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WIL ANDMEMORANDA
OF
JOHN  MCDONOGH,
f1~-? —— "-_:  -' —-'~- 








THE LAST
WILL AND TESTAMiENT
OF
JOHN  McDO~NOGI-J,
LATE OF
iMiACDONOGHVILLE, STATE OPF LOUISIANLI
ALSO -HIS
MEMORANDA OF INSTRUCTIO NS
TO HIS EXECUTORS,
RELATIVE TO THE TO THE MANAGEMENT OF-HS ES'AE
PRINTED LITERALLY, BY ORDE-R OF THE EXECUTORS;
FROM AN AUTHENTICATED COPY,
NEW  O R L E A  S:
PRINTED AT THE JOB OFFICE OF'THE DAILY DELTA,7 11i' POYDBRA6 STi








PREFACE.
JoHN  JcDJNOGH, born in Baltimore, Maryland, 1779.
DIED in McDonogihville, Louisiana, on the 27th October, 1850.
Handwriting of his Will proved on 29th October, 1850, in the Fifth
District of New Orlearns, by JOHiN R. GRYMES, -.  Fni;, Xnd 1A 
vorR lVr aft








STATE OF LOUISIANA,
FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF NEW  ORLEANS.
WILL OF JOHN McBlD N0I,
Filed 28th October, 1850. —Ne varietur, 28th  October, 18550
(sig~ned,)     A. M. B., JUDGE.
IN THaE NIAME OF GOD, AMEN. I, John McDonogh, a native
of the City of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, United States
of America, now an inhabitant of McDonogh in the State of
Louisiana, aware of the uncertainty of this mortal life, yet of sound
mind and memory, for which, and all other blessings, thanks to
Almighty God, do make this, my Olographic Will, as my last Will
and Testament, for the disposal of all my worldly property and
effects, of every kind, of which I may die possessed, in manner and
form following; That is to say, (First, declaring that I have never been married, and that I have no heirs living, either in the ascending or decending lines) I will, that immediately after my
death, an inventory shall be made of all my property, and effects,
by a Notary Public, assisted by two or more persons, whom  amy
Executors (herein after named) shall appoint, the salme to be done
one oath. I give, will, and bequeath to the Children of my Sister
Jane, the Widow of a lMr. Hamet of Baltimore, in the State of
Maryland, in equal proportions, all that Lot, or parcel of ground,
(with the improvements thereon) laying in Baltimore County and
State of Maryland, Containing ten acres, more or lcss, which lot




6
rof ground I acquired by purchase, on the twenty seventh day ofFebruary in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and nineteen,
of John Pogue, of thei said City of Baltimore, as per deed of conveyance to nme enregistered on the same day, by WVilliaim Gibson,
Clerk of the Baltimore County Court, among its land Records;
The unsufruct, however of the afore mentioned landed property
and improvements, I give and bequeath to my said Sister Jane,
during her lifetime. —   give, will, and bequeath, to my said Sister
Jane, Widow Hamet, the sum  of Six thousand dollars, reconmending to her, my said: Sister, to place said- Six thousand dollars,
on interest either in Bank Stock, or otherway9s, and by economy,
to make the interest thoreof, support her in her old age. —I will
and. bequeath, their freedom, (as a reward for their long and faithful services,) to my old servants, Gabriel, James Thornton, Tanness or Dennis, Noel, Mark, Old John, John Defage, Old Hariry,
Richard, and Long Mary, requesting  my Executors (herein after
named) to take the necesssary steps, in conformity to law, to see
this, my will and desire executed.
It is my will and I direct nmy Executors, (herein after named,)
immediately after my death, to correspond with the American
Colonization Society, at the City of Washington, in the District
of Columbia, for the purpose of ascertaining, when said Society,
intends sending a vessel to Liberia, on the Coast of Africa, with
emigrants, from New Orleans, and by the first vessel, so sailing
firom New Orleans, for Liberia, to send all the rest and residue of
my black people, old and young, (with the exception of, the ten
aforementioned individuals, to whom I have directed their Freedom
to be given, here, in New Orleans.) men, women and children',
(and also, with the exception of the black man Phillip, his wife Fanny
and their children, the black woman Jane or Jenny, and her children, the mulattoe man George, a carpenter by trade, the mulattoe
boys William and Henry, carpenters by trade, the black men
Houma, David Crocket and George Calhoun, the rmulattoe or
Griff boy Jerry, the black women Sophie and Dolly, Hagar, and
Anna, or Hannah and their children, all of whom I have lately purchased, as it is my will, that they, the said Philip and Fanny his
wife, and their children, Jane and her children, the mulattoe man
George, a erpenter by trade, the miulattoe boys William, and




HIenry Carpenters by trade, the black men Houma, David Crocket, and George Calhoun, the mulattoe, or grtiff, boy Jerry, and
the black women Sophie, Dolly, Hagar, and Anna, or Hannah,
and their Children, with any other black, or colored people,
whom I may acquire by purchase subsequent to this, my last Will,:and Testament, shall serve those, (by being hired out for wages,
or kept employed  on  my plantations, if thereon, so employed, at my  death,) to  whom  I have herein after willed
the rest, residue and  remainder  of my  Estate, real, and
personal, fifteen  years firom  and  after  my  death; when
then, after said service of fifteen years, my Executors (hereinafter
named) will deliver said black and colored people, up to the American Colonization Society for Colonizing the Free people of Color,,of the Jnited States, established at the City of Washington, in the
District of Columbia, to be also sent to Liberia, on tihe Coast of
Africa.) And to pay a proportionate part of the Charter of said
Vessel for transporting them to Afirica, furnishing them rwith provisions, stores, medicines &e, &e for the Vooyage.-I also direct
my Executors (hereinafter named) to lay out and expend for the
use of those, my people, who are to go immediately after my death,
to Liberia, the sumn of One thousand dollars in such Articles as
ploughs,  hoes, spades, axes, nails, common locks, hinges,
clothing, garden and other seeds &c. &c. and to divide out
those articles among them in equal proportions, and see them put
-on board the vessel at the time of sailing.-MBy Executors will also
be pleased to give letters of recommendation, to thoose my people, directed to the inhabitants of that Colony, setting forth their
good characters, and the morality of their lives, as a passport to
their good opinions, and to purchase and place in the hands of each
of said individuals, old and young, at the moment of sailing for
Africa, the volume of the Ioly Gospel of the Old and New Testament, as the most precious of all the gifts we have it in our power
to give or they to receive.-And for the more general diffusion of
KLnowledge, and consequent well being of Mankind, convinced as l
am that I can make no disposition of those Worldly goods which
the most High has been pleased so bountifully to place under my
Stewardship, that will be so pleasing to him, as that by means of
which the poor will be instructed in Wisdom and led into the path




of virtue and Holiness,)-I give will and bequeath, allthe rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real and personal, present and.future, as well that which is now mine as that which may be acquired by me hereafter, at anytime previous to my death, and of
which I may die possessed, of whatsoever nature it may be, and
wheresover situate, (subject to the payment of the several annuities
or sums of money hereinafter directed and set forth; which said
annuities or sums of money, are to be paid by the devisees of this
my General Estate, out of the rents of said estate.)  Unto the
MIayor, Aldermen and inhabitants of New Orleans, (my adopted
city) in the State of Louisiana, and the Mayor, Aldermen and inhabitants of Baltimore (my native City) in the State of M[aryland, and their Successors, in equal proportions of one-half to
each of the said Cities of New Orleans and Baltimore) forever;
To and for the several interests and purposes, hereinafter mentioned, declared and set forth, concerning the same, and especially
for the establishment and support of Free Schools in said Cities,
and their respective Suburbs, (including the Town of McDonogh
as a Suburb of New Orleans) wherein the poor. (and the poor
only) of both sexes of all Classes and Castes of Color, shall have
admittance, free of expense for the purpose of being instructed in
the Knowledge of the Lord and in reading, writing, Arithmetic,
History, Geography &c, &c, under such regulations as the Comrmissioners (to be appointed as hereinafter directed) of said Schools
shall establish, always understood and provided however, that the
Holy Bible of the Old and New Testament, shall be at all times
and forever made use of in those Schools, as one, (and the principal
one) of the reading and class books,which shall be used by the pupils
therein as the first object of every School, And of all teaching of the
youth of our Country should be to implant in their minds a Knowledge of their duty to God, and the relation of Men, to their divine
Creator; And that Singing classes shall be established and forever
supported, and singing taught, as a regular branch of education in
said Schools, by which means, every pupil will acquire the rudiments
of the Art, and obtain a Knowledge in singing Sacred Music.-As
relates to my real estate, that no part thereof shall ever be sold or
alienated by the said Mayors, Aldermen and inhabitants of the respective Cities of New Orleans and Baltimore, or their Successors,




but the same, shall for ever thereafter be let, fron time to time to good
tenants, the lots of ground improved with houses, laying in the City of
New Orleans, its suburbs, Town of McDonogh, or elsewhere, let by
the month or the year, and the unimproved lots of ground, in the City of
New Orleans, its suburbs, Town of McDonogh or elsewhere, leased
for a term not to exceed twenty five years at any one time (the rent
payable monthly or quarterly) and to revert back at the end of said
time, with all the improvements thereon, (free of cost, to the lessors.)
to be rented thereafter by the month or year. And the lands whereever situate in the different parishes of the State, leased in small
tracts, for a term not to exceed one to ten years, revertible back
with their improvements, to be re-leased for a shorter time and at
higher rates. —iy intentions being, (I in consequence instructing
my Executors (hereinafter named) to invest my personal effects,(say,
money, bonds, notes or stocks on hand, interest accruing thereon,
furniture of house in which I reside, and effects about it, as well as
the amount of all debts owing to me as fast as they are received,)
in real estate, say lots of ground and houses, and lots of ground laying in the City or suburbs of New Orleans, and hand over said real
estate, as soon as purchased, with the title deeds thereto to the
Commissioners and Agents of my General Estate, to be named
by the respective Corporations of said Cities of New Orleans and
Baltimore in the manner hereinafter directed.)  So that by said
means the whole of my estate real and personal (excepting only my
black people, the legacy bequeathed the Children of my Sister Jane,
and that to herself, will become a permanent fund on interest, as it
were, (Viz: a fund in real Estate affording rents,) no part of which
fund (of the principal) shall ever be touched divided sold or alienated but shall forever remain together as one Estate, (termed in this,
my last will and testament as "My General Estate" or "The
GeneralEstate" and be managed as I herein direct.  The nett
amount of rents which shall be collected annually shall be divided
equally, (half and half) between the said two Cities of New
Orleans and Baltimore by the Commissioners and agents of my General Estate,(to be named in the manner herein after directed)
after paying the several annuities and sums of money hereinafter provided for and set forth, and applied forever to the
purposes for which it is hereby intended and destined. —FIRSTLTY,




10
I give and bequeath  to the American  Colonization  Society
ibr Colonizing the Free people of Color of the United States,
established at the City of Washington in the District of Columbia, for the purposes of its noble and philanthropic institution,
an Annuity for the term of Forty Yea rs, Counting from and after the
day of my decease of the one eighth part, (or twelve and a half per
cent) of the nett yearly revenue of rents of the whole of the Estate
as herein before willed and bequeathed unto the Mayors, Aldermeni
and inhabitants of the Cities of New Orleans and Baltimore, but
which one eighth part of the nett yearly revenue of rents of said
Estate as aXoresaid shall not entitle the said American Colonization Society for colonizing the Free people of Color of the United
States, to receive or demand in any one year a larger sum than
Twenty five thousand dcllars, should the one eight part thereof
amount to a 1r'ger sumr.-Trusting in fal conldence that the inhabitant of this free and happy land throughout all its borders, friom
MiTaine to Louisiana, will sustain this institution, (one of the greatest
glories, of our country,) and enable it to accomplish its humane and
holy object in its full extent.-And  notwithstanding that I look
upon and consider the instruction of the poor in the Knowledge of
God and the wisdom  of Bran, as the first, best, and Holiest of all
charities (as they are thereby taught their duty to their Creator,
and those everlasting principles of virtue wh;iich instill self respect
and teach nen the dignity of their nature, which restrain them
from failitng into vice, and becoming in consequence inmates of
the Penitentieary, or Aims house,) and do not consider the endowment
of Asylums or VHospitals as the best mode of permanently serving
and doint good to my fellow man, still as it is probable whilst the
present race of nmen exists, constituted-as we are, that some portion
thereof, fronm the various causes to which frail humanity is liable,
will fall into error, and of consequence, become helpless and destitute. —SECONDLY,  give and bequeath to the Mlayor, Aldermen and
inhabitants, of the Cty of New Ovrleans, in the State of Louisiana,
and their successors, forever, for the express and sole purpose of
establishing an Asylum for the poor, of boeth Sexes and of all ages,
and castes of Color, where tahey may be sheltered, clothed, fed and
taken care o-, made useful according  to their respective degrees of
health, strength and capacity, and mendicity, thereby banished




