15 May 1982


Morris S. Arnold 
5 Edgehill Road 
Little Rock, AR 72207


Dear Morris:

I am impressed,....  "distinguished", yet!

I am disappointed that there were no court records prior to 1808 for Ark. 
county. There had to be some local courts and civil structure after 
Many took over for the Americans in Mar 1804. There is only the one book of 
records in the courthouse at DeWitt with entries by Many as "Civil and Military 
Commandant of District of Ark." and successors Stephen Worrell and Robert Weir 
Osborn in the same capacity. These instruments are dated from June 1804 to 
Sept 1805. There are two years of no records and Appointments were made for 
Wilkinson at St. Louis in Jan 1806 of justices of the peace, a sheriff, 
coroner, probate judge, and clerks to record proceedings. And the search goes 
on!

I am mailing you copies of the 1743 document article together with the photo-
stats from La. archives. The 1743 request for the inventory (according to the 
archivists in N.0.) is the original document penned in Arkansas. The inventory 
is a copy made in 1744 to accompany the marriage contract between the widow 
Lepine and her second spouse.  I am enclosing this instrument which is the 
basis for another article I am working on. Apparently at that date there was 
not the proper legal talent in Ark. to draft a marriage contract so that the 
parties either had to go themselves to New Orleans or elsewhere or become involved 
in settling documents back and forth for signatures and approvals etc. Apparently 
the Widow Lepine and Lincto chose to go to New Orleans. They were to be residents 
 of the Arkansas subsequently for some years.  You will note that Nicole 
experienced some difficulty with 'every' word translation of this marriage con-
tract. The copy is rather poor but the original is not all that great eigher. 
Anyway this gives you some idea of the material (original records) available 
La. Museum, New Orleans,

The attorney from St. Louis area with historical interests that I told you 
about translated part of the documents for this article. I am enclosing also 
his translation and letter with comments. You may wish to contact him as I 
understand, he has been working with the legal documents of colonial Miss. Valley 
for some time.

In trying to piece together the background story of Don Carlos deVillemont, I have 
found conflict in 'secondary sources' so would appreciate a check of Surrey 
sources cited, with especial attention to place of residence of parties involved. 
According to Surrey, 1P AC B113:183 on 15 June 1761 Villemont granted permission 
to marry Mme. de Coulange. The year of marriage (1761) is confirmed by Villemont 
in a 1768 document in N. 0. archives. Were Don Carlos's parents in France at 
time of marriage?  In First Families, Vol, 1:168, Conrad includes in the service 
record of DeVillemont the statement "He went to Canada in 1760 but returned to 
La to serve in Spanish Army (1763)."

These sources in Surrey are also cited as pertinent this quest...1P AC, C13,
33:113, 1749 - permission Senechal d'Auberbille to marry Francouise de Coulange; 
sPP AC, F3, 25:324. 10 Oct 1769 "Aute Martem statement of Villemont";
1P AC, B117:494, 3 Sept 1763 Mde. DeVillemont granted permission to keep a 
negro slave in France until she sailed for La. in 1764. I have never had access 
to a Surrey Calendar so any other references de Villemont would be of interest.