Letter from François Frachon to Jean... (1840)

NRA-L-000612 / 1840

Letter from François Frachon to Jean Marie Frachon, 1840-01-18

François Frachon writes to his father about quartermaster duties at Saumur, the frozen Loire, Ferray, Vincent and Benjamin Perron's bankruptcy.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000612

NRA-L-000612 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-000612 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-000612 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-000612 image 4 showing a handwritten French letter continuation with closing, signature, retained marginal or later annotations, visible folds and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 4**Letter text, closing and retained annotations.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000612
Date: 1840-01-18
Original date: Saumur le 18 Janvier 1840
Type: Family correspondence
Language: French / fr
Sender: François Frachon
Recipient: Jean Marie Frachon
Places: Saumur / 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-000612.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Address panel

Original transcript

Monsieur
Monsieur Jean Marie Frachon
Annonay
Ardèche

Address panel

English translation

Mr
Mr Jean Marie Frachon
Annonay
Ardèche

Documentary page 2

Original transcript

Saumur le 18 Janvier 1840

Mon cher père

Je reçus hiersoir ta lettre et je t'en remercie
Je reçus aussi il y a quelques jours celle de ma
mère du 2, et je n'attendais que celle la pour
vous ecrire. je vois avec plaisir que vous portez
bien, et j'espère bien que tu commences
à être un peu moins occupé de ton inventaire
qui doit s'avancer s'il n'est pas achevé.
J'espère que l'indisposition de ma
petite Pelagie n'est entierement passée et
que maintenant elle continue à se bien
porter. Je continue aussi a jouir d'une
bonne santé, il n'ai qu'un seul ennui
c'est d'être aussi loin de ce que j'aime, mais
il faut s'y resoudre, et dans ce moment
moins que dans tout autre je ne regrette pas
l'état commerce, d'autant plus que j'ai
de bonnes esperances qui pourront plus tard
se réaliser, je n'aurais peutetre pas tant
d'eau mais du moins j'aurais du pain

Documentary page 2

English translation

Saumur, January 18, 1840

My dear father,

I received your letter last night and I thank you for it. I also received a few days ago the one from my mother of the 2nd, and I was only waiting for that one to write to you. I see with pleasure that you are well, and I hope very much that you are starting to be a little less busy with your inventory, which must be progressing if it is not finished.
I hope that the indisposition of my little Pelagie is entirely passed and that now she continues to be well. I also continue to enjoy good health, I have only one trouble, it is being so far from what I love, but one must resign oneself to it, and at this moment less than in any other I do not regret the state of commerce, especially since I have good hopes which could later be realized, I might not have as much water but at least I would have bread

Documentary page 3

Original transcript

et j'espère pouvoir arriver à quelque chose
du moins je ferais ce que je pourrais pour
y parvenir, et je puis me flatter jusqu'à présent
que mes chefs n'ont rien à me reprocher.
Tu me demandes dans ta lettre si
ferray est ici et s'il a eu quelque avancement
Il est toujours ici avec moi et dans le
même grade qu'il y a 1 an, mais il est
probable qu'il n'y restera pas longtemps
attendant tous les jours les ordres pour partir
et aller à Paris travailler à l'administration
des vivres. Il me charge de le rappeller à Votre
souvenir.
J'ai été tres étonné d'apprendre la
faillite de M. Benjamin perron, j'étais
loin de m'y attendre et comme toi je
conçois combien on doit être ennuyé à
Annonay et combien tout le monde va se
tenir sur ses gardes. tu me disais que ta
maison n'y était pour rien, mais tu ne me
parles pas de la famille
Je n'ai pas encore recu de lettre de
Vincent, j'en attends une tous les jours.

Documentary page 3

English translation

and I hope to be able to achieve something, at least I will do what I can to succeed, and I can flatter myself up to now that my superiors have nothing to reproach me for.
You ask me in your letter if Ferray is here and if he has had any advancement. He is still here with me and in the same rank as 1 year ago, but it is probable that he will not stay there long, expecting every day the orders to leave and go to Paris to work at the administration of supplies. He asks me to recall him to your memory.
I was very surprised to learn of the bankruptcy of Mr. Benjamin Perron, I was far from expecting it and like you I conceive how much one must be troubled in Annonay and how much everyone will be on their guard. You told me that your house had nothing to do with it, but you do not speak to me of the family.
I have not yet received a letter from Vincent, I am expecting one any day.

Documentary page 4

Original transcript

Nous commencons depuis 2 ou 3 jours
à nous trouver moins occupés, ayant a
peu près achevé nos écritures du trimestre
et de fin d'année, jusqu'au 31 mars
nous ne serons que peu occupés.
Nous avons eu pendant une qu'inzaine de
jours un froid très violent, nous avons eu
12 degrés de froid à Saumur, la Loire
était prise, et je te reponds que dans
notre camp fort nous ressentions le froid.
heureusement pour nous, nous avions pu
auparavant économiser notre bois, à
faire un bon feu (nous avons 25 lls de bois par
sans cela nous n'aurions pas pu y tenir jour
élevés comme nous le sommes, et exposés
à tous les vents.
Ma montre est chez l'horloger qui m'a
qu'elle était excellente et que pour le prix
il ne pourrait pas m'en donner une meilleure
le froid ou je ne sais quoi l'avait fait
arrêter.
Adieu je vous embrasse tous comme
je vous aime.
F. Frachon
Sergent fourrier au 30e de ligne 2e Bon 1e Cie.

Vous oubliés Pierre et sa femme
Rappelle moi je te prie au souvenir de la famille

Notes

Editorial notes:
The writer omitted the word 'dit' (told) on line 17: 'qui m'a [dit] qu'elle était excellente'.

Documentary page 4

English translation

We are starting for the past 2 or 3 days to find ourselves less busy, having almost finished our writing for the quarter and year-end, until March 31st we will only be a little busy.
We have had for a fortnight a very violent cold, we had 12 degrees of cold in Saumur, the Loire was frozen, and I answer you that in our fort camp we felt the cold. Fortunately for us, we had previously been able to save our wood, to make a good fire (we have 25 lbs of wood per day) without that we could not have stood it, elevated as we are, and exposed to all the winds.
My watch is at the watchmaker who [told] me that it was excellent and that for the price he could not give me a better one, the cold or I do not know what had made it stop.
Farewell I embrace you all as I love you.
F. Frachon
Quartermaster Sergeant at the 30th of the line, 2nd Btn, 1st Co.

You forget Pierre and his wife
Remind me, I pray you, to the memory of the family

Notes

Editorial notes:
The writer omitted the word 'dit' (told) on line 17: 'qui m'a [dit] qu'elle était excellente'.

Discovery Terms

Family correspondence
Military service
Quartermaster duties
Weather
Bankruptcy
Frachon Family Correspondence

Transcriptions and English translations are provided as working scholarly aids, not as replacements for the images of the original documents. Some readings may remain uncertain, especially where handwriting, spelling, damage, abbreviations, names or places are difficult.

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