from the Streets of the city, and its suburbs, (including the Town of
McDonogh) an annuity of the one eighth part, (or twelve and a
half per cent,) of the nett yearly revenue of the rents of the whole
of the General Estate as hereinbefore willed and bequeathed unto
the lIiayors, Aldermen and inhabitants of the Cities of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, and of Baltimore in the State of
MLSaryland, and their successors for ever; the said annuity to be paid
yearly, until such time, as the -said one eighth part of the said nett
yearly revenue of rents shall amount, to the full a-1nd entire sum of
six hundred thousand dollars, when it shall cease, and be no longer
paid.-And for the purpose of carrying this, my desire and intent
into effect I request, authorize, and empower the City Councils of
the City of New Orleans, on the First Alonday in January of every
year, to name and appoint one respectable Citizen out of each ward
of the City and Suburbs of New Orleans, (including the Town of
3M;cDonoth) but who shall not exceed seven in numnber, nor be
members of the said City Councils at the timne, w7h0o shall be commissioners therein,, hich Commissioners So narmed, shall serve for the
term of twelve Tonths, and until a new election, on the first Ionday of January of the following year shall be made by the said
City Councils of Commissioners, to replace those of the preceding
year, (none of whom shall be elected for the second year,) and so on
from year to year, to the end of time; and said Commissioners shall
have the manageiment of said Institution, its funds, and everything
in relation to it; (the Mayor and City Councils of the City of New
Orleans, having however, the general supervision, and to whomn
the Commissioners are liable for the faithful performance of their
duty herein; and to whom, annually,, on going out of office, they
must render accounts of their administration, showing particularly
its receipts and expenses, state of its funtls, its Peal estate, &c,
&c, which accounts will be audited, by the said City Councils,
through a Committee, from their body, named for the purpose, and
who will publish them yearly, in two oftihe public newspapers printed
in the City of New Orleans.) The said Conmmissioners (to be named
as aforesaid) will receive annually or semi annually, the amount of
the annuity, until such time as they shall have received, according
to this bequest the whole amount of it, say, the sum of six hundred
thoutsand dollars; and as they receive it, they shall invest it itn




8lank Stocks, or otlhlr,0ood sc ueeritics, on landed estate on intcrRst, so as t;) augmlent the amnount thereof by thle accumulation of
interest to the larmest possible sum, up to the titme when the last
of the annuity, shall be received by them; at which time, (when
the last of the annuity shall be received,) It is my desire, and I
direct, the said Commissioners to take such part of, said sum, (not
to exceed however the one third of the whole amount of principal
and interest which may have accrued thereon,) as imay be necessary and invest it in the purchase of such landed Estate, and in the
erection of such buildings, as will be appropriate to the object intended and wanting; and in the furnishing of such buildings when
completed, in beds, bedding, clothing, and all other necessary articles, and the residue of said sum, whatever it may be, (but which
shall be at least the two thirds of the whole amount of principal
and interest.)  I direct to be invested in the purchase of real
estate, say, lots of ground and houses, and lots of ground, situate
in the City, or suburbs of New Orleans, (such lots of ground as will
probably greatly augment ih value.) which real estate, (when purchased, shall never thereafter be sold or alienated.) for the purpose
of deriving therefrom, a permanent revenue, (in rents) for the support of said institution for ever; as no part of the principal sum,
or the interest which may accrue thereon, shall be taken for the
support of the institution; my intention being, that its support and
the payment of all the expenses, necessary for its support, shall be
supplied exclusively from the revenue in rents, of its real estate,
and the revenue, derivable from the labor of the poor, its imates.(Which houses, as also the buildings of the institution, I recommend and direct to be kept constantly insured against the risk of
fire, so that, if an accident should occur, there would be means to
rebuild them,) I recommend to the Commissioners, to select a
situation high and healthy, for the establishment of the institution;
say a tract of land of three or four acres in front on the river Mississippi, by forty or eighty acres in depth, situate withinthree, four or six
miles of the City of New Orleans, on either bank above, or below
it; and to erect the buildings of Brick, in a style of taste and elegance, of great solidity, (as they are intended to stand for ages,)
airy and of proportionate elavations.-They, the Commissioners, (to
be named as aforesaid) are permitted however, at any time (when




tiaes r  1e,.ff r aeranv, or oo;x:  sf, iB )......i';,'  W
sinc Cfl-r  c,II.ng  good investments of ir, in real Estate,  (sa y,
lots of ground and houses, and lots of ground, situated in the
City of New Orleans or its suburbs, ylelding  rents, or likely
to yield rents,) to invest such parts thereof as they think proper, (such purchases however to be approved by the liMayor
and  City  Councils of the  City of New  Orleans,)  in  such
Real Estate.  And also, when an opportunity offers of acquiring
such a trat -of land, as will be wanted for the Institution, (at a
cheap rate,) to purchase it.-And as I'believe our climate and soil,
well adapted to the cultivation of the mulberry tree, and the rearing of the silk worm, such a tract of land as I recommend the
purchase of, if planted with mulberry and the cultivation of silk
undertaken, which is a very light employment, well suited to the
weak and aged,) would, I have no doubt, yield an annual revenue
to the Institution, which would go far towards paying the expenses
for its support; I therefore earnesty recormrend   its trial to the
Comrnissioners.-I also recornmiend to the Co3lmissioners, to apply
to the Legislature of the State for an Act, to incorporate said 1institution; (subject always however, be it understtood to the conditions herein provided Ifo.)- THnRDLn,  I give and bequeath to the
"Society for the relief of destitute Orsihan boys"' of the City of
New Orleans in the State of Louisiana, (of which institution Beverly Chew was president on the 28th day of April last, 1838.) for
the express and sole purpose (and of no oherof being ivested in
the purchase of Real Estate, say, lots of ground and houses, and
lots of groun,) situate in tie City of New v Orleans and its Suburbs,
from which a perpetual revenue from the rents of said Real Estate,
may be drawn for the support of said Institution, an An nuity,  of
the one eighth part (or twelve and a half per cent) of' the nett
yearly revenue of rents of the whole of the General Estate, as
herein before willed and bequeathed, to the Mayyors Aldermen and
inhabitants of the Cities of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, and of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, which Annuity
of the One Eight part of the nett revenue of rent  as as aove
stated, shall be set apart yearly or half yearly by the Commissioners and Agents of the General Estate, (to be appointed as hereinafter set forth) and deposited in some one or more of the Banks in
3




14
the City of New Orleans, (which pay an interest on monrey deposited with them,) until such time as said Annuity shall amount to the
sum of FoUR H UNDRDD TouSA ND DOLLA RS, (exclusive of any
interest, which may have accrued on it,) when it shali cease and be
no longer paid.-And as the said F und of Ftour hundred thousand
dollars, accunmulates in Bank, The Directors, of the said "6 Socity, for the Relief of destitute Orpmhan Boys" assisted, by the 1~layor
and Aldermen, of the City of New Orleans, Who, (the said Mlayor,
and Aldermeen,) shall approve of the purchases, of real Estate,
and become parties to the deeds, of which it is acquired, M ay, from
tirme to time, (as good purchases offer,) Invest it in purchases of
Real Estates, (as aforestated) Lots, and houses, and lots of ground
laying within the City of New Orleans and its Suburbs, yielding
rents, or likely to vield rents, and to increase greatly in value, which
real Estate, once acquired, shall never thereafter be alienated or
sold by said Institution, but shall or ever be'retained and held by
it, and remain its property. —The title deeds of purchase,11by which,
said institution shall acquire said real Estate, shall set forth that it
is made firom funds of this bequest, and that said real Estate, cannot
be sold or allenated by said "' Society for the relief of destitute Orphan boys."-The funds, (when accumulated,) as wanted, for ihe
payment of the  1,eal Estate when purchased, (but for no other
purpose,) shall be drawn frorn Bank, by the Commissioners, and
Agents of the General Estate, and paid over to the Directors of
said Society for the relie  f  Destritute Orphan Boys, and the Mayor
and Aldermen of the City of New Orleans. —I recommend to the
Directors of the Society, for the relief of the destitute Orphan
Boys, to ikeep such houses, as may be purchased or built, with the
Funds from this bequest, regularly insured agalnst all risk by fire,
by which means in case of Accident, they would have the means
to reconstruct tthem.-FOUPRTHLY, I give and bequeath to the  layor, Aldermen, and Inhabitants, of the City of Balitimore, in the
State of li[aryland, and their Successors, forever; for the express
and sole purpose of establishing, a,School Farm  on an Extensive
scale, for the destitute, and the Poorest, of the Poor, Male Children and Youtn;h  (say Firstly, of the City of Baltinore, in the
State of Maryland, Secondly, of every town and village of said
State, and Thirdly, of A7l, thee great maritime Cities, of the Unit



ed States;  ay,  ew  New  lork, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Boston,
Charleston, Savanah, Providence, Salem, &c. &c,) of all Castes of
Color, from the age of Four years, to that of Sixteen years  re
ThsFe  fleTirdol liot                 insred in the Chris
~tia  re  i  cTL l~i ii~ins~ education given them; including
reading, writing, Arithmetic, History, Geography,'&c, &c. and
taught practically, (by making them labor) the art of husbandry or
farming, in all its parts and details; as well as the Science, generally, of Agriculture.  Under such regulations, as the Directors,
(to be appointed as hereinafter set forth,) of said School Farm,
shall establish, always understood and provided however, that the
volume of the GHoly Bible, shall be at all times, and for ever, made
use of, in the School, or Schools of this Institution, as one, (and the
principal one) of the Reading, or Class Books, which shall be used
by the pupils therein; as the first object of every School, and of all
teaching of the youth of our Country should be, to implant in their
minds, a knowledge of their duty to God, and the relation of men
to their Divine Creator; and that Singing Classes, shall be established and for ever supported; and singing taught, as a regular
branch of Education, in said Schools; by which means, every
pupil will acquire the Rudiments of the art, and obtain a Knowledge in Singing Divine Psalmody, or Sacred lMiusic.-An Annuity
of the One Eigth part (or twelve and a half per cent,) of the Nett
yearly revenue of rents, of the whole of the General Estate, as
hereinbefore W~illed and bequeathed, unto the I ayors, Aldermen,
and Inhabitants of the Cities, of'New Orleans, in the State of
Louisiana, and of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, and their
Successors for ever; the said Annuity to be paid yearly, or half
yearly, until such time as the said One eighth part, of the said,
Nett, Yearly Revenue of rents, of said General Estate, shall
amount to the full and entire sum of Three H ili].ons of Dollars,
when it shall cease and be no longer paid, But with the declared,
and well understood condition, (for the purpose of paying off, this
the fourth Annuity, in as shaort a space of time as possible,) that as
any one, and all three, of the first aforementioned Annuities, are
filled and paid off, or the time expires, (as in the annuity, to the
American' Colonization Society, for Coloizing the Free people of
Color of the United States,) during which said Annunity is to be




paid, that then, from said periods respectively, (say, the'periods,
from which, the said three, foregoing Annuities, shall respectively
be paid off, or expire,) the proportions of the Nett, yearly revenue
of rents of the General Estate, which were payable respectively
under them the said Annuities, shall go to, and be paid, to this, the
Fourth and last Annuity, under this my last Will and Testament,
bequeathed to the Mayor Aldermen, and Inhabitants of the City of
Baltimore, in the State of MIaryland, and their Successors, forever;
for the purpose of establishing a Sch/ool Farm, as also any surplus,
should it so occur, (within the forty years that I have willed an
Annuity of the One eighth part, or twelve and a half per cent, of
the Nett yearly revenue of rents of the General Estate, to the
"1 American Colonization Society, for Colonizing the Free people
of Color of the United State,") above the sum of Twenty five
thousand dollars, which said Society is authorized to receive in
any one Year, and no more; by which means, the said Mayor, Aldermen and inhabitants, of the City of Baltimore, in the State of
Maryland, and their Successors, for the purpose of establishing a
School Farm, will, under this, the Fourth Annuity, receive, at one
period, a proportion of said nett yearly revenue of rents of the
General Estate, of the One Eight part, or twelve and a half per
cent; at another period of the one fourth part, or twenty five per
cent, or more; at another period of the Three eighth part, or thirty
seven and a half per cent or more; and at another period of the
one half part, or Fifty per cent, of said Nett yearly revenue'of
rents, of the General Estate, until they shall have reeeived, under
said Annuity the full amount of Three Million of Dollars.And the rlayor Aldermen, and inhabitants of the City of
INew  Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, and  the  Mayor,
Aldermen, and inhabitants of the City of Baltimore, in the
State  of Maryland, for the Establishment and  Support of
Free Schools in said Cities, and their respective Suburbs, will receive the one half of the nett yearly revenue of rents, of the General Estate, and no more, until such time, as the whole, of the Four
Annuities, as set forth herein, shall be paid off; friom which period,
(the time when all Four of said annuities shall be paid off,) they,
the said two Cities, of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana,
and Baltimore, in the State ofl Maryland, will receive, and divide




