Joseph Reynès and Family Papers

(Mss. 493, 494, 1033, 1034, 1038, 1039, 1240)

Inventory

Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections

Special Collections, Hill Memorial Library

Louisiana State University Libraries

Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University

Reformatted 2007

CONTENTS OF INVENTORY

Biographical/Historical Note	4
Scope and Content Note	4
Collection Description(s)	5-12
Index Terms	13-14
Container List	15

Use of manuscript materials. If you wish to examine items in the manuscript group, please fill out a call slip specifying the materials you wish to see. Consult the Container List for location information needed on the call slip.

Photocopying. If you wish to request photocopies, please consult a staff member. The existing order and arrangement of unbound materials must be maintained.

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Proper acknowledgement of LLMVC materials must be made in any resulting writing or publications. The correct form of citation for this manuscript group is given on the summary page. Copies of scholarly publications based on research in the Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections are welcomed.

SUMMARY

Size.	624 items, 37 vols.

Geographic locations.	New Orleans, La.; Shreveport, La.; Augusta, Ga.; Demopolis, Ala.; Macon, Miss.; Mobile, Ala.; Paris, France;

Inclusive dates.	1743-1929

Bulk dates.	1862-1869

Language.	English, French

Summary.	Correspondence largely describing civilian life in the Confederacy, essays examining French authors, business papers, photographs and bound manuscript volumes containing journals and business records.

Organization.	Arranged chronologically

Restrictions on access.	If microfilm is available, photocopies must be made from microfilm.

Related collections.	N/A

Copyright.	Copyright of the original materials is retained by descendants of the creators in accordance with U.S. copyright law.

Citation.	Joseph Reynès Family Papers, Mss. 493, 494, 1033, 1034, 1038, 1039, 1240, Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections, LSU Libraries, Baton Rouge, La.

Stack location(s).	C:87-88, P:20; OS:R

Also available on:	Microfilm 5735, Series B, Reels 15-16 Omission: Papers 1743-1858, 1868-1929 and volumes

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL NOTE

Joseph Reynès was a member of a prominent Creole family in New Orleans who held various public positions. Gov. Henry Johnson appointed him as Justice of the Peace for the 2nd District of New Orleans, and he was later appointed by Gov. A. B. Roman as Director of the Louisiana State Bank. The Reynès family was closely associated either socially or in business with the Grima, Reynard, Jarreau, Roman, and Beauregard families, and related by marriage to the Mazureau family.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

These papers are comprised of correspondence, documents, essays, business papers, photographs and bound manuscript volumes. Correspondence includes family letters describing military life and conditions in the Confederate Army and civilian life during the Federal occupation of New Orleans. Among the documents are copies of birth, death, and marriage records, notarial acts and documents substantiating land claims and transfer of property.

Critical essays examine the lives and works of French authors; business papers pertain to the banking trade. Bound manuscript volumes include five journals (1823-1825) of Valerien Allain relating to his travels in Europe, a record book (1833-1845) describing a business venture of Polyxene Reynès, two notebooks of sketches and notes (1824,1834), 22 volumes of school exercises, a scrapbook (1883-1885) of newspaper clippings, and a geography textbook (1843).

Among the photographs are portraits of Rear Admiral W. S. Schley (undated) and Admiral George Dewey (undated).

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Stack Location	Box	Folder	Date	Contents

C:87	1	1-2	1744-1819	22 items:
				Early Spanish and French documents consisting of reports, deeds, and surveys of the Spanish Royal Surveyor Carlos Trudeau, and other papers pertaining to land claims of Joseph Reynès in the District of Baton Rouge (now East Feliciana Parish), 1744-1803;

				Copy of marriage record of Esteban Mazureau to Amada Grima, 1785;

				Baptismal certificate of Joseph Reynès, Jr. 1793;

				Oath of Allegiance of Joseph Reynès taken before the clerk of the District Court of the City of New Orleans, 1805;

				3 receipts from the Louisiana Bank, 1811-1812;

				Copy of death certificate of Charlotte Jardelat, wife of Joseph Reynès, and cemetery records, 1817;

				Document relative to settlement of property, stating that Joseph Reynès marries Charlotte Jardelat in 1786, who was born in Louisiana in 1765, signed by J. Reynès, 1819;

