527-533 Royal St.

Marriage contract

Between Juan Francisco Merieult and Dona Catarina Macnamara.

C. Ximenes

[N.B. Spanish copy attached. See also HABS No. La-1100.]

Act of sale

Of "the lot situated on Royal street, 60' front by 150' in depth" to Jean Francois Merieult, from succession of Don Pedro Aragon y Villegas. $1,610.00.

Fr. Broutin, p. 96

[N.B. Spanish copy attached. See also HABS No. La-1100.]

Letter from El Baron de Carondelet to Senor Don Luis de Las Casas, Royal Treasury, about the fire of 1794.

Bundle 1443A, Letter # 627.

"Dwelling House: Situated in Royal street, number 22, formerly occupied by Mr. J.F. Merieult. This is a very handsome and commodious house, the lot upon which it is erected measures 60 feet front by 150 feet in depth.

The adjoining lot at the corner of Royal and Toulouse streets, measuring 60 feet front on the former by 150 feet on the latter."

[N.B. See also HABS No. La-1100.]

"Will be sold at the store of John F. Merieult No. __ Royal Street, on Friday 17th of January instant, a quantity of Iron Ware, consisting of several panels of a balcony of the same pattern as that of the house of the proprietor ... A fire engine, well furnished with its pipes, which offers great protection against fire to a considerable establishment such as a sugar plantation ... "

"Artificial Mineral Waters. The subscribers have the honor to inform the public that their store of Mineral Water will be opened on Monday the 2th inst .... etc... "
Royal Street, at Mr. Merieult's House.

Copy of succession

Of Jean Francois Merieult, "legitimate son of late Mr. Charles Merieult and Mrs. Marie Anne Boivin."

M. de Armas, Vol. 3/61

[N.B. French copy attached. See also HABS No. La-1100.]

"On the application of Messrs. L. Millaudon and A. Longer syndics of the creditors of J. F. Merieult, it is ordered by the Parish Court of the Parish of Orleans that the property left by the said Merieult be sold in the following manner, to wit: The movables for cash, and the immoveable property, one half for cash, and the other half at six and twelve months credit in notes endorsed to the satisfaction of the syndics, with mortgage until final payment.

In consequence, there will be sold on the first of February and the days following, in said Merieult's house, Royal Street, a quantity of furniture consisting of chairs, tables, furnished beds, side boards, consoles, lamps, glassware, silverware, table linen, sets of china, chests of drawers, library, drip stones, economical lamps, clocks, about one hundred volumes, and a number of other articles too tedious to relate.

There will also be sold on Monday, the 15th of February, at Maspero's coffee house, at 12 o'clock precisely:

A BRICK HOUSE covered with tiles consisting on the ground floor of six stores, coach-house, stable, cellars, [pantry], two kitchens, wood-store, a yard 81 feet on 24, and in the upper story of a parlor and two bedrooms in front, a corridor and two closets at the end of it, a dining room, a small dark room, another hall or corridor, on which there are two other closets, a bedroom opening on a terrace, a little closet at the end of the hall, a little pavilion adjoining the dining room, and a passage leading to a staircase descending to the yard. The whole is situated on a lot 63 feet in front of Royal Street, on 150 in depth, and 20 feet forming an angle toward the back part of the lot, and fronting on Toulouse Street. "

[N.B. See also HABS No. La-1100.]

Act of sale

Of "[a] land situated in this city of 63 French feet front on Royal street by a depth of 130 feet" to Jean Lana, from the late Jean Francois Merieult. $47,150.00.

M. Lafitte

[N.B. French copy attached. See also HABS No. La-1100.]

"Building (Store): A store situated in Royal street, between St. Louis and Toulouse streets."

[N.B. See also HABS No. La-1100.]

To rent, "[a] spacious House: [t]he upper part of that spacious house, in Royal street, between Toulouse and St. Louis streets, lately occupied by Messrs. G. Johnston & S. Livermore; desirable residence for large family or as a boarding house; having a very large airy and well paved yard, with stores, offices, etc., of the most convenient, kind."

[N.B. See also HABS No. La-1100.]