17
equally between them  as herein setforth, and for the purpose as
aforesaid, the whole of the Nett yearly revenue of rents, of the
General Estate, to the endoof time.)-And for the purpose of carrying this, my desire and intent, into effect, I request, authorize, and
empower the Mayor and City Council, of the City of Baltimore, in
the State of Maryland, on the First Monday of January of every
Year, to elect one respectable citizen, out of each Ward of said
City, and its Suburbs, but who shall not exceed seven in number,
nor be members of the said City Council at the time, who shall be
directors therein; which Directors so elected, shall serve for
the term  of twelve Months, and until a New election, on the
First Monday of January of the following year, shall be made by
the said Mayor and City Council, of Directors to replace those of
the preceding year, (None of whom shall be eligible as Directors,
for two Consecutive years,) and so on from year to year, for ever;
and said Directors (elected as aforesaid) shall have the managemlent of said institution, its funds, and every thing in relation to it;
(the Mayor and City Council of the City of B'altimore, having,
however the General Supervision thereof, and to whom the Directors are liable for the faithful performance of their duty therein,
and to whom, annually, or going  out of office, they must render Accounts of their Administration, showing' particularly its
receipts and expenditures, State of its funds, its real Estate,
and every thing in relation to, and concerning said Institution,
wflich Accounts must be audited by the said Kiayor and City Council, throuah a Committee from their Body, appointed for the purpose, and who will publish them yearly in two of the public Newspapers, printed in the said City of Baltimore.)  The said Directors,
(to be elected as aforesaid,) will receive annually or SeEmi Annually
the amount of the Annuity, until such time as they shall have received, according to this bequest, the whole Amount of it, say the
sum of Three Millions of dollars; and as they receive it, they shall
invest it in Bank Stock, or other good securities on landed estate,
on interest, So as to Augment the amount thereof, by the accumulation of interest, to the largest possible Sum, up to the time when
the last of the Annuity shall be received by therm; at which time,
(when the last of the annuity shall be received,) It is my desire, and
I request and instruct, said Directors, to take such part of said sum,




18
(not to exceed however tieh one Sixth part of tie whole anmount,
of principal and interest which may have accrued thereon.) as may
be necessary and invest it in the purchase of such a tract, or tracts
of Land and in the erection of such buildings, as will be appropriate to the object intended, and wantinog; and in the furnishing of
said buildings, (when completed,) and lands in all necessary furniture, Beds, Bedding, Animals, plows, Harrows, Hoes, Spades, and
other articles; a-nid the residue of said sum, (the whole of the residue thereof,) whatever it may be, (But which, shall be at least the
Five Sixths, or five parts out of six parts of the whole amount of
principal and interest,) I direct to be invested in the purchase of
real' Estate, Say, lots of ground and houses, and lots of ground,
Situate in the City, Suburbs, and vicinage of Baltimore, in the
State of MIaryland, or tracts of land, in its immediate neighborhood; Viz; such lots, or lands, (to be all purchased under Fee
8imple titles, as will probably greatly augment in value;-Which
real Estate, when purchased shall never be sold, or alienated, but
shall be held and remain forever, the property of the institution;)
for the purpose of deriving therefromnn a permanent and perpetual
revenue; (a Revenue from rents of Real Estate; not fiom  interest on money loaned or Stocks.) fo the support of said Institution
for ever.-As no part of the principal sum, or the interest which
may. Accrue thereon, shall ever be taken for the support of the
Institution; my intention being that its support shall be supplied
exclusively, from the Revenue, in rents, of its real Estate, and
the revenue derivable firom its farms, Tihe houses to be leased for
no longer a time than twelve months, at any one time, the lots of
ground and lands, for five, Ten, Fifeen, Twenty or twenty five
years; but in no instance for a longer time than twenty five years,
at any one time; revertible back, at the end of the time for which
they may be leased, with all the improvements on them, (said improvements, to be Free of Costs, to the lessor.) to be released for
shorter periods, and at higher rates; by which means, the rich or
those who are in easy circumrstances, will be made to assist in some
measure, in the support and education of the poor. —They, the Directors, (to be elected as aforesaid) are permitted however, at any
time, (when they have money on hand or Stocks of this Fund,)
when opportunities offer of making good investments of it, in real




19
Estate, (say lots of Ground or houses, and lots of ground, situate
in the City of Baltimore, its suburbs or vicinage; or tracts of land
in its immediate neighborhood, yielding rents or which may be:
made to yield rents;) to invest such parts thereof, as they think
proper, (such purchase, to be approved, by the Mayor and City
Council of, the City of Baltimore,) In such real Estate; and also,.
when an opportunity or opportunities offers of acquiring such a
tract or tracts of land, as will be wanted for the Institution, (For
the establishment of its Farm, (at cheap rates,) to purchase them.
-The houses yielding revenue, as also those of the $chools Farm,
I recommend and direct to be kept constantly insured against the
risk of fire, so that if an Accident should occur, there would be
means to reconstruct them. —I recommend also to the Directors, (to
be elected as aforesaid,) to apply to the Legislature of the State of
laryland for an act of incorparation, for said Institution, (subject always however, be it understood, to the Conditions herein
provided for.-)
And for the purpose of setting forth and explaining, more particularly and filly, (if possible,) my intention and desires, in relation
to this institution, I will add, that the object Ii have in view, (and
which occupies my whole soul, my desires, and my affections.) in
founding this Institution, Is the great one, of rescui.ng fronz ijgnorance, and idlenless, aznd of a consequence fromz Pice, and ignomy,
_lillions u pon  /i lions of the destitute  oztih, of the large Cities of
the United States, and the bringing them, up, in Knowlgedge and virtue,
to industry and ltabor, to such an 4Age as, (their priniplees, being fixed
and stable,) they can be apprenticed outi to wortiy ac  d hozorable mnen,
for the acquireizezt of t7he various I.echanical  Afrts, and by that
means, fiorned to be usefid, and Saved to their Country and the World.
(For that the neglect of education in Early life, (permitting children
to live and grow up in idleness and ignorance,) is the most fruitful
source of Crime, none will deny; If communities therefore would
carefully guard, that no children grow up without education and
employment, and provide a home for the Orphan, and the offspring
of the vicious, and of those, who not only neglect to educate their
children, but contaminate them by their own bad-example, they will
do much, very much, towards drying up the fountains of vice, and of
lessening Crime;-It is not however the intellectual cultivation of




Youtha civne, Whiel s Gcuid be ahie..' D'G __  t
and Religious cultivation, should, in a uperior degree occujpy Got:r
especial care.)-In accordance then with this object, it is my desire,
and I request the Directors (to be elected as aforesaid,) to purchase a tract or tracts of rich and productive land, (so that its product may assist, at least, to support the Institution;) In a situation
high and healthy for the establishment of the Institution;  to contain some Three hundred, Four hundred, Five hundred, a Tlhousand, Two or Three thousand acres, nore or less as may be
wanted; laying within one, two, three five, ten or Twenty miles,
(or even, a greater distance,) of the City of Baltimore; (as the
Directors may determine,) wheron, (under such regulations, as the
Directors, to be elected as aforesaid shall establish;) the said Youth,
shall labor in all work appertaininug to the cultivation of the earth;
Say, In plowin,, hoeinl, harrowirng, Spadeing, M1owing, reaping,
gathering, housin-g-, thrashing, Sowing, planting, gardening, Carting, waggoning, making of all Agricultural instruments, rearing,
and attending to animnals, rearing, and attending' to the Silk Wormn
and the Mulbery Tree &c. &c. &c. &e. at the same time that they
are progressing in their education; until such a period as they attain the proper age, when, (their education Completed,) they shall
be apprenticed out, for the acquirement of the various Mlechanical
Trades.-It is my desire, and I request the Directors (to be elected as aforesaid,) to rear up to labor, educate and support in said
Institution as great a number of the poor, and detitute?M~ale Children, and youths, of the dinerent MaUritime Cities of the United
States, (which are too generally /ol beds, of vice,) taking those first,
which belong to the City of Baltimore; then, those from the Towns
and Villages of the State of Maryland; and Thirdly, those from the
different large Cities of the different States of our Happy Union;
paying the expenses of their removal fromn their homes, to the Institution;) as the revenue of rents, arising from the real estate of this
bequest, and fromx the Farm, will support, which [ hope will be at
least to the number of One to Two thousand; and in time, I
hope (with wise managenment mnay be made to support Ten thousand.-It is my wish and desire, and I request the Directors, (to be
elected as aforesaid)- to erect the buildings of the Institution, in
Stone, or brick, in a style of taste and elegance, but plain, of great




21
solidity, (intended to stand for ages.) Airy and of proportionate Elevations.-In closing those my explanations and desires in relation
to this, the Institution of the "School Farm," It will be permitted
me, to express my conviction that this Institution will not long remain the only one, of the kind, in the vicinity of that Noble, Philanthropic, and high minded City, But that a Sister one, will soon be
made to spring up, by its humane and generous Sons, (an offering on the Alter of Charity,) destined to rescue from the ignorance
and vice, the Female Children and'Youth of the Poor, the destitute and vicious of our Country.
And for the management of the General Estate, or fund, for
the education of the Poor, which 1, have herein willed and bequeathed, to the Mayor, Aldermen, and Inhabitants, of the City
of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, and the Mayor, Aldermen and inhabitants of the City of Baltimore, in the State of
Maryland, and their Successors, for ever, I hereby declare, that
my intention, is not, that any part of said General Estate, or
revenue from Rents, arising from said General Estate, shall go
into the hands of the Corporations, of said Cities; But that they,
the said Corporation, shall for ever have a supervision over it;I therefore in consequence, request, authorize, and direct, the respective City Councils of the Three Municipalities of the City of
New Orleans, on the First Monday of January, of each and every
year, to elect one respectable Citizen, out of each of said Municipalities, who shall be a resident therein, (but who shall not be members of said City Councils at the time,) who shall be Commissioners
of the General Estate;-Which Three Commissioners, so elected,
shall serve for the term of Twelve Months, and until a New Election, on the first Monday of January of the following year, shall
be made, by the said City Councils, of Three Commissioners, to
replace those of the preceding year, (none of whom shall be eligible as Commissioners, for two consecutive years.) and so on, from
year to year, to the end of time; and the Three Commissioners,
so named, in Conjunction with the Three Agents to be appointed,
(as hereinafter directed) by the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of
Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, (Which Three Agents) so
named by said Mayor and Aldermen of the said City of Baltimore, shall have equal powers, with said Three Co'mmissioners,




22
elected by the City Councils, of the City of New Orleans, and an
equal vote, on all affairs of business, as they will represent an
equal interest.) Shall have the sole management of sdaid General
Estate, the Leasing and renting of all its lands, lots of ground,
houses, &c, &c, the cultivating of its estates, with the black
people, thereon if (any Estates are in cultivation at the time of
my death,) the crops, made on which Estates, when sold shall be
considered rent; The collecting of its rents leases &c. &c. and the
giving receipts therefor; the paying of the Annuities as herein before ordered and bequeathed, and in fine, doing all acts necessary
to its full and perfect management, as herein pointed out and directed.-For this purpose, they will take an office, in some Fire
proof house, in the City of New Orleans, employ a Confidential
Clerk or Secretary, and keep regular Books, accounts, &c. &c.They, the said Commissioners, and Agents, of my General Estate
(to be named as hereinbefore and hereinafter provided for,) are
hereby permitted, directed and Authorized by me, (if they should
See fit, and proper so to do,) at such time. as the Fifteen years, are
near expiring, during which the Slaves are to labor for my General
Estate, after my death, before being sent to Africa, to take the
Nett amount of two or three crops of such Estates, as they are
cultivating, and purchase therewith, an equal number of Slaves, (if
there is still Slaves in our Country for sale.) with those, they are
about to send away; which Slaves, So purchased, shall labor on
the plantations, belonging to the General Estate, for fifteen years,
from the day of their purchase, and after said Fifteen years of
service, be also on their turn, sent to Africa; and their number
nmay be again renewed by purchase, in the same mode, and manner; serve also fifteen years, and be sent to Africa; and so on, as
often as the Commissioners and Agents of the General Estate,
may see fit and proper, and that there is Slaves to be purchased,
by which means, a two fold object, would be accomplished, Viz:
a revenue from the Estates cultivated, greater than what they
would yield, by renting them out; and the returning every Fifteen years, an additional number of the human race, Christianized
and Civilized, to the land of their forefathers.-)My Executors,
(herein after named,) will hand over to Said Commissioners and
Agents of the General Estate, of the City of New Orleans,




