Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais records, 1778-1804

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888

Summary

Extent:
.20 cf (1 box), 1 oversized folder
Creator:
Auditor of Public Accounts
Language:
English, French

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains correspondence regarding payments and shipments to and from the state of Virginia and its officials to Pierre Beaumarchais or his representatives Chevallie or Lazarus De Francy, the bill of sale for the ship and its cargo, ledgers and financial summaries, warrants and orders for payment, and summaries and judgments made regarding the payment owed to Beaumarchais and his estate.

Several items in this collection were removed and filed with Executive Correspondence 36912: Letters, petition, and account, 1783 October 22. The Legislative Petitions can be found online with the Legislative Petitions, 1776-1865. These items include arbitration advice, petitions to the Council of Virginia and the General Assembly, as well as correspondence from Beaumarchais, Chevallie, Vaigneur, and Michel. A folder with descriptions of the removed documents and any included translations are included in this collection. There are also miscellaneous warrants for payment not related to Beaumarchais in this collection, and have been noted in the finding aid.

Biographical / historical:

In June 1778 the ship Le Fier Rodrigue, belonging to Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, a French courtier and writer, landed at Yorktown. The ship carried military stores, and both the vessel and its cargo were purchased by William Armistead, Virginia commissary general. Partial payment was made in tobacco and interest-bearing certificates to Chevallie, Beaumarchais' agent. Inflation decreased the value of each payment, and in October 1793 Beaumarchais and Chevallie petitioned the General Assembly for a larger amount. The General Assembly upheld the original bill of sale, although it changed the form of payment to hard currency rather than tobacco and certificates. Chevallie appealed to the state courts, but ultimately the actions of the General Assembly was sustained.

After the death of Beaumarchais in 1799, Chevallie continued to press the case on behalf of his estate and heirs. In 1803 a judgement was made in the Virginia Courts and Attorney General Philip Nicholas and Auditor of Public Accounts Samuel Shepard agreed to pay a total of $36,655 to the Beaumarchais estate.

Acquisition information:
No acquisition information available.
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged chronologically.