	1	3-4	1820-1839	35 items:
				(Papers of Joseph Reynès referred to in the following is Joseph Reynès, Jr.)
				Copy of death certificate of Louise Françoise Kugler and three folders containing extracts from the Registers of the Department of the Seine, Paris, 1824;

				Commission of Joseph Reynès as captain of the company of cavalry, Orleans’ Chevau-legers, of the Louisiana Legion, by Governor Henry Johnson of Louisiana, 1825;

				Commission of Joseph Reynès as justice of the peace for the Second District of the City of New Orleans for and during the time while being alderman of the city, 1826;

				Letters (in French) of E. Mazureau from Paris to his father, E. Mazureau of New Orleans and his sister Stephanie,

			1832;

			Commission of Joseph Reynès as register of conveyances for the city and parish of New Orleans by Governor Edward D. White, 1835;
			Certified copy of Act of Separation of property of Joseph Reynès and his wife, Polyxene Mazureau Reynès, and related papers, 1836;

			Commission of Joseph Reynès as director of the Louisiana State Bank by Governor A. B. Roman, 1839;

1	5	1840-1858	27 items:
			Commission of Joseph Reynès as director of the Louisiana State Bank by Governor A. B. Roman, 1840;

			Copy of marriage certificate of Joseph Reynès and Polyxene Mazureau (marriage performed in 1826), 1841;

			Commission of Joseph Reynès as director of the Louisiana State Bank by Governor A. B. Roman, 1841;

			Insurance policy of Etienne Mazureau with the New Orleans Insurance Company on a warehouse, 1841;

			2 letters (in French) of A. B. Roman to Reynès, 1841, 1847;

			Insurance policy on a dwelling taken by Stephen Mazureau, 1841;

			Documents in evidence of the claim of Joseph Reynès, Sr. v. The United States for land purchased in West Florida in 1803, 1846-1847;

			Letter of Mayor A. D. Crossman of New Orleans for Reynès’ work as secretary of the council, 1847;

			Articles of agreement and specifications for a house to be built for Mrs. Joseph Reynès, 1847;

			Insurance policies of Mrs. Reynès in the Merchant’s Insurance Company on dwellings, 1847;

			Certificate signifying that Joseph Reynès had been elected a member of the Louisiana Fire Company, 1847;


			Resignation of Joseph Reynès as secretary and librarian of the Second District Public School accepted by G. B. Duncan, president of the Board of Directors;

			Letters from the principal and students of the First-Ward School to Reynès in appreciation for his services as librarian, 1853;

			Printed copy of bill pertaining to land claims in the Florida Parishes, 35th Congress, 1st Session, 1858;

2	1-2	1862-1863	18 items:
			Memorandum from Headquarters Department of the Gulf ordering Pierre Soule and Adolphe Mazureau to report on board the steamer Ocean Queen by order of Major General Butler, 1862;

			Forms from the Provost Marshal’s Office certifying that Celestine Reynès and Joseph Reynès had rendered statements of their property and claim to be enemies of the United States, 1862;

			Notice from the Office, Provost Marshal, Parish of Orleans, ordering Celestine Reynès and Joseph Reynès, registered enemies of the United States, to leave the Parish, 1863;

			Family correspondence (in French) consisting of 3 letters of Polyxene Reynès, 2 of Celestine, 1 of Emile, and 4 of Joseph Reynès written from New Orleans and 2 of Charles #. Written from Shreveport, 1863;

			18 letters of Uranie Reynès, wife of Emile Reynès, to her husband, c/o Amedee Guyol, Augusta Gerogia, ca. 1863;

2	3-5	Jan.-Dec. 1864	66 items:
			Tax receipts of Louise C. Reynès;

			Notices to report to the Provost Marshal’s Office;

			Family correspondence (In French) consisting of 19 letters of Polyxene Reynès written from New Orleans and, after September 1, from Augusta, Georgia, 10 of Joseph Reynès written from New Orleans, 2 of Celestine from New

			Orleans, 1 of Louise, 1 of Mazureau, 3 of Henry Ducatel, and 18 of Edouard, member of the Louisiana Infantry, from Demopolis, Alabama; Macon, Mississippi; and Mobile, Alabama;

3	1-2	1865-1869	84 items:
			Family correspondence (in French) consisting of 8 letters of Joseph Reynès, 6 of Polyxene Reynès from Augusta, Georgia, and 1 of Celestine, 1865;