23
and olf the City of Baltimore, all tie Title deeds of my real
Estate, with all other papers, and documents not necessary to
them, the said Executors, to be deposited  in said office;They the Commissioners, of the General Estate of the City of
New Orleans, And Agents, of the General Estate of the City
of Baltimore, to Consider themselves, at once in possession, as
I hereby give them Scisin, and put them in possession,) of All said
real Estate, from the day of their nomination; (which nomination
I recommend the City Councils, of the City of New Orleans, And
the Miayor and Aldermen, of the City of Baltimore to make, immediately after my decease. And on the settlement and winding up,
of my Afiiairs, by them, the Executors, (herein after named,) they
will place all my Books of accounts, papers &c, &c, in the hands
of the Commissioners and Agents of the General Estate, to be
named by the City Councils, of the City of New Orleans, and the
tayor and Aldermen of the City of Baltimore, to be placed in said
office, for safe Keeping. —And at the end of each year, (or half year,
as may be thought best,) after the payment of the different Annuities and all other attending expenses; The Conlimmissioners Appointed by the City Councils, of the City of New Orleans, and the'Agents-, representing the Mayor, Aldermen and inhabitants of the
City of Baltilmore, will settle their Accounits, each party, dividing,
and taking the one half, of the remaining nett revenue of the year,
for the intents and purposes, as herein before, and herein after ordered and directedo-The Agents representing the City of Baltimore, will remit the amount received by them  to the Commis-:sioners, named in Baltimore; and the Commissioners elected by the City of New Orleans, will receive the proportion,
accruing to the said City of New Orleans, carry it to the Account,
of the Public Free Schools, Fund, in one of the Banks, in the City
of New Orleans, and Keep Seperate Books, and Accounts, for said
Fund, and of every thing in relation to the Public Free Schools.(The management of the Public Free Schools, of the City of New
Orleans, and its Suburbs, and the Fund belonging to said Schools,
the Agents of the City of Baltimore, have no power over, or concern in.)- Certified Copies of the accounts of the General Estate
Fund, shall be forwarded to the Corporation of the City of Baltimore, annually, to be examined by it and published in Two, of the
Newspapers of that City, and the Corporation of the Cit;y of Bal



timore shall also, publish in two of the Newspapers of said City,
annually, a Copy of the Accounts of the Free Schools Fund, its
disbursment, and State, with a statement of every thing relative to
said Free Schools.-Copies also of the Accounts of the General
Estate Fund, shall be delivered to the City Councils of the City of
New Orleans, who shall name a Committee from their own Body,
to visit the books, examine and Audit the said accounts annually,
and at all other times, when they may think proper; (as well, the
accounts, of the General Estate, as of the Free Schools Fund.)
and keep up and Support, ageneral Supervision, over the General
Estate, its accounts, Funds, management, and real Estate, as also
over the Free Schools, and every thing that relates to them. —The
annual accounts, as well of the General Estate, as of the Free
Schools Fund, shall be published in Two of the Newspapers of the
City of New Orleans, yearly, with a particular statement of the
situation of the Schools, and every thing Concerning them.-It is
my wish and I direct the Commissioners, for the City of New Orleans, (to be named as herein before and herein after set forth,) to
establish as many Schools, as may be necessary and wanted; so
that, if possible, every poor child and youth, may receive an education. The Schools should be established in different parts of the
City of New Orleans, its Suburbs, Liberties, and outskirts, in such
Situations, as would be nearest the residences of the poorer Classes,
for whom those institutions, are alone intended; —They will invest
such part of the Fund, as will annually accrue to the Mayor, Aldermen and inhabitants of the City of New Orleans, from the revenue
of rents, of the General Estate, as will be necessary, in the purchase
of suitable lots of ground, and the erection of proper and permanent buildings, in Brick, for the Schools, and places of residence,
for the Teachers; and the residue of the fund, will be made use of,
for the payment of Teachers, for Books, Stationary, and other
attendant, and necessary expenses.-And I request, Authorize and
direct, the respective City Councils of the Three Municipalities of
the City of New Orleans, on the Second i~onday of January of each
and every year, to elect, Two (other) respectable Citizens, as
Commissioners, out of each of said three Municipalities, who shall be
resident, in said respective Municipalities, from which they shall be
elected, (but who shall not be Members of said City Councils at the




25
time,) which will be Six Commissioners; and with the threeCommissioners, to be elected by the said respective City Councils, of
the three Municipalities of the Cities of New Orleans, On the First
Monday of January of each and every year, (as herein before provided for,) will make nine Commissioners, in All; who shall be
Commissioners, for this purpose;-which Commissioners so elected, shall serve for the term of twelve Months, and until a new election, on the Second Monday of January, of the following year, Shall
be made by the said City Councils, of the three Municipalities, of
the City of New Orleans, of Commissioners, to replace those of
the preceding year, (none of whom shall be eligible as Commissioners, for two consecutive years,) and so on, from year to year,
to the end of time.-And the said Six Commissioners, (to be named as aforesaid,) shall have equal powers, in the Management of
the Free Schools Fund, (which will accrue to the Mayor, Aldermen
and Inhabitants, of the City of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, annually, from the Revenue of rents, of the General Estate,)
the Schools established under it, and every thing in relation to it,
with, the Three Commissioners, (to be namled, (as herein before
provided for) by the said City Councils of the Three Municipalities
of the City of New Orleans, on the First Monday of January of
each and everyyear.)  But they, the said Six Commissioners, (to be
named as aforesaid, by the said City Councils of the Three Municipalities of the City of New Orleans, on the Second Monday of January, of each and every year,) shall have no power, concern or management, in the affairs of the General Estates; as the affairs of the
Said General Estate, are to be managed, transacted and conducted, Solely and exclusively, (as herein before and hereinafter provided for,) by the Three Commissioners, to be named, on the First
Monday of January, of each and every year, by the City Councils of
the Three Municipalities of the City of New Orleans, in the State of
Louisiana, and, the Three Agents, to be named by the Mayor and
Aldermen of the City of Baltimore in the State of Maryland, and
by them only.-And I request, Authorize, and direct, the Mayor
and Aldermen of the City of Baltimore in the State of Maryland,
on the First Mionday of January, of each and every year, to elect
one respectable Citizen, out of each Ward, of said City, its Suburbs, Liberties, and outskirts, but who shall not exceed, Nine in




number nor be members of said City Council at the time, who
shall be Commissioners, for this purpose; which Commissioners,
so elected, shall serve for the term of twelve Months, and until a
new election, on the First Monday of Januaary, of the following
year, shall be made, by the said Miayor and Aldermen, of Commissioners, to replace those of the preceding year, (none of whom
shall be eligible, as Commissioners, for two consecutive years.)
and so on from year to year, to the end of time;-And the said
Commissioners, (named as aforesaid,) will take an Office, in some
part of the City of the Baltimore, employ a Confidential Clerk, or
Secretary, and keep regular Books, and Accounts, Shewing the
application and disbursement, of all sums of money which will come
into their hands, fron the Agents, appointed by the Mayor and
Aldermen, of the City of Baltimore, (in manner as herein after set
forth,) to represent their interest in the City of New Orleans, and
to receive, and remit it to them;-And the said Conmmissieners,
)to'be named, as herein before provided,) will establish as many
Schools, as may be necessary, and wanted, so that if possible, every
poor Child and.Youth, may receive an education.-The Schools
should be established in different parts of the said City of Baltimore,.
its Suburbs, Liberties, and outskirts, in such situations, as will be
nearest the residence, of the poorer Classes, for whom those institutions, are alone intended. —They, the said Commissioners,
will Invest, such part of the Fund, as will annually accrue to the
Mlayor, Aldermen, and Inhabitants of the City of Baltimore, from
the revenue of remlts, of the General Estate, as will be necessary,
in the purchase of suitable lots of ground, and the erection of proper and permanent buildings, in brick, or stone, for the Schools,
and places of residence for the teachers; and the residue of the
Fund will be made use of, (as far as wanted therefor,) for the payment of the Teachers, for Books, Stationary, and other attendant,
and necessary expenses.-The Mayor and aldermen of the City of
Baltimore, will appoint annually, (or as often as they may See fit
or proper,) a Committee from their own Body, to visit the Books
and Accounts, Kept by said Commissioners of the Free School
Fund, to examine and Audit said accounts; and will keep up and
support, a General Supervision, over the said Schools, their mnanagement, expenditures, funds, and every thing that relates to
them.-Aind, for the purpose of managing the affairs, of the Gene



27
ral Estate, or Fund, in the State of Louisiana, in which the City
of Baltimore, is equally interested, with the City of New Orleans,
I hereby Authorize and direct, the Mayor and Aldermen [of the
City of Baltimore, in the State of lIaryland, to elect, appoint,
and name, from time to time, as they may see fit and proper, (and
to change them, and name, elect, and appoint others, in their lieu
and place, at any time, they may see fit and proper,) Three persons, as Agents, in the City of New Orleans, (or, whom they may
send to said City of New Orleans.) to represent their interest, in
said General Estate, and to act for them in all respects, and in all
things which concern said General Estate; which said Three Agents,
shall, jointly; with the three Commissioners to be appointed by the
City Councils of the City of New Orleans, manage, Conduct, and
administer in all respects said General Estate, as herein before, and
herein after, provided for and set forth; and shall have equal power, and an equal Vote, (in all affairs which concern said General
Estate;) with the said Three Commissioners, to be appointed as
hereinbefore provided for, by the City Councils of the City of New
Orleans -I recommend to the Commissioners to be appointed by
the City Councils, of the City of New Orleans, and the Agents to
be appointed by the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Baltimore,
to represent their respective interests in the General Estate, in the
City of New Orleans, to keep all such houses and buildings, as belong to the General Estate, or may hereafter belong to it, regularly
insured against all risk by Fire, by which means, in case, any of
said houses or buildings, shall be destroyed by said element, the
means would be ready to reconstruct them; and to apply to the
Legislature of the State of Louisiana, for an act of incorporation,
(subject always, however, to the conditions provided herein, of said
General Estate.-I also recommend to the Commissioners, (to'be
elected as herein before provided for,) as well those of the City of
New Orleans, as those of the City of Baltimore, charged with the
management of the Free Schools and the Free Schools Fund, of
said respective Cities, to apply to the Legislatures, of their respective States, for Acts of incorporation, for their respective Free
School Institutions, (Subject always, however, to -the conditions
provided herein,) Should it be found necessary, and desirable to
have said Institutions incorporated.




28
No compromise shall ever take place between the Mayor, Aldermen and Inhabitants of the City of Baltimore, in the State of
Maryland, and the Mayor Aldermen and inhabitants of the City
of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, and their Successors,
in relation to their respective rights in said General Estate; Nor
shall one party receive from the other party, by agreement, a certain
sum of Money, Annually, (or otherways, for their respective proportions, in said General Estate, nor shall either party, sell, their respective rights, under this Will, in the said General Estate, to one another
or to others; But said General Estate shall for ever remain, and
be managed, as I have herein pointed out, ordered and directed.And should the Mayor, and Aldermen of the City of Baltimore, in
the State of Maryland, and the Mayor and Aldermen, of the City
of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, or their Successors in
Office, combine together, and Knowingly and Wilfully, violate
any of the Conditions herein before and hereinafter directed, for
the management of the General Estate, and the application of the
Revenue arising therefrom, then in that event, I give and bequeath,
the rest, residue, remainder, and accumulations, of my said General
Estate, (Subject always however to the payment of the aforementioned Annuities.) to the States of Louisiana, and of Maryland,
in equal proportions, to each of said States, of half and half, for
the purpose of educating the poor of said States, under such a
general System of Education as their Respective Legislatures shall
establish by Law.- (always understood and provided however,
That the real estate thus destined by me for said purpose of education, shall never be sold, or alienated, but shall be kept, and
managed as they, the said Legislatures of said States, shall establish by Law; as a Fund, yielding rents, forever; the rents only, of
which General Estate, shall be taken, and expended, for said purpose, of educating the poor, of said respective States, and for no
other.) And it is furthermore my wish and desire, and I hereby
Will, that in case there should be a Lapse, of both the legacies, to
the Cities of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, and Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, or either of them, wholly, or in
part, by refusal to accept, or any other cause, or means, whatsoever, then, both or either of said legacies, wholly, or partially so
lapsed, shall inure, as far as it relates to the City of New Orleans,




