jour 0 f. 868 c. francs
nous payons 0, 50 par jour pour notre nourriture à la fraction
ce qui fait qu'il nous reste par jour 0, 368 ou 1.84 c. pour
5 jours que nous touchons plus 1 pain de trois livre tous
les cinq jours.
Quant à mes rapports avec les sous officiers, ils sont jusqu'à
présent a peu près nuls je n'ai pu sortir qu'une fois ou deux

Documentary page 3

English translation

I received this week a letter from My uncle
Bruyère, in which he announced to me the upcoming delivery
of My cousin Anna, I did not know that she was so
far along. I am going to answer him today or tomorrow
at the latest if I have the time, because I am very busy
I am on picket duty 20 days at the Company and have not
yet gone to bed before 1 o'clock in the morning, and very often
at three or 4, it even happened to me twice not to
go to bed at all, given the way we were busy
We had a quarter to settle, and a year to
start and I assure you well that it is not a small
affair, and to amuse ourselves we received every day
greenhorns (Recruits) that we had to dress arm
equip, which is not a small affair when there are
600 per regiment and only one officer to do
all that, we were obliged to lose regularly
every day, the moments when we could have worked
and to stay up at night
As for my occupations, I am in charge under the
direction of a sergeant major of all the writings of the
company of the copying of orders, and responsible for the
distributions of bread beef wines and others when they
give any which is rare
As for my pay it is a little higher than
previously. we receive per day 0 f. 868 c. francs
we pay 0, 50 per day for our food to the fraction
which means that we have left per day 0, 368 or 1.84 c. for
5 days that we receive plus 1 loaf of three pounds every
five days.
As for my relations with the non-commissioned officers, they are up to
now almost non-existent I have only been able to go out once or twice

Documentary page 4

Original transcript

adieu il faut travailler, pour pouvoir me coucher
un peu plus dormir tot, j'ai sommeil je me suis couché
hier à 2 h 1/2.
F. Frachon

Documentary page 4

English translation

farewell I must work, in order to be able to go to bed
a little more sleep early, I am sleepy I went to bed
yesterday at 2 1/2.
F. Frachon

Discovery Terms

Family correspondence
Military service
Military administration
Finances
Health and illness
Frachon Family Correspondence

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