			Copy of claim of Joseph Reynès for land owned by his father, 1867;

			Personal letter of Thomas I. Dix, cashier of the Merchants’ Bank and a letter of Joseph Reynès to Emile H. Reynès, 3 notices from the Sodality of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, 1868;

			8 letters of Sister Terese written from the Convent of St. Joseph and Carmel of St. Louis to Henry J. Roman and Emile Reynès, 1868-1869;

			Letters written by John G. Gaines, president of the Citizens Bank of Louisiana, Michael Hahn of New Orleans and others introducing Emile Reynès to members of banking houses in London and Paris;

			Letters of Joseph Reynès to Alphée De Vatry of Paris and John Slidell;

			Family correspondence (in French) consisting of letters of Reynès and his wife to their son, Emile, and letters of Edward to his parents;

			Letter (in French) of Vatry, Paris, 1869;

3	3	1870-1879	60 items:
			Copy of partnership agreement between Emile H. Reynès and Charles Edouard Reynès for the purpose of carrying on a brokerage and banking business, 1871;

			Notices from the Opera Association of New Orleans, Sodality of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Chalmette Club, 1870-1872;

			Letter and verses written by Cyrille C. Theard at the death

				of Joseph Reynès, 1873;

				Letters of Alfred from Cabanocey Plantation;

				Letters of Polyxene Reynès to Charles, her grandson, attending Jefferson College, St. James Parish, and Marie Reynès, her granddaughter, 1875-1877;

				Receipts for registering the birth of Alexander Harris, 1877;

				Letters of Charles from Jefferson College, St. James Parish, and Marie Reynès, her granddaughter, 1875-1877;

	3	4	1880-1929	Letter of Addie Lynch, teacher, to Master George Harris, 1892;

				Sermon (in French) 1910; Poem (in French) entitled “L’ami” 1911; Invitation from the Vatican, 1912;

				Letter from Joe on Paul Gelpi & Sons, Inc letterhead, 1921;

				Letter of M. De Nazareth written from Rome, 1929;

	3	5	Undated.	51 items:
				Family correspondence (in French) similar to the letters appearing throughout the collection;

	3	6	Undated.	22 items:
				Bills and business papers, including statement relative to Cabanocey Plantation;

				Article from Marine Journal at the death of Alexander Harris, and prospectus of the Merchants’ Bank of New Orleans

	3	7-10	Undated	58 items:
				Cards, poetry, composition, children’s letters, and envelopes;

C:88	4	1-23	1899	Essays (in French)

				Notebooks
	5	1	1845	Vol.8 Littérature. No.2 Emile H. Reynès, Jefferson College


	5	2	Undated	Vol. 16 Philosophie.

		3	Undated	Vol. 17 Difficulté de la langue Française.

		4	Undated	Vol. 18 Exercises Français. No.7

		5	Undated	Vol. 19 Extraits d’Horace.

		6	Undated	Vol. 20 Cours de Littérature. Notions Preliminaires. Vol.1

		7	Undated	Vol. 21 Cours de Littérature. Notions Preliminaires. Chap.1

		8	Undated	Vol. 22 English Literature. C. Reynès

		9	Undated	Vol. 23 Préceptes de Rhétorique. Emile Reynès

		10	Undated	Vol. 24 Rhétorique. (Préceptes de Rhétorique). Emile Reynès

		11	Undated	Vol. 25 Histoire d’Espagne.

		12	Undated	Vol. 26 Monsieur Bernard de Marigny de Mandeville.

		13	Undated	Vol. 27 Louisianais.

		14	Undated	Vol. 28 Shakespearean plays

				Journals
P:20	1	--		Vol.1 “Voyage en Angleterre et en Ecosse.” Valerian Allain. (1823);

				Vol.2 “Voyage en Angleterre.” Valerian Allain. (1823);

				Vol.3 “Voyage dans le midi de la France.” Valerian Allain. (1824);

				Vol.4 “Voyage en Italie.” Valerian Allain. (1825);

				Vol.5 “Voyage en Italie.” Valerian Allain. (1825)

				Notebooks
P:20	2	--		Vol. 6 Sketches. (1824);

				Vol. 7 Sketches and School Exercises. Polyxene Reynès.