29
to the State of Louisiana, and as far as it relates to the City of
Baltimore, to the State of Maryland, that the Legislatures of those
States, respectively, may carry my intentions, as expressed and
set forth, in this, my last Will and Testament, into effect, as far,
and in the manner which will appear to them the most proper.(It will be permitted me, here to observe, that I am and long have
been Convinced, That the first, most imperative, and Sacred duty,
which each and every Government on earth, is bound to perform,
(and which Rulers, and Legislatures cannot avoid the performance
of, but under the heaviest responsibilities to Heaven;) is that, of
providing by Law, for the education of every child, within the
limits of their respective Governments; To that effect, Parents,
and Guardians of youth, should be made, under heavy penalties, to
send their Children to Schools, supported, (under a System of general taxation, on real Estate;) at the sole expense of the Government.-)Now, with the view of setting forth, and explaining more
fully and particularly, (if'tis possible,) my desires, and intentions,
as expressed in the foregoing dispositions, of this, my last Will and
Testament, in relation to my General Estate, I will add, that the
First, principal, and chief object, I have at heart, (the object which
has actuated, and filled my soul from early boyhood, with a desire
to acquire fortune;) is the education of the Poor, (without the cost
of a cent to them;) in the Cities of New Orleans and Baltimore,
and their respective Suburbs; In such a manner that every poor
Child, and youth, of every Color, in those places, may receive a
common English education; (Based however, be it particullarly understlood'~n"1arMorl-anr&dBeigi-ous'one; That is the  upils, shaill
on particular days, be instructed in Morality, and Religion, and
Shool shall be opened, and closed, daily, with prayer.) And in
time, when the General Estate, will yield the necessary iunds, (for
in time, its revenue, will be very large.) over, and above what will
be necessary to the education of the poor, of those cwo Cities, and
their respective Suburbs; It is my desire, and I request, that the
blessings of education, may be extended to the poor, throughout
every Town, Village, and hamlet, in the respective States of Louisiana, and Maryland; and was it possible, through the whole of
the United States of America.-For this purpose, and this only,
(my desire being, that one dollar shall never be expended to any




other purpose;) I destine the whole of my General Estate, (Excepting only my black people, the legacy bequeathed the children
of my Sister Jane, and that to herself;) to Form a fund, in real Estate, which shall never be sold, or alienated, but be held, and remain
forever Sacred to it alone.-The nett annual revenue of rents of said
General Estate, to be equally divided, (one half to each,) between
the said two Cities, of New Orleans and Baltimore, so soon as the
Annuities are paid off, which I have charged the General Estate
or Fund, to pay; the last of which Annuities, will probably be paid
off, in forty or fifty years, from and after my death; from which
period, (the time when said Annuities will be paid off,) the whole
revenue of rents, arising from said General Estate, or Fund will
be received, forthe sole purpose, of Educating the Poor, as I have
herein before set forth;-And in the mean time, (the time, between
the period of my death, and the period when said Annuities will
be paid off in totality,) the one half of the revenue of rents, arising
from said General Estate or Fund, is destined to said purpose. —
(In the course of my observations, through a long life, having seen
almost every bequest, or endowment, of the nature of those, I have
herein made, perverted, after a certain lapse of time, from their
intended purposes, and either sold, or so changed, as to serve other,
and private ends; I determined therefore, in consequence, by placing one City and its Agents or Representatives, as a check over
the other, to guard, by that means, the interests of both; This arrangement, I hope, will become the means of carrying down to the
latest time, this bequest and secure its application forever, to the
purposes intended by me.-It would have been an easy matter for
me, dto have purchased real Estate in the City of Baltimore, for the
one haWl of the Amount of my Estate; but then, and I so done, my
object w6 ld not have been accomplished; the danger of its alienation, and having it turned aside from its original intent, would
have existed i.full force. To avoid which, I placed the whole of
it in one City, ana  State, and made another City and State, equally interested in its\ reservation and correct management for the
-Mutual benefit and secrityof both.
I trust, the Most Highi,\.wil Bless the intention, and render it
effectual.-The mode I thus -adopted, will also serve, I ftrust, as a
ligature, (though but a small one,) to bind the different parts of our




Country together; and should it be found on trial, to work well,
may induce other, well wishers of their species, and the Institutions
of our Common Country, to do the same, and thereby bind together other Cities and States, of our greatly blessed and happy
Country, in brotherly affection and love, to the latest timQ. —I have
also long seen with regret that a spirit inimical to the rich, is felt
and entertained by the poor, nurtured and kept alive in their bosoms, as it is by designing and bad men, for their own wicked purposes;-They are told that the rich, are their Natural enemies 
That the God of Nature, made all men Equal, and that it is sinful
for one Man, to appropriate to himself, more of the riches of this
world, than his Neighbor;- -with much more, to the same purport;Believe it not, my Friends; be assured, that they, who tell you so, are
your greatest Enemies; the enemies of your peace, and happiness.
-Those feelings of Jealousy, which the poor entertains of the rich,
is wrong; It is sinful, and contrary to the laws of our Divine
Creator; who has shewn in his works (as in his words,) that he
did not intend a perfect equality to exist among men.-As he has
not made All men equal in Strength, in Stature or intellect, neither has his decrees established an equality of fortune —Let Man
then bow with humble resignation, to the Divine Will. —The poor
should look on the rich, in the light in which they really, and truly,
Stand towards themi; That is, as Reservoirs, in which the Most
H-Iigh, makes to flow, the rich Streams of his beneficence, to be
laid up, and husbanded for his allwise, and all seeing purposes;'and for Seasons of distress and affliction to the poor.-Instead
then, of looking on them as their greatest Enemies, they should on
the Contrary, consider them as they really are, their best friends.
-This is-the position all rich men, (whose hearts occupy the right
place in their bosoms,) stand in towards the poor.-Besides, Let the
the poorer Classes of the World be consoled, assured, that the labor loving, frugal, industrious, and virtuous among them, possess
Joys and happiness in this life, which the rich know not, and cannot appreciate. —So vell convinced am I, (after a long life, and intercourse with my fellow men of all classes,) of the truth, " That
the happiness of this life, is altogether on the side of the virtuous
and industrious poor," that had I children, (which I have not;) and
a fortune to leave behind me, at death, I would bequeath, (after a




virtuous education, to effect whilch, noting  should be spared;) a
very small amlount to each, merely sufficientt to excite them to habits
of industry and frugality, and no imore.-As the poor mans friend,
then, I recommend to hnil, to honor and respect the virtuous rich,
and to lay those observations to their heart and to store them up in
their mind; —And to the rich, I would say, (If they see aught, in
them, corresponding with their own feelings, and worthy of their
regard;)" Give them an occasional reflection." —   oping thereby,
that the World may advance in happiness, in virtue and holiness.)
-- request my Executors (hereinafter named,) to see that my funeral is plain made without parade, and with the least possible
expenses.-A —nd, I was near forgetting, that.) I have still one small
request to make, one little favor still to ask, and it shall be the last 
It is that it may be permitted annually to the Children, of the Free
Schools, (situate the nearest, to the place of my Interment,) to plant
and water, a few flowers, around my grave.-This little act, will
have a double tendency; —It will open their young and susceptible
hearts, to gratitude and love, to their Divine Creator, for having
raised up, as the humble instrument of his bountyto them;) a poor,
frail, worm of earth, like me; and teach them at the same time,
"What they are, whither they came, and whence they must reAnd to enable my Executors (herein after named,) to executethis, may Last Will and Testament, I herebygive unto them, Seizin
of all my personal Estate, Money, Stocks and Bonds on hand; as
well, asall debts, owing to me, by Bills, 1;otes, Bonds, and Mort —
gages, deeds, or Book, accounts; as also the furniture and effects
in, and about the house in which I reside, Cattle horses &c, &c.
putting them in possesion thereof, and authorizing them, my said
Executors (herein after named,) to recover and receive the Amount,
of all said stocks, Bonds, Bills, Notes, Bonds and Mortgages,
deeds, Book accounts, &c, &c. with all dividends, and interest,
which may accrue thereon; and to sell said furniture, and effects.
-and likewise to pay all debts owing by my Estate to others,
should there be any debts, owing by it, —-In the different Acts of incorporation, contemplated and mentioned by me, in this my Last
Vill and Testament, to be passed by the Legislatures, of the State
of ILouisiana, and Maryland, for the purpose of Carrying out the




33
objects I have in View, It is my wish and desire, shall that there
be an express provision, in each of said acts of incorporation, prohibiting the Administrators, or officers of the respective Corporations, from ever Selling or alienating, in any manner whatever, the
real Estate acquired in any way, eitherby purchase, (by means of
the funds arising from, and received under this Will, and Testament;) or otherways, and held, and owned by said Corporations.
Finally, I nominate and appoint, Christian Roselius, Judah Touro, Abial Dailey Crossman, Lewis Philip Pili6, Jonathan Montgomery, Joseph A. Maybin, William E. Leverich, and Francois Bizoton D'Aquin, (all eight of the City of New Orleans in the State
of Louisiana,) Benjamin C. Howard, John P. Kennedy, John
Spear Smith, Brantz Mayer, Henry Didier, (Merchant,) and John
Gibson, son of the late William  Gibson, Clerk of the Court, (all
six of the City of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland;) Henry
Clay, of the State of Kentucky, the present President of the
American Colonization Society, of the City of Washington, in the
District of Columbia; R. R. G/urly, Secretary of the American
Colonization Society, of the City of Washington, in the District of
Columbia; and Walter Lowrie, Secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions, of the Presbyterian Church of the City of New
York, State of New York, Executors of this, my last Will and
Testament.- (and in the event of the death, of Francois Bizoton
D'Aquin, previous to my decease, then I nominate and appoint, his
brother, Francois Adolphe D'Aquin to replace him as an Executor, of this, my last Will and Testament.) and give to said Executors, Christian Roselius, Judah Touro, Abial Dailey, Crossman,
Lewis Philip Pili6, Jonathan Montgomery, Joseph A. Maybin,
William E. Leverich, FranSois Bizoton D'Aquin, Benjamin C.
Howard, John P. Kennedy, John Spear Smith, Brantz Mayer,
Henry Didier, John Gibson, Henry Clay, R. R. Gurlie, and Walter Lowrie, full powers, without the interference of Judicial, or
extra Judicial Authority, to carry the same into effect, according
to the true intent aad meaning thereof.-Authorizing and empowering, as I hereby do, in the event of absence from the State, refusal to qualify, resignation or death of the other Executors;) Any
three of the said aforementioned Executors, to act, and carry out
my intentions, under this, my last Will and Testament. Recom



34
mending to them (my said Executors;) to see, that said intentions,
are in all respects strictly complied with.-And I do hereby revoke
and Annul all other Wills, heretofore made by me. —In Witness
whereof I, the said John McDonogh, have to this,, my last Will and
Testament, (the whole written, dated and signed with my own
hand.) Contained on twenty four pages, placed my signature at
the foot or bottom of each page, and my seal, and signature at the
foot or bottom of this, my last Will and testament on the twenty
fourth page.-This my said last Will and Testament, executed
from motives of prudence;) in duplicate, in my dwelling house, in
the Town of Macdonogh, State of Louisiana on this, the twenty
ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord, Eighteen hundred
and thirty eight. (1838.)
(Signed)          JOHN McDONOGH. (Seal.)
Ne Varietur —28th October, 1850.
Signed             A. M. B.  Judge
--    ENVELOPE.
"This Envelope Contains my Olographic Will," 2dly,
(Signed)                " JOHN McDONOGH,"
" Macdonogh, opposite New Orleans, December 29th 1838."
Filed October 28th 1850.
STATE OF LOUISIANA.
FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF NEW ORLEANS.
I, Prosper Le Blanc, Clerk of the Fifth District Court of New
Orleans, do hereby certify that the above and foregoing Thirty one
pages, do contain a true copy of the original Olographic Will of the
late John McDonogh, on file and of record in this office, in the
matter of the Succession of John McDonogh, opened in this Court,
and now on the records thereof under the number 4112.
Eight words erased, null, and two words interlined approved.
In testimoney whereof, I have hereunto set my hand
and affix the Seal of the said Court at the City of New
Orleans, the Fourth day of November, in the year of
our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and fifty, and in the Seventy fifth year of the Independence of the United States of America.
P. LE BLANC, Clerk.




OF INSTRUCTIONS
TO THE EXECUTORS OF JOHN McDONOGH,
TO BE OPENED AND KEPT BY THE EXECUTORS.
MEMORANDA,; Being reflections, opinions and recommendations,
addressed by John McDonogh to the Executors of his Estate named in his last will and Testament, and to the Commissioners and
agents, (to be appointed by the City Councils of the City of New
Orleans, and the Mayor and City Council of the City of Baltimore) of his "6 General Estate," As said Memoranda, Recommendatiohs  &c &c, may, he hopes, be of service to them, in various
ways, in the winding up of said Estate, and in the management of
the General Estate. —He requests they may be copied into one of
the Books kept in the office of the General Estate, for preservation, Reference, and use.
The Inventory of my Estate (as directed by my Will) to be made
out by a Notary Public (assisted by my Executors) must remain on
record in the office of said Notary Public, in his current Book of
Record, from which my Executors will be pleased to obtain certified copies, and have them placed, say, one copy in the archives of
the City Councils of the City of New Orleans; one copy in the
City Council of the City of Baltimore; one copy in the office of
the General Estate in New Orleans; and another copy in the office
the Free Schools and the Free School Fund in the City of Baltimore in the State of Maryland; All for safe keeping; So that if
an accident or accidents should happen to one, or more copies of
said Inventory, other copies thereof would be safe. It will also be