"Sales at Auction...will be sold:

The house occupied by Mr. Millaudon, in Royal street, adjoining the Consolidated Bank. It stands on a lot of 60 feet front on Royal street, with a depth of 150 feet (F.M.). The building is well constructed, it is spacious and its distribution is good. In front and in the yard, there are spacious stores for groceries and dry goods, and may bring high rents. It also contains spacious lodgings for servants, stables and coach house. It is calculated as well for business as for an agreeable dwelling. The said premises have a right of servitude on the lots whereon the Consolidated Bank is situated, as well as for openings as for passage; and has also another passage in Toulouse street communicating in the rear to a lot adjoining the principal lot, and having 13 ft. 4 inches fronting in the rear towards Royal street, and 13 ft. 4 inches fronting in the same depth with Toulouse street and which will be sold with the principal lot."

[N.B. See also HABS No. La-1100.]

Act of deposit

For an act of sale relating to "a property situated in this city, on Royal street between St. Louis and Toulouse" to Manuel Julian de Lizardi [through agent Placide Forstall] from Antonio Maria Pintado. $80,000 piastres.

O. de Armas

[N.B. French copy attached. See also HABS No. La-1100.]

"The educational results of Spanish Royal patronage were little better than ludicrous. In 1772, there came from Spain, Don Andreas Lopez de Armesto, Don Pedro Aragon, Don Manuel Diaz de Lara, and Don Francisco de la Calena, to found a school. 'No pupil,' writes Governor Miro, 'ever presented himself for the Latin Class; a few came to be taught reading and writing only; these never exceeded thirty, and frequently dwindled down to six.' The fire of 1788 destroyed the school-house, and reduced the attendance from 23 to 12, and Don Andreas Almonaster's [sic] offer to build another house, at a cost of $6,000 seems never to have been acted on."

"Celestin de Pontalba, the eldest son (of Joseph Xavier Delfau de Pontalba) and eventual bearer of the title, like his father came to New Orleans for his wife. He married, in 1858, Francoise Georgine Blanche Ogden who, like himself, belonged to a historic family of New Orleans. Her mother was the daughter of Madame de McNamara, who was a daughter of Chauvin des Islets de Lery and Charlotte Faucon du Manoir. McNamara was an Irishman (his title of Count has never been explained) who came to Louisiana early in 1800 to become a planter. Merieult was the name of his plantation (below the city), from the name of its former owner.

The marriage of Celestin to Blanche Ogden, as she was familiarly called, was one of the pretty memories that survived to an old lady, a very grande dame of the past. [N.B. This was Mrs. James Grimshw; a Miss Berthoud, daughter of a dame d'honneur of Marie Antoinette.] She was one of the little girls who clustered on the steps of the Cathedral to see the bride (a beautiful blonde) walk in, as was the custom of the time, at the head of a long suite of beautiful bridesmaids.

And, a propos of the beautiful blond bride, comes to memory another story - a tradition. Madame McNamara Merieult, sojourning in Paris during the Empire, was noted for her beauty, which was enhanced by a wonderful chevalure, golden blond that fell like a veil to her feet. Napoleon, so the fantastic story goes, who was at the time wishing to please the Sultan of Turkey, hear that the royal personage was looking through Paris for a blonde peruque to take away with him to fulfill a promise to a favorite of his harem, and that he was in despair at not finding one suitably handsome. From maid to maid and from coiffeur to coiffeur the story went and traveled upward until it reached the ears of Josephine that the Louisiana Countess, McNamara de Merieult, carried on her head the making of the most beautiful and wonderful peruque de in the world! To Napoleon this was sufficient; Madam McNamara de Merieult was approached and offered her own terms for her hair! She declined. And the story goes no further."

"Don Juan Francisco
native of France
Husband of Dona Caterina
Carlota Macnamara
Son of Don Carlos Merieult
and Dona Mariana Baibin
Died July 14, 1818
Age 89

St. Louis #1."

[N.B. See also HABS No. La-1100.]

[Advertisement]

"Mrs. Alvin Hovey-King
Announced the Opening of
Hové, Perfumeur de la Rue Royal, Nouvelle Orleans
at 529 Royal Street.

Introducing Carnaval
the Perfume of New Orleans."

Breakdown of Jean Francois Merieult's household, including "habitants blanc, gens de couleur libre, [et] esclaves."

"CASA MIRO - 529 Royal Street. Entrance to Casa Miro, as this very ancient building has been fancifully named in late years, is gained through the shop of Hové Parfumeur. A splendid stairway takes you to the floor above where oddly-disposed rooms, fan-lights, and ancient furnishings can be inspected. The ancient carriage entrance to the old courtyard is now occupied by the shop of Albert Lieutaud, where a collection of old prints, portraits, documents and other unique Americana are on display.