				(1839);

				Vol. 9 Notebook. School exercise, “Astronomie.” (1846);

				Vol. 10 Notebook. School exercise, “Historia de Portugal.” Celestine Reynès. (1848);

				Vol. 11 Notebook. School exercise, “Espagnol.” C. Reynès. (1848);

				Vol. 12 Notebook. School exercise, “Proverbes.” C. Reynès. (1849);

				Vol. 13 Notebook. School exercise, “Translations. Comedy.” Celestine Reynès. (1850);

				Vol. 14 Notebook. School exercise, “Rhetorique.” Celestine Reynès. (1850);

				Vol. 15 Notebook. School exercise, “Translation. From Lope de la Vega.” (1852);

				Vol. 29 Notebook. School exercise of poetry. (undated);

P:20	--	--		Vol. 30 Record Book. Polyxene Reynès. (1833-1845);

P:20	--	--		Vol. 31 Scrapbook. Marie Reynès. (1883-1885);

				Printed Volumes
P:20	2	--	1833	Vol. 32 Annales Romantiques. Recueil de Morceaux Chosis. Paris: Louis Janet, Libraire. 1833. p. 351.

			1843	Vol. 33 Pusey, Rev. E. B., D. D., The Holy Eucharist: A Comfort to the Penitent. A Sermon. Philadelphia: James M. Campbell & Co. 1843. p. 32;

			1867	Vol. 34 Du Casse, A. Histoire Anecdotique de L’Empereur Napoleon Ier. Paris: Librairie Classique de Paul Dupont. 1867. p. 320;

			1871	Vol. 35 Rules of the Chalmette Club New Orleans. New Orleans: Christian & Hyatt, Stationers and Printers. 1871. p. 18;

			1893	Vol. 36 Catalogue de la Librairie Alphonse Lemerre. 1893. p. 31;


P:20	--	--	1843	Vol. 37 Questions and Answers on Geography, 1843 p.122


P:20	3	--		5 items: Pictures
				Admiral George Dewey, 1837-1917;

				Rear Admiral Winfield Scott Ashley 1839-1911;

				2 items: Card engraving plates

OS:R	--	1		6 items: Diplomas and Certificates
				First Communion certificate of Edouard Reynès, 1853;

				Confirmation certificate of Edouard Reynès, 1852;

				Diploma of Charles E. Reynès, University of Louisiana, 1861;

				Document certifying Emile Reynès a member of the Louisiana Division of the Association of the Army of Tennessee, 1881;

				Diploma of Emile Reynès, St. Joseph College, Spring Hill, Alabama, 1899;

				Certificate of admission to the Bar, Emile Reynès, Jr. 1903

INDEX TERMS

Allain, Valerien.

Bankers--Louisiana.

Banks and banking--Louisiana--New Orleans.

Beauregard Family.

Birth certificates.

Catholic Church – New Orleans.

Correspondence.

Dewey, George, 1837-1917.

Diaries.

Essays.

Grima Family.

Jarreau Family.

Louisiana--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives, Confederate.

Louisiana State Bank.

Mazureau Family.

Merchants Bank of New Orleans.

New Orleans (La.)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.

New Orleans (La.)--Politics and government.

Newspaper clippings.

Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)--Louisiana.

Reynaud Family.

Reynès, Marie.

Reynès, Polyxene Mazureau.

Roman Family.

Schley, Winfield Scott, 1839-1911.

Scrapbooks.

Slaveholders--Louisiana.

Slavery--Louisiana--New Orleans.

Textbooks.

CONTAINER LIST

Stack Location	Box	Folder(s)	Contents (with dates)

C:87	1	1-5	84 items: Legal Documents and Correspondences (1743-1858);

	2	6-10	168 items: Legal Documents, primarily of the Reynès’ status as enemies of the U. S., and personal correspondences (1862-1864);

	3	11-20	111 items: Letters, business papers, poetry, and compositions (1865-1929, undated)

C:88	4	21-43	22 items: Essays (ca. 1899);

	5	44-57	14 items: Notebooks (on various subjects, in French, undated)

P:20	1	--	Journals

	2	--	Notebooks

	--	--	Record Book

	--	--	Scrapbook

	2	--	Printed Volumes

	3	--	Photographs and card engraving plates (undated)

OS:R	--	1	Diplomas and Certificates


MF 5735, Series B		Reels 15-16	Omission: Papers 1743-1858, 1868-1929 and volumes