36
copied from those original and certified copies into the Books of
those Institutions, of said Offices.
And Whereas all-the land papers and title deeds of my Real Estate of every kind and nature, will remain and be placed for safe
keeping in the office of the General Estate in the City of New
Orleans, under the care of the Commissioners and agents of said
General Estate:  I request said Commissioners and agents, (as it
is most important that all said papers, documents and title deeds,
should be carefully preserved; said General Estate being deeply
interested in their preservation and safe keeping) to have certificate
copies taken of each, and every Land title paper, )many of them
being the original title deeds, of which no record or copy exists, but
those in my possession), and Title deed, officially, (that is notarial
copies of each, and every one of them, duly certified by the respective Notaries public, before whom they were originally executed,
and then legalized by the Governor of the State.-And to be still
more particular and exact, (knowing as I do the great importance
of the object.) I mean, a copy of each paper or document, through
the whole chain of Title, up to the originals, (and including the
originals,) from the different Governments of France, Spain and
the United States of America, in each, and every title to each
separate piece of property.) and said copies on duplicates, of each
and every Land paper, document or Title deed (a complete set of
copies of the whole series of documents or Title deeds) to be remitted with the greatest care by some safe private conveyance, to
the Commissioners of the Free Schools, and Free Schools Fund in
the City of Baltimore in the State of Maryland, to be placed in
the office of said institution for preservation and safe keeping,: In
the event that should an accident take place in either City, and
one sett of copies be lost by fire or otherways, that they might
be immediately after replaced by another series of copies; so that
two setts of copies, may if possible forever exist, one sett in each
city of New Orleans and Baltimore. —I request also, that duplicate
copies of all plans of land and lots or ground, laid out and divided
into Lots and Squares may be maid out and remitted to Baltimore,
with full and complete Lists of all the property belonging to the
General Estate, with descriptions of its precise situations, measurements, prospects, value &c &c.  By which means each office in




7
each citv viiill be in possession of all information relative to said
General Estate, and of duplicate copies of every doclument, Title
deed, Plan &c &c, appertaining and belong'ing to said General
Estate.-And wh:ch they the said ofices of said institutions, (besides having and preserving the original copies) will have copied in
each oqce, in a Book kept for the express purpose, as a still further
security to their preservation.
And whereas in everything that will concern the management of
the General Estate, from the most important of its affairs to the
most minute;;from the keeping of its Books and Documents to
the Leasing and Renting of its real Estate; from the Receiving and
collection of said Rents to the care and preservation of its Estates,
Houses, &c &c, and more especially to the gradual increase of its
revenue: 3rMuc, very much will depend on the honor, probity,
Wisdom and Business talents and habits of the gentlemcan who will
be appointed its Secretary; It will be permitted me then to recommend, that great care and precaution should be at all times
used in the making of this appointment, and no one entrusted with
it who did not stand high in the estimation of their Fellow Citizens
for all those qualifications.-BESIDES, the engagement taken with
him  (whoever he may be) should only be during good behavior,
and satisfaction given by him in all respects in the fulfilment of the
duties of the office.-And if it should so happen at any time, that
a gentleman possessing all the necessary qualifications to fill the
office could not be met with or obtained here, in the city of New
Orleans, that then such a one should be sought for in some other
part of the United States, and induced to come here, to act as its
Secretary, under a good salary for its services.
As it will be very important to have the institution of the General Estate, incorporated by a Law of the Legislature of the State;
I recommend in consequence to the Commlissioners and Agents of
the General Estate, to apply to said Body by Ml emorial at its first
Session, after their appointment, for the passage of such a Law. —
Recommending that said Memorial should be given for presentation, to some of the most influential mlembers of said Body,
and their support of it through the respective Houses9 requested.Perhaps the Governor of the State, if spoken to, would make mention of it in his annual M' essage to that Body  an d rcconimemdl thei.




38
fassa(re of a Law ior its incorporation; seeing the object and vast
importance of the Institution to the State and the World.So soon as the Law (by the Legislature of the State) incorporating the Institution of the General Estate shall be passed, I recommend to the Commissioners and Agents of said Estate, immediately after, to apply by Memorial to said Legislature, (and to every
subsequent Legislature, until the demand is accorded) for a Law,
exempting forever from taxation All Property, real and Personal,
belonging to said General Estate (or which may thereafter belong
to it) laying within the State of Louisiana,-Seeing the purposes
to which it is destined.-I trust that the Wise and enlightened
members, composing the Legislature of the State of Louisiana,
will not refuse the passge of such a Law; seeihg that the whole
and entire revenue of said Estate, goes to charitable uses in the
State, and to the education of its own citizens; saving thereby to
the State itself an immense expenditure, which would otherways.
have to come out of its coffers. —
Similar applciations to the last recommended above, should
be made to the different City Councils of the city of New Orleans,
praying that the Real Estate laying within the respective limits of
the different Municipalities, belonging to said General Estate,
should be exempted forever by Law, from all Taxation, seeing the
uses to which its revenue is forever destined.
So soon as the Law (by the Legislature of the State) incorporating the institution of the General E state, shall be passed, I recommend the Commissioners and Agents of said Estate, immediately thereafter to apply by memorial to said Legislature (and to
every subsequent Legislature, until the demand is accorded), praying that an Act may be passed, providing that no prescription
shall ever run against any Real Estate belonging to this Estate,
which shall be taken possession of or held by others.-The object
in such a Law would be. That whereas much Land belonging to
this Estate, lays in various outparts of this State, persons mlight
unknowingly to the Commissioners and Agents of the General Estate, seat themselves down on it, and if permitted to remain thereon
for Thirty years, (the present Law of prescription of the State
being'uch) would acquire Title thereby. Such a law would therefore protect it for ever.




399
After tihe passac'eo of the iaw (tby the Letisl atitre o)f th}e Statea
Incorporating the Institution of the General E[ state, I recomimend
to tile Commissioners and.Agents of said Estate, to apply by me;
norial to said Legislature (and to every subsequent Legislature,
until the demalnd is accorded) praying, that an Act may be passed
Aj]poohinli, the $ecretary of the General Estate (for the time being, whoever he may be) an Auctioneer for the purpose of Leasing
at Public Auction, the Lots of Ground and other Real Estate, belonging to said General Estate.-The objec-t of this would be that4
the General Estate might have its own confidentiali Auctioneer to
transact its business, (as all its Leases should be publicly made at
Auction after due notice by advertisement in the Public newspac-.
pers of the city,) and by that means save also much expense i.n
Commissions, which would otherways have to be paid to au1ctioneersoAnd Whereas Mr. Andrew Durnford, a firee iman of color of the
Parish of Plaquemine of this State, is at this time indebted to me
a large sum of money by mortgage on his Sugar Estate situate in
said Parish; Now, should it so happen that at the time of my
death, said debt still remains unliquidated and owing to me; I in
that case request mny Executors, (he being a worthy and an honest
mlan and my friend) to wait the payment of said debt with him,
Andrew Durnford, and to give him timne to pay it off, on his paying
an Interest thereon of six per cent per annulm, for such "time as
they shall wait wvith him, the payment thereof.-Well understood,
however, that the amount of the crop, which he will make on his
Plantation, he will annually pay over to them, on account of the
Principal and Interest of said debt, until the whole amount thereof
is liquidated and paid off.And whereas in my last Will and Testament, If id not in relation to ny old servants (whose freedom I willed to be given them
here, in New Orleans (provide any support, (as I did not wish to
add more writing than I could help, or add to its length;) I will now
add a request to my Executors, that should any of them, from age
or weakness, (as they are now all hearty and strong) stand in need
of support, that Fifty Cents a week may be paid to such of them,,.s became so situated, and that such be permtted to occupy one of




40)
th, e IHouses thley lhave bceen accustomed to live in iwith me, untt.-i their
i' beg leave to recommend that -x hen Lots of ground are leased
on long Leases, the Lessees should be bound to erect buildings of
certain descriptions thereon, with foundations and walls of certain
proportions;  to raise and fill up the Lots with earth; pay all Taxes
thereon dturing the term of the Lease; comply with and fulfil all
Municipal requirements; keep all Houses and Improvements placed
thereon insured against risk by fire &c, &ce; (which Buildings with
all other nimprovements placed thereon, once erected, shall not be
pulled down by the Lessees, but shall revert back at the end of the
Lease, with the Lot or lots of ground to the Lessors, free of cost
or expense to themn the Lessors;) Said Houses and Lots of ground,
after reverting back at the expiration of the First Lease, improved as they will be, should be rented out on short leases, (the rent
payable monthly,) at higher rates. By which means a large revenue
will accrue to the Estate in a shortlapse of time, which must greatly and yearly increase.The mode and manner of Leasing should be at Public Auction,
putting up a Lot to be bid off at the highest price offered for it, on
such and such conditions, (say, those of filling up with earth, pay-,
ing all Taxes, complying with all Mlunicipal requirements; Builds
itngs of certain descriptions  and proportions, Insurance against
"Fire, to insure the means of rebuilding in case of accident &c &c;)
inder a Lease of one year, Five, Ten, Fifteen, Twenty, or
Twenty Five years as the case may be, paying an interest (Quarterly or Quarter Yearly,) at the rate of six, seven, or eight per
cent per annum, as the case rnay be, on the price of the Lot or
Lots of ground adjudicated —
]Public Sales should be made of Lots of ground on Lease in the
City of New Orleans, as also in the Rear of the City, say on Poydras, Hevia, Perdido, Girond, Freret, Saint Mary, Saint Mark,
and other rear streets; as well as in the rear of the Suburbs Livandais and hWashington, above and below the City, as in Macdonough, according to the wants of the public, and the demand for
them.  No large quantity of Lots should be thrown into the market
at any one time, but the public should be supplied as space was
wanted to build on.-Say, a public sale of one hundred, two Hun



411
dred, or Tihree Hundred Lots, (Lots of thirty feet in front each)
Every two, three or five years as wanted, and the prices high;
That is to say, fair.-However, on reflection it would be well perhaps, to lease out many of the Rear lots, even at low prices, as the
Lessees would be improving, filling them up, and giving additional
value to them.And Whereas the Titles, under which I claim  and hold certain Lands (laying principally in the State of Louisiana, sonme
small part thereof laying on the Pearl ]River in the State of
Mississippi, and called the Florida Grants,) Which Lands are
the 15-16th parts, or Fifteen Parts out of Sixteen Parts, of,
(120,009 Arpens) One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Arpens; Original Grantee Geronimo La Chiapella; —the (2-3rds)
two third parts, of (90.000 Arpens) Ninty Thousand Arpens; Original Grantees: Louis and Alexander iDeclouet; and the (1-3rd)
one Third Part of (40,000 Arpens) Forty Thousand Arpens; Original Grantee: Vallery John De Lassise;-are as yet unconfirmed
by the Government of the United States, (although Good and valid:)  To assure therefore their confirmation, I request the Two
Cities of New Orleans and Baltimore, as also the two States of
Louisiana and Maryland, through their respective Legislatures, to
memorialize the General Government, praying it to confirm  the
Titles to said Land; (seeing that they are the property of the poor
of those two Cities, a Fund for their education, that they are in
reality destined to do, and accomplish that which is the Duty, the
First and most sacred of Duties of the General Government itself
to perform and see performed, namely; to educate its citizens.) or
otherways to give them (my General Estate) their choice of other
public Lands laying in the State of Louisiana, in exchange for
them or in their lieu, and place acre for acre; (seeing that the General Government have sold a great many of the Lands laying
within my Surveys.) Which I trust and doubt not the General Government will do; (viewing the justice of the claim and the validity
of the Titles; Indeed I consider those Titles already virtually confirrmed by the Supreme Court of the United States, in their decisions in the suits of Foster and Elamn vs Neilson; Aredando (I believe) vs the United States; Perchman (I believe) vs the United
States, and others; (See also various reports of Committees, and




42
Bills refo rtcd1 in Congress at varioirs limnes; memorials from the.egislature of Lonisiana; and especially an able report from the
the hate Edward:Livingston, when Secretary of State of the Unit;ed States, when called on by a RCesolu;tion of Congress for informa.tion on the subject of those claims.)  Those decisions of the Sui
preme Court of the United States are to the effect, that the Goveminent of the United States, are bound under the Treaty with
Spain of 1819 to confirm said Titles.-The  Supreme Court
not being comnpetent to come to the relief of the claimants, it
requiring the action of the General Government in the first;
place; it being a political question as to limits.) -'he citizens of Louisiana have cause to complain of the injustice of
the General Government, on the subject of our Land claims
and Titles; (the Great, the crying injustice.) and none more
than myself. —From  the Treaty of Paris of 1803, by which the
United States acquired the Province of Louisiana,-down to the
present day, now Thirty Six years, our Land Titles remain unsettled and unadjusted.-Had Congress passed a Law within a week
after the ratification of said Treaty, as they were bound to do both
by its letter and spirit, confirming every title to Land within the
limits of the Province ceded, which was a valid title under the governments of France and Spain, (which had preceded that of the
United States in its occupancy and sovereignty,) the whole of the
claims would have been adjusted at once, now thirty six years
since. —Instead of which, thirty six years on the contrary have
passed away, and the claimants appear now no nearer the termination of this state of uncertainty, and ruin to them, than they
were on the day of the ratification of said Treaty of 1803.-Let
justice the.n, (though late, when I am in the Grave and after a long
life of supplication,) be done us at last.-The General Government
in my claims at least, can have no objection to pass a law confirming them at once, (seeing that the Reuenue to be derived from
thema is destined for the purposes of educating her own citizens,
the children and youth of the two States of Louisiana and Maryland,) and in the case of the after claimants, passing a Law, permitting them to go into the Courts of the Country, for decision on
their validity; under the condition that they the claimants shall take
other Public Lands, acre for acre, for such part of their claims, (if