Whether Don Esteban Miro, the Spanish Governor who ruled Louisiana for Spain from 1785 to 1791, ever lived her must be decided by what the visitor desires to believe. That the casa grande was standing during the declining days of the Spanish domination cannot be questioned for we learn from a sear and crumbling notarial act of April 25, 1792, when the succession of Don Pedro Aragon y Villegas was opened, that the property passed to Juan Francisco Merieult, then junior judge of the Illustrious Cabildo. He retained ownership until the spring of 1819 when Dame Catherine Macnamara, his widow, sold the building to Joseph Lanna for the then tidy sum of $37,050.

The cast-iron railing on the balcony which runs the width of the Royal street façade, is a particularly find example of the ironmasters' art and is not duplicated anywhere in the Old Square, and many mistake it for wrought-iron."

"Miro House, 529 Royal Street. This Spanish structure is believed by many to have been the one-time home of Don Estevan Miro, Spanish Governor of Louisiana from 1785 to 1791. Whether the ruler actually occupied the building is not known, but the notarial acts show that it was standing in 1792. On the second-floor balcony is an excellent example of the iron railing so popular during the early days. The detail of the courtyard is also notable."

"Vieux Carre Great House is Purchased:
'Great House' Taken by Orleanian; To be Well Preserved:

[w/images]

The most important exchange of property since the renaissance of interest began in the city's Vieux Carre a few years ago was revealed today, in a real estate and restoration project of nationwide importance."

Works Progress Administration of La.
Mr. Chester H. Wicker

Dear Sir:

In reply to your letter dated July 12 will endeavor to give you some information regarding 527-31 Royal and 718 Toulouse St. I do this with great pleasure, as I can say the happiest days of my life were spent in the old Vieux Carre. To begin with it was about the years 1878 when my parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Trapolin, now both deceased, purchased the old building from Mr. and Mrs. Donflue, an old couple from France, who were disposing of all their interests to spend the last days of their life in their old home in Europe. We owned the Royal St. property all these years, until it was sold in the spring of this year.

"The Royal House," as it was named, being opposite the Royal Hotel or old St. Louis Hotel. While running the hotel, we had stopping with us many noted people, foreign counsels, senators, lawyers, and wealthy cotton and sugar planters. We were also surrounded by old Creole families, such as the Bechets, Brulators, Lamberts, etc. Then we had the old French Opera House, which also brings tender memories of wonderful musical talent, and during intermissions, or "entre actes" as they were termed those days, when one met old friends, in the old "parloir" or "lorge de familles", where there was a "ladies bar," where cooling drinks were served.

In regard to Toulouse St. Property - or alley which joined the Royal St. House - was originally horse stables, presumably built for Gov. Miro. They were afterwards converted to warehouses for T. Moreau, a novelty importer running an establishment on [the] corner [or] Royal and Toulouse Sts. Afterwards the Damiens' were successor to T. Moreau, a Frenchmen. The Damiens conducted the store for years. My father then bought the place around 1888 to build a private home for his family, where we resided for years. We then sold the place to a French importer of scandals. One of the great attractions was the stairway, where Hovey King's perfume shop is now located. An arcade of fifty feet in length led to winding white marble steps. The other adjoining steps, alternating one walnut, the other oak. All this was taken down to modernize the building. Well, writing these few lines feels like opening an old book, and dream again of days when the echo of horses' hoofs on the cobblestones were swell sounds to hear.

Very truly yours,
Mrs. W.F. Dewhirst

[N.B. See also HABS No. La-1100.]

Mrs. L. Kemper Williams,
Barclay Hotel,
New York, N.Y

Dear Leila:

It is rather interesting to note the various people that have lived at Royal Street and this is what we find:

Jean Francois Merieult, a junior judge of the Cabildo according to Stanley Arthur, bought the lot from the succession of Don Pedro Aragon y Villegas on April 25, 1792. Merieult's wife was Catherine McNamara. Her father, Patrick McNamara, an Irishman married Marguerite Judith Chauvin de Lery des Islets.

After the death of Merieult, Madame McNamara-Merieult went to Paris to live and Stanley Arthur gives the following account: "She had a handsome head of hair, so long and thick and golden as to arouse general admiration. It is related at that time Napoleon Bonaparte was anxious to secure a political alliance with Turkey and it was reported to him that the Sultan wanted to present his favorite Sultana with a blonde wig. Napoleon did not know where to procure a suitable headdress until the Empress Josephine's hairdresser disclosed that he attended a lady who possessed a chevalure of the kind desire by the Emperor, but that he lady was highborn and would probably not want to part with ther beautiful crowning glory. An aide was sent to the fair Louisianan and she was offered a castle in exchange for her hair. Catherine McNamara-Merieult refused the castle, retained her golden suit and the Sultana was forced to do without her perruque."

