To Thomas Jefferson from Fournier Lamorinnière, 6 May 1801
From Fournier Lamorinnière
Paris ce 16 floreal an 9 de la Rep. fse ou 6 May 1801
Monsieur
Demoiselle fournier Lamorinniere demeurante a Paris Rue des Marmouzets No. 11 Division de la Cité
Vous expose que depuis huit ans la Communication de L’amerique a la france etant interceptée, elle N’a pu Recevoir aucune nouvelle de Mr. Pierre Chauveau Negociant Et son Epouse ses frere et soeur cy devant domiciliés au Cap françois Isle St. Domingue Maison de Mr. Aubert et depuis Environ neuf ans a Philadelphie. elle profite de Mr. Chardin fils negociant de Paris allant a Philadelphie qui a bien Voulu se charger d’un Paquet quelle ose Vous adresser, Vous supliant de faire remettre plusieurs lettres cy incluses auxd. sr. et De. Chauveau, ignorant leur adresse dans cette Ville, et a cet Effet d’avoir la bonté de faire faire la Recherche de leur domicile—Et de lhonorer d’un Mot de Reponse Si ces lettres leur ont Eté Remises, attendu que lExposante a le plus Vif Interets de Recevoir de leurs nouvelles, Elle ne cessera de Vous En temoigner Sa Reconnoissance Et dEtre avec les Sentimens les plus Respecteux
Votre tres humble Servante
fournier lamorinniere
Mon adresse Est rue des Marmouzet No. 11 En la cité poste restante a Paris
editors’ translation
Paris, 16 Floréal Year 9 of the French Republic,
or 6 May 1801
Sir
The gentlewoman Fournier Lamorinniere, domiciled in Paris, Marmouzets Street, No. 11 City Division
Explains to you that, communication between France and America having been interrupted for eight years, she has been able to receive no news of Mr. Pierre Chauveau, merchant, and his spouse, her brother and sister, previously domiciled at Cap-Français, Island of Saint-Domingue, House of Mr. Aubert, and for about nine years at Philadelphia. She is taking advantage of the fact that Mr. Chardin the younger, a Paris merchant, goes to Philadelphia, and has kindly taken the responsibility for a packet that she dares address to you, begging you to send the several letters enclosed to the aforementioned Master and Mistress Chauveau, not knowing their address in that city, and for that purpose asking you to have the kindness to have their home sought out—And to honor her with a brief reply if these letters have been delivered to them, given that the writer has a strong interest in receiving news of them, she will always be grateful and will be with the most respectful sentiments
Your very humble servant
fournier lamorinniere
My address is Rue des Marmouzets, number 11 in the city general delivery, Paris.
RC (DLC); at head of text: “Au Chef du Congrè des Etats unis de l’amerique a Philadelphie” (translation: “To the Chief of the Congress of the United States of America at Philadelphia”); endorsed by TJ as received 8 Apr. 1802 and so recorded in SJL.
Pierre Chauveau had become a member of the Saint-Domingue firm of Jacques Aubert in 1792. The company acted as agent for Stephen Girard, and when civil war drove Aubert and Chauveau from the island in 1793 they fled to the United States. From Girard and his contacts Chauveau obtained advances of money to enable him to continue in the coffee trade. A Philadelphia directory of 1798 listed him as “Peter Chaveau,” a merchant. Aubert, who had been established at Cap-Français for 45 years and lost considerable wealth in the island’s upheaval, died in Philadelphia in 1798 (Frances Sergeant Childs, French Refugee Life in the United States, 1790–1800: An American Chapter of the French Revolution [Baltimore, 1940], 50–1; John Bach McMaster, The Life and Times of Stephen Girard: Mariner and Merchant, 2 vols. [Philadelphia, 1918], 1:104, 158, 193–5, 201–2; Kenneth Roberts and Anna M. Roberts, eds., Moreau de St. Méry’s American Journey [1793–1798] [Garden City, N.Y., 1947], 250; Stafford, Philadelphia Directory, for 1798, 34; , 72 [1948], 316n; 112 [1988], 204; Blanche Maurel, Cahiers de Doléances de la Colonie de Saint-Domingue pour les États Généraux de 1789 [Paris, 1933], 360).