43
(confirnmed by the Courts.) as have been confirmed by the United
States to others, by righlt of settlement, or have been sold by the
United States.-Such were the provisions of a Bill which passed
the Senate of the United States in Congress, at three different sessions of the last years, but was not acted on by the Housee of Rcpresentatives from the lateness of the session when sent from the
Senate, as said Bill was not reached in its order previous to the
breaking up of Congress.-The Titles by which I claim those
Lands are perfect in every respect; they are not simple grants or
donations by the Ancient Government, but purchases from it for
valuable considerations.  They are not only stamped with every
form  required of the Local Government of Louisiana, Surveys,
Plots, Patents, &c, &c, but were sent to Madrid in Spain, and
were ratified by the King in Council.-Those Lands cost me large
sums of money, acquired with GOD's blessing, by honest industry,
and the sweat of my brow, Now thirty four and thirty five years
since; and I have been deprived of their use and kept out
of my property, rightfully and justly acquired, by a Government which styles itself honorable and just, a Government of the
People; which Government for a long series of years has refused
even to pass a law permitting the Claimants to go before the
Courts of the Country, for a decision on their validity or invalidity
of their claims; has cut us off in short from all means of obtaining
justice in any way. Let it be permitted me now to ask, (an Artmerican by birth, an old man, one devoted to his Country and its Institutions, and whose father waded with the Father of his Country
through the hottest battles of its revolutionary struggle for Liberty
and Equal Laws,) would the most despotic Governments of Europe,
(under a plighted faith, the faith of a Treaty,) have so acted; and
to answer the question and say they would not.- Not one on the
long list would have so acted, could have so acted. Justice would
have been meted out to their subjects similarly situated within a
month from the date of the Treaty Obligation.-Besides on the
score of interest, have the Government gained anything by so acting?-No, but lost immensely lost in various ways, (saying nothing
of the loss of honor.) In addition to doing great injury to the State
of Loluisiana, by keeping the Land, unsettled on, and waste, for upwards of thirty years, and her population sparse, when otherwa~y5s




44?She would have been filled up and compact.-The whole quantity
claimed by Individuals, besides is frifling, both in quantity and
value, and of no consideration, a drop in the bucket as it were to
the General Government. The Florida claims (on those located
between the Mississippi and Perdido Rivers) not exceeding in the
whole (900,000) Nine Hundred Thousand Arpens, (french) about
700,000 Acres, "Seven Hundred Thousand English Acres," and
the residue of the large claims of Louisiana, say Bastrop's, 3Maison
Rouge &c &c not exceeding 1~ millions of French Arpens, about
1.100.000 English Acres.For the base of a permanent revenue (to stand through all time
with the Blessing of The Most High,) I have preferred the earth,
" a part of the solid Globe."  One thing is certain, it will not take
wings, and fly away, as Silver and Gold, G overnment and Bank
Stocks often do. It is the only thing in this'World of ours, which
approaches to anything like permanency; or in which at least there
is less mutation than in things of man's invention.-The little
riches of this World therefore which The Most High has placed in
mny hands, and over which he has been pleased to place, and make
me his Steward, I have invested therein, that it may yield (its
Fruits) an annual Revenue, to the purposes I have destined it
forever.Whereas eight or ten or more Bricklayers, Carpenters, Painters
&c &c, will be constantly wanted to attend to, and keep in repair
and good order, the Houses, Buildings, Fences &c &c, belonging
to the General Estate, I recommend in consequence to the Commissioners and Agents of said General Estate, to employ Black
Mechanics, which shall belong and be owned by said General
Estate, (so long as there is slaves in the Country,) for said purposes, (letting them go out Free to Africa every Fifteen years,
and replacing them by others whom they will purchase. —)As a
means of great economy, as otherways such repairs would be a
source of great expense to the Estate.-In some of the vacant
Lots of Ground belonging to the Estate, they can have their
Work shops, for their Mechanics, deposits of Lumber, Brick,
Stone, Lime, Sand, Carts, Animals &ce  c. By all which means
mnuch expense may be avoided, and money saved to the Estate.And. if buildings are to be put up on Lots of Ground in the City,




4:5
or on the Estates in cultivation in the country, owned by the General Estate, their own Mlechanics can erect and build them up.
The Plan which my mind formed (influenced, I trust by the Divine Spirit,) a nid Ihas pursued, fb r near Forty Tears, to accumuVlate
and get togethler a large Estate, in landIs, lots of ground, in  and
near the City, UIaouses &c &c, for the Education of the Poor, will
in time I doubt not, yield a revenue sufficient to educate all the
Poor of the two States of Louisiana and Mlaryland, and perhaps
the poor of many other States of our Happy Union. To effect
and secure that, I have laid its Foundations deep and broad, in
and all around the City of New Orleans in every direction, so that
for centuries to come, (if managed in wisdom),its Revenue must
and will go on increa.sing in amount with the growth alnd extension of the City, (which is destined to be one of the greatest in extent and Population, the world has ever seen.) until its Rents shall
amount to some millions of dollars annually.-If therefore those
who will come after ine, and will hlave the management of this
store (which I have strove to amass and pile up,) will labor to increase and render it productive with the same fidelity which I have
husbanded it, and striven to mnake it a great one; then indeed it
will become in time a huge mountain of wealth, and will yield its
increase to the Ho-nor of God, and the benefit of Generations yet
unborn, through all Ages of the Worl d.
In relation to man's happiness, constituted as he is, I have always been convinced that the intellectual cultivation of the Youth
of our country alone, without moral and religious cultivation cannot secure it, or give permanency to the Free Institutions of the
Country, as they now exist.  Education, separated from Religion,
yields no security, to morality and Freedom.I will now speak a few words of myself, (having often seen and
felt that my conduct, views and object were not understood by my
fellow-man) constrained as I feel myself to be and bound so to do,
and to declare; that my Soul has all my life, burned with an ar$dent
desire to do good, much good, great good, to my fellow-man, (as it
was chiefly bythat means and through that channel, that I could
bend, greatly bend, to the Honor and Glory of my Lord and MTas
ter, which was my Soul's first, great, chief object and interest.)
trust, I pray that the mode I have adopted to effectuate it, will




4.u
receive the Divine Blessing. —I have notwithstanding much, very
much to complain of the World, rich as well as Poor.-It has harrassed me in a thousand different ways.-Suits at law, of great injustice have been instituted and carried on against me, to deprive
and take from me property, honestly acquired, (for I have none,
nor even would have any, that was not acquired by honest industry,
and the sweat of my brow) and when obligcd to seek justice
through Courts of Law (after waiting years and years with those
who were indebted to me, and refused payment) it has often and
often been refused me.-Many and many times, have Juries of my
fellow-men given me a stone, when I asked them for bread.-As
one instance (out of great numbers I could mention,) in a suit at
Law instituted by me against a rich Widow and Orphans (a succession Estate) for notes to a large amount which I had endorsed for
her husband in his life time, to serve him, (without any interest on
my part, but through friendship) and had to pay said notes, and
against which there was no offsets, the Lawyers for the defence,
having nothing that they could urge or say, in addressing a Jury of
my Fellow-men why a verdict should not be given in my favor for
the whole amount claimed with interest and costs, confined themselves to repeating over and over "Hold in mind Gentlemen of the
Jury, we pray you, that John MciDonough is'a rich man
and the Defendants are a poor widow and orphan children";
"' Hold in mind Gentlemen of the Jury, that John McDonough is
a man of unbounded wealth, who does not stand in need, orwant the
amount of those notes, and our Clients are a poor Widow and Orphans who are ruined if you give him a verdict for the amount".
And what, (will it be believed or credited) was the verdict of this
Jury of my fellowmen?  Why that I should receive about the one
tenth part of the amount of the notes, I had paid of the Defendants,
without interests or costs, and capped the climax by saying " It
was as much as the Widow they thought could conveniently pay,
and I was rich and did not stand in need of it," could afford to lose
it.-On the same claim I applied for a new trial, which was granted
me, and on its taking place before another, but a different Jury,
the same pleadings being made by the Counsel of the Defendants,
viz: "' Remember-Gentlemen, John McDonough is a rich man,
our clients are a poor Widow and Orphans") I obtained a verdict:




47
in my favor for the whole alount of my claim with interest and
costs of Court, —-(Now, feeling those things as I always have, most
keenly, what is let me ask the duty of a Juror, of a man? Is it to
dispense (that sacred attribute of the Divinity) Justice, equally to
all men, or is it to consult the faces of men?) —-Of Judges and their
Judgments, I have also much, very much to complain, —but I refrain.-What care does it not become Governors and Legislators to
use, in their appointments to such offices; to secure high-minded,
honest, honorable and pure men. —-As I have said above, I again
repeat that I have much to complain of the World, of men in general. —-They said of me, he is rich, old, without wife or child, let
us take from him then what he has. —-Infatuated men, they know
not, that that was an attempt to take from themselves, for I was
laboring and had labored all my life, not for myself but for them
and their children. —-Their attempts however made me not to
swerve, either to the right hand or to the left, (although to see, and
feel so sorely their injustice and ingratitude, made me often to lament the frailty, the perversity, and sinfulness of our fallen nature.)
I preserved an onward course, determined, (as the Steward and
the Servant of my Master) to do them good, whether they would
have it, or whether they would not have it. —-And I have so strove,
so labored to the last; —-the result is in the hands of Him who fixes
and determines all results; he will do therewith as seemeth good
unto himself.Whereas from Infancy up it has been the wish of my heart that
my ashes should repose and mix in death with those of my Earthly
Parents; (as in this life there was nothing so loved by me, so dear
to me as my Father and my Mother,) and as they are interred in
different Graves, in some of the ancient places of Burial of the
city of Baltimore, (known to my sisters and their families who reside there.)  It is my wish, and I pray the Executors named in
my last Will and Testament, (should it not be permitted me by
The Most High to go on there before my death, and attend to and
have it done myself, as I am very anxious and hope to do,) to take
measures, (Those gentlemen will excuse and pardon the great
trouble I occasion and put them to,) and have a Family Vault of
lasting Materials and great solidity erected in some one the New
Burial Places of said city of Baltimore; —to have the remains of




48
my Parents raised and placed therein, and my Body sent on there)
that it may be placed along side of theirs, in said vault, to crumble
and mix with theirs, to await the Resurrection at the last day.I will now with the view of commnunicating to the Commissioners and Agents of the General Estate, my opinion in relation to
certain parts and parcels of said Estate, throw a few notes together,
and then close those memoranda,.The eleven entire Squares of lots of ground (which contain upwards of Three Hundred Lots) laying at the lower end of Poydras
St, on both sides of said street, in the Second M5unicipality of the
City of New Orleans, are very valuable.  They should be laid out
and divided into lots of 26 or 28 feet in front, by about 90 or 100
feet deep. A General plan should be made of each Square, (as
each Square can be divided into upwards of Thirty Lots,) and said
lots sold out on Revertible Leases of Twenty Five Years (say 2
or 3 squares one year; in 2 or 3 years thereafter 2 or 3
other squares, sold out and so on,) under certain conditions of raising them with Earth, building on them, paying Taxes and all other
expenses, fulfilling all Municipal requirements &e &co
The Two Thousand Lots of ground and Upwards (of Thirty
feet front each lot) (which I estimate there is still remaining unsold
by me, belonging to this Estate, and which there will be and will
remain tihe property of this Estate at my death, as I do not intend
to sell or dispose of any more of them,) within the present limits
of Macdonough, (as per ny original plan of division,) with many
Houses, Buildings &c &c, on them, are very valuable and becom-,
ing more so every day:-should be sold out in Revertible Leases
of twenty five years-say 100 or 200 Lots, (of Thirty Feet Front)
every Two or three years, as wanted for building on, under certain conditions.-Some of the Squares laying in the Rear of said
Town, might be leased by the Square fob-the purposes of gardening &e &C. The Trees standing on most of those Squares are
valuable, and should be sold for Cord Wood.
The Land in the Rear of 5Macdonough and adjoining it, bounded
by the side line of Land belonging to John S. 3David above, and
Toussaint M3ossy below, and F. Verret in the Rear, containing between Three and Four Hundred superficial or square acres, will
have to be in a few years, (when the demand for more lots shall'




