William Harris and Basil Butler donate land to the Catholic church for a school for black children in Iberville Parish, La., 1897

William Harris and Basil Butler donate land to the Catholic church for a school for black children in Iberville Parish, La., 1897

Freedmen--Education, Catholic Church--Louisiana, Donation

In 1897, William Harris and Basil Butler donated land to the Catholic Church in Louisiana "for the purpose of assisting and advancing Christian education among the colored children" of Iberville Parish, Louisiana.

Basil Butler (b. 1824), the son of Nace and Biby Butler, was one of the Maryland Jesuit slaves sold to Jesse Batey in 1838, and William Harris (b. 1849) was the son of Sam and Betsy Harris, who were also members of the Maryland Jesuit slave community sold to Batey.

We welcome any additional documentation and information about the subsequent history of this gift to the church.

Georgetown Slavery Archive

Conveyance Book 28, Entry no. 258, Iberville Parish Courthouse, Plaquemine, Louisiana.

Georgetown Slavery Archive

1897-09-20

William Thomas, Elsa Barraza Mendoza, Adam Rothman. Transcribed by Elsa Barraza Mendoza. Thanks to Professor William Thomas for providing a scan of the original. Thanks to Karen Curtis and her family for bringing this document to our attention.

PDF

English

Property record

GSA89

Entry no 257

Sept 20’/ 97

Basil Butler Sr.

And Wm Harris

To

Diocese of N.O.

State of Louisiana; Parish of Iberville

Be it known that on this Second day of February, A.D., One thousand eight hundred and ninety four; Before me, Joseph A. Grace, Clerk and Ex. Of Notary Public, in and for the Parish of Iberville, State of Louisiana, duly qualified: Personally came and Appeared: Basil Butler Sr., and William Harris, both residing in the Parish of Iberville, who declared unto me, Clerk & Notary, in the presence of the Witnesses herein after named and undersigned that for the purpose of assisting and advancing Christian education among the colored children of this parish, they have made and by these presents do make a Donation inter-vivos, pure, simple and irrevocable under all lawful guarantees and with full warranty of title and with substitution and subrogation to all their rights and actions

[2]

against forever owners unto, the Most Rev. Francis Janssens, in his capacity of Archbishop of the Diocese of New Orleans, La., herein duly represented by Rev. Mathurin R. Harnais, of the Parish of Iberville, La, under and by virtue of the power of Attorney hereunto annexed, here present, accepting these presents for and in the name of his said constituent and acknowledging delivery and possession thereof the following described property. to wit-

“A certain Lot or parcel of ground lying and situate in the Parish of Iberville, LA., and the Western bank of Bayou Maringouin,  measuring in front on the public road which runs along said Bayou, fifty feet, that is twenty five feet on each side of the Division line between front Lot No 2 belonging to William  Harris and front Lot No. 3 belonging to Basil Butler, as delineated on plan annexed to act of partition; See Conveyance Book 18, Entry 19, by a depth between parallel lines, and on lines parallel to said Division line between said Lots 2 & 3, one hundred feet; “It is distinctly understood and stipulated that the upper half of said lot is donated by W. Harris and the lower half by B. Butler: Said lot is bounded in front by said Bayou Maringouin Road, above by land of W. Harris, below by land of B. Butler, in the rear partly by land of B. Butler and partly by land of W. Harris:

To have and to hold the said property unto the said Donee and to his successors in office forever.

All taxes due on said property have been paid.

The certificate of mortgage required by article 3364 C.C. LA is mutually waived by the parties hereto.

To these presents come and intervene Thomas Cardon of this Parish, the holder of a Mortgage note for Seven Hundred fifty nine dollars, done Jan. 13th 1895 and secured by Mortgage on the property of said Basil Butler, Sr. of which the above property forms a part, and the said Cardon, after having taken cognizance of the above and foregoing act of Donation declared that he doth hereby release the said above described lot from the effect of the mortgage securing payment of his said note.

This Done and Passed at the parish of Iberville, on the day and date aforesaid, in presence of Henry Brouard and Wallis Dardunne competent witnesses who sign this act with the parties hereto, and me, clerk and notary, after reading hereof:

“Original Signed:” Basil HisX. Butler,Sr., Wm Harris, M.R. Harndis, pastor, Hy Brand, JW Dardunne, Thomas L. Cardon.

[3]

“Signed” Joseph A. Grace Clerk  and. Of Notary Public.

Filed Sept 20th 1897: Joseph A. Grace Clerk Recorder”

A True Record, September 20th 1897:

JA Grace

By Clerk Recorder

Manuscript