In 1819, Madame McNamara-Merieult sold the property to Juan Lanna, a merchant.

In 1821, Juan Lanna sold the property to Laurent Millaudon, also a prosperous merchant. We know that it was his home but are not certain that it was his place of business.

In 1832, Laurent Millaudon sold to Lizardi Bro[ther]s. Perhaps they are the same Lizardi Frères who today are prominent international bankers. This is the period of the large room on Royal Street, as also the wing on the Canal Street side of the court.

Lizardi Bros. the same year sold hte property to Antonio Maria Pintado, also a merchant, I believe, whose family had been prominent Spanish officials. The father was probably the Lieutenant Surveyor of the District of Iberville.

It is interesting to note that the Lizardi Bros. paid $40,000.00 for the property in January 1832 and sold it in September for $80,000.00, which leads me to believe that then extensive alterations were made to the house. I do not believe however that the big room downstairs off the court is so early and this work must have been done by the saddle maker, Danflous, for a tenant.

In the crash of 1837, Lizardi Bros. took the property back and resold it to Theodore Danflous, a saddle and harness maker, a very important business in those days.

In 1871, the Danflous family sold the property to Juan Garcia y Mora of the Louisiana Lottery.

From then, it passed on to Mrs. Trapolin and then to you.

Hoping that this information will be of help, I am

Sincerely yours,
[Signed] Dick

527-533 Royal Street

"The attitude of the Spanish Crown toward education in its newly acquired colony is shown by a letter to Governor Unzaga, July 17, 1771, from Arriaga, Minister of the Indies, Madrid, in which there was the following message:

'The Xing feeling more obliged than any other prince in the world to labor for the Service of God and the Glory of His Holy Name....resolved to establish schools and arrange for masters to teach... in the province of Louisiana.... in order that the Christian doctrine, elementary education and grammar be taught... and an opportunity be provided to acquire the knowledge and use of the Spanish language.'

The instruction was to be publicly given, and there was to be no tutoring except for the children of the high officials. The duties of each teacher, whose family traveling expenses were to be paid by the Crown, were as carefully specified as were the provisions for the salary which was to be paid from the general fund until taxes could be arranged for a fixed maintenance.

The first of the four teachers selected to be sent by the King, in 1772, was Don Francisco de la Colina y Escudero who was to teach elementary education, the principles of piety, the practice of virtue, the duties of a good subject, elementary grammar, Castillian spelling, penmanship, and primary arithmetic. The second and third, Don Manuel Diaz de Lara and Don Pedro de Aragon y Villegas, were to teach elementary and advanced Latin, respectively, while not losing sight of religion and ethics. For his services each received a yearly stipend of 700 pesos. The fourth, Don Manuel Andres Lopez de Armestro, was to act as director of the school, supply vacancies in case of sickness and to act as librarian, 'permitting nothing which the goodness of the King had provided to go astray.'

In this connection it might be mentioned that in the letter describing the school, two lists of books were enclosed. One was a list to be sold to the public at cost. The other list for the library contained a History of Spain, a History of Mexico, a dictionary, an atlas, poetry, geography, philosophy, drama, and mythology in Spanish, French and Latin. In addition each instructor had to pledge himself to teach the Spanish language and the rudiments of reading and writing. This pledge, at least, was nobly fulfilled, for although Governor Unzaga, not wishing to resort to violence, tried to acquaint the public with the benefits of the school, no pupil ever presented himself for the Latin class. Only a few, some thirty or forty from the poorer families, came for the reading and writing class. Its rolls in time dwindled to less than a dozen. The fire of 1788 was partially responsible for this latter condition, for the school building was destroyed, and many families moved to the country. It was owing to the civic generosity of Don Andres Almonaster that a temporary building was offered, a room some thirteen [feet] by twelve feet, to suffice until a better one could be built."

"Find Carondelet Letter Describing New Orleans Fire:
WPA workers Translate Historic Note of Governor:

....[t]he finding and making public of Governor Carondelet's account of the city's second big fire finally clears up a number of obscure facts and ends debates regarding the age of certain old buildings in the French Quarter."