49
arise) laid off by the Surveyor into Squares alnd Lots of Ground,
by the continuation of the streets of Macdonough, which run froiom
the River towards the Rear, further back, through said Land, and
laying off other new streets, running parallel with, or up and down
the River to intersect, and cross those which will run back fron
the River, and a Plan made of it. —This body of Land is sufficiently extensive to form out of it, between Two and Three Thou —
sand Lots of Thirty feet in fi:ont each Lot, and will be in time of
great value. —In the mean time, (until laid out into Squares and
Lots) it might be leased in small parcels or tracts by the year, or
for four or five years at a time, to be cultivated in Gardens for the
supply of the City with Vegetables.-I am  cultivating at this mornent a part of it, in a very valuable Garden. The greater part of
it is covered with wood, which is valuable, and should be sold, to be
taken of'-.
The simall Tract of Land, laying at the Upper end of MLacdonough, having a front of one hundred and fifty eight feet
french measure on the river Mississippi, adjoining land of J.. S.
David above, running back about forty acres more or less,
until it intersects in the Rear, the line of the Land of F.
Verret, and fronting in its whole depth, on the lower  side,
Hamilton Street in M3acdonough, is very valuable, and should be
laid out into Lots fronting on said Hamilton Street, (Thirty feet
front each Lot) with depths running across the Tract 158 feet deep,
by which means 200 to 300 Lots can be made out of it.-There is
a large convenient House, and other Improvements on it.-In time
when the neighbour above, shall lay out his Land into Lots, it will
be much to his interest to obtain the privilege to communicate bis
streets across this tract of Land, with the streets of Macdonough,
which he might be permitted to do on giving other Lots of Ground
of an equal number of square feet, (well situated) in the Suburb he
will lay off, to the General Estate, to indemnify it for the loss of
ground it would sustain by the opening of the Streets.The Four Thousand (4.000) Acres of Land, and upwards, (be-.
ing the rear of what is called the Caselar Estate) laying Forty
Arpens in the rear, on from the River Mississippi, (except twenty
feet in front which lays fronting on the Mississippi, and runs back
Forty Arpens to the Rear Land) and running back on in the Rear,




50
to the Bayou Villars, on River Ouacha, purchased by me oa, thle
28th March 1837, of Emile Sainet, before Felix De Armas Notary
Public, as also two other tracts adjoining said tract below, fronting
on said Bayou Villars, purchased by me, say one of them on the
9th June 1837, the other on the 1st July 1837, of Sosthene Raman,
Syndic of the Creditor of John B. Degray, before F. Seghers, N'otary Public, containing (the two tracts) about eleven hundred Acres,
making in the three Tracts, upwards of Five Thousand Acres
of Land, MUST become in time of immense value;-(though it may
be Fifty or One Hundred years first, or before it will be wanted.)
It lays within one mile on a stright line of Macdonough.-The plan
or determination, which I had formed in my mind, in relation to
this valuable Body of Land, in connection with the Town of Macdonough, is this: The Land, laying in between Macdonough, and
those Five Thousand Acres of Land, belong to or are owned by
two persons, say Furey Verret, and the Heirs or children of Prosper Marigney.  I had therefore determined whenever those two
tracts were brought into the market for sale, (as it must and will
be no doubt before long; As one body, that of Mr. Verret's, is a
partnership concern owned by different persons, in undivided interests; the other body belongs to Minors, the children of the late
Prosper Marigny, to whom it can not be worth a dollar for use, (as
it is low ground, and they own only the low land Prairie and
Swamp, after Forty Arpens from the River,) and who no doubt
will be very desirous to sell it when arrived at the age of majority)
to purchase them: By which means the whole Body, together with
Macdonogh, (which is the point or outlet on the River Mississippi,)
and the Land laying in the Rear touching Macdonogh, now owned
by me, would form a body of Land of Ten Thousand Acres, laying
opposite and in front of the city of New Orleans.-Which property
alone and itself, would become in time, a Mine of Wealth, such as
no individual would possess in the United States. —In the event of
my acquiring those two intervening Bodies of Land, which separate
now Macdonough from my Five Thousand Acre tracts, my further
plan is, to extend the streets, walks and avenues of McDonogh, on
(by degrees as wanted) through the whole Body, as it will all in
time be wanted, for the immense population which is to inhabit
New Orleans.-In furtherance then of this plan, and the interest




of the General Estate, I recommend to the Executors named in
my last will and Testament, (should I not succeed in making thoso
purchases myself personally, before my decease) to purchase if
possible, the whole of the Tract belonging to Mr. Verret from the
Bank of the River Mississippi, back, to the Bayou Villars on Ouacha, and that of the Miners M'arigny as now owned by them, say
the rear of their late Father's tract from a point, distant Forty
Arpens from the River Mississippi back to said Bayou Villars.(As it is only that part which is owned by them, the whole of the
front on the Mississippi, Forty Arpens in depth, having been sold
out by their late father, previous to his death.)-To effect which
purchases, they could sell the Bonds, (or such a part thereof as
would be necessary and wanting) of the First Municipality of the
City of New Orleans left by me, a part of my Estate, and pay the
purchase money with the proceeds. To effect the purchase, however, this request and their intentions in relation to it, should be
kept secret, as success in all transactions of business, must in a
great measure depend on secrecy. —The Wood standing on this
Five Thousand Acres of Land, is very valuable, and must become
more and more so every day, not only from the increase of value
of the article, but its increase from its yearly growth.The One Hundred and Ninety Squares, or parts of Squares
of Ground, containing  Three Thousand Six  Hundred  and
Ninety Three lots, (3,693 Lots) laying in the Suburb  Washington in the Third Municipality of the City of New Orleans, purchased by me on the 5th and 26th of April 1839, of L: B. Macarty,
and Madame L. Lalaurie, will become in time of immense value,
but I estimate that Fifty to One Hundred Years or more must pass
away, before that will take place; (except indeed that means shall
be sooner taken to drain and improve the Ground, when Thirty or
forty years in that event might bring them into use, and occasion a
demand for them.)  But  that those Lots of Ground must become
in time of great value, nothing is more certain. —-From various
causes, say from the washing of the ground in front towards the
River, by the Rains, carrying earth into the Rear, and the natural decomposition of vegetable substances on them, the surface
of the ground is becoming every year, higher and higher. —When a demand will arise for those lots of ground, 200 or 300 of




52
them  should be brought into market, and leased out every two or
three years. —-Trhe  Wood on this Land, (Cypress and other timber)
is valuable, and may be sold at public Auction, to be cut down and
removed from off the Land, by a certain day, so that another crop
ma ypush and gi'rowi up, as it is a fact that the Lands of this Country,
the law lan ds of the M3ississippi, produce trees of large size, in
fifteen years from the root of the old tree, which had been cut
down.The Land laying in the Rear of the Suburb Livandais, adjoininga the Second M:unicipality of the City of New Orleans, bounded
by Saint George Street (the last and furthest street in the Rear of
said Su$burb) and thence running back, (see imy notes on said property in my list of property owned by me in Book.) Containing about
Five Hundred (500) Square Acres, purchased by ime on the 10th of
F ebruary, 18$3. from lMathew lMorgan, J. S. Peters, L. Pierce and
TWin. H-. Chase, as per deed before Felix Grima, Notary Public;
mnust and will become iii time of Immense Value, but it may be
Fifty or One Hiundred Years first.  This Body of Land should be
laid off into Farm Lots, and a Plan made of it, under the name
of New Suburb Livandais:-The streets of Suburb Livandais leading from the River bank should be extended through it, and intersected by other cross streets, forming it into Squares.-And when
a demand shall arise for the Lots for Building on, which will take
place in time, Two or Three Hundred of them should be brought
into market, and Leased out every Two or Three Years. —I estimate that there is a sufficiency of Land (after deducting for streets)
in this tract to form at least Four Thousand Lots of thirty feet in
front, each Lot.-(And it may be if nmy Ti-tle is decided under my
purchase, to extend beyond the Eighty Arpens, from the River in
the Rear, that then there will be Land enough to formn Six Thousand Lots.)  The Wood on this Land (Cypress and other timber)
is valuable and should be sold to be taken o, and removed by a
certain time, under the condition that everything not removed by a
certain day, should be forfeited and revert of riiht, back to the
vendor.-It is a fact known to the Old Inhabitants of the State,
(whatever the cause or causes i-may be) that all the Swamps,
Low Lands and Prairies, both on and off the River (even 50 or 100
diles off the River) is yearly raising and becoming higher.-l-Prai.




53
ries, which Fifty Years since were what is called " Shaking and
Trembling Prairies," and were generally covered with one or two
feet of water, are now high, dry, and in a great many instances
cultivated in Sugar Cane, Cotton &c.The Forty One or Forty Two Squares or parts of Squares, of
Lots of Ground, containing about Nine 1H-undred (900) Lots, laying in the Suburb Washington in the Third Municipality of the
City of New Orleans, purchased by me at Public Auction as per
deed of sale, of the Syndic of L. C. Pascal, on the 26th September 183S, before Joseph Cuvillier, Notary Public, (with the exception of Three Squares purchased of the Syndic of Rousseau,
February 13th 1839, and of the Sheriff, Syndicof Aubert) Will
become in time of great value, but Fifty or One Hundred Years
must probably first pass away, before they will be wanted for the
uses of the City. —When a demand for them shall arise, they should
be brought into market and sold out on Lease by degrees, to meet
it.-The Wood on them, (Cypress and other Timber) is valuable,
and can be sold every fifteen and Twenty Years, as a new growth
of timber immediately springs up, as the Old one is cut down.The Four Thousand Four Hundred and Ninety eight acres, and
20-0ths of an Acre of Land, (4.498 20-100ths) laying in the Rear
of the Suburb Washington, and adjoining to it, in the Third M5unicipality of the City of New Orleans, in Township Number 12, of
Range Number 12, East, on the East Side of the Mississippi River;
for which Body of Land, I hold seventy five certificates of the Receivers of Public Money of the United States, (and must receive
Patents friom the General Land Office of the U. States, if having
been sold as public Land by the Government of the UJ. States, so soon
as said Patents can be issued.)-All which said certificates are in
my own name with the exception of Twenty Five of them, which
are in the name of IBr. Charles Derbigny, but transferred to me,
having purchased them  of him, "seehis deed of sale to me
for the quantity of Land, said certificates call for" executed before'L. T. Caire Notary Public;-M-ust and Will, become in time of
mmnense value, as it is a property of great extent of surface; So
great indeed must its value in time be, (say in One or Two Hundred years,) that no rman of the present day, I am convinced can
estimRate it. E.velyv foot of it will be wanted in time by the popau~




54
lation of the City of New Orleans for Building Lots, as it lays;
within two, three or four miles, of the centre of the City. —WThen
the time shall arrive that the Lots will be wanted (I estimate that
this Body of Land will form at least Forty Thousand Lots; (40.000
Lots) each lot fronting thirty feet on a street, and having One Hundred and Twenty feet in depth, exclusive of the streets which I allow for in my Estimate.)-It should then be laid out under a General Plan by an able and correct Engineer and draftsman, the
streets made to correspond with those of the City of New Orleans,
and brought into market by degrees, by leasing out every few years
a certain proportion of said Lots.-In the mean time said Land
will be filling up, raising and becoming every year higher and dryer.  The Wood standing on it may be sold every fifteen years, (as
-much of it is wooded, and much more Prairie, but which will be
wooded in time)-divided into pieces of Ten acres each, and the
Wood standing on said Ten acre pieces, sold and taken away, ready
for a new growth.-And other parts of it may be leased in small
Farms and cultivated for the supply of the New Orleans market
with vegetables, until the time shall arrive when it will be wanted
for Town Lots.I have already in those memoranda said something on the subject of my large Land Titles, conmprising (the proportion of thenmt
owned by me) nearly Two Hulnd red Thousand Arpens, (200,000
Arpens) laying in the State of Louisiana, (In what is called the
Florida District) which are as yet unconfirmed by the Government
of the United States.-As it is probable, however, in the settlement
of those Claims, that the General Government, (in accordance with
the Bill which passed the Senate of the United States, at three
different Sessions of Congress) will insist, that the Claimants shall
take other Lands, (acre for acre) laying within the State of Louisiana, for those they claim, (seeing that the General Government
have either sold or confirmed by Law, to the Settlers who are seated on them, the greater part of the Lands, for which the Titles
of the claimants call) —In that case Lands of great value, or Lands
which in time, (and that time not very) distant will become of great
value, may be secured to the General Estate; for those claims of
mine, if the proper care and attention is given to the subject of
their location, by the  Co iissione-rs  and Agents of te Ge nera, i.




;i state.-The most valuable Landsin the WVorld, nmay be taken on
both sides of the MiTssissippi Piver, laying on and fronting the River, below the Fort of Plaquemine, (which have already been of*fered for sale by the General Government, but were not sold) at this
present time not very vraluable, but from the Annual overflow of
the River and other causes, will in a few years become of immense
value. —The same may be said of the Lands on both sides of the
Bayou Lafourche, low down on it. The lands in the Paris of Iberville in the rear of and adjoining those I already possess there, laying about fve leagues above the Bayou Lafourche, on the Mississippi, a League or two in the rear of the River, and from thence
back to, and laying to, andn Jaying on the Atchafayla River, are
also very valuable  and much Land may be talken on both sides of
the River Mississippi, in the Parish of Plaquemine, commencing
five or six Leagues below the City of New Orleans, and fronm
thence running cdown sx or eight Leagues further, laying and beginning in-the rear of the River,, forty Arpens froml  its Bank
— (called the second depths or conceptions.)-Whiclh in time will
be very valuable.  In the rear of Terre du Bota  below the City
of New Orleans there is a valuable body of Land, as there is also
*in various places and situations in the -rear and off the river, on the
Western side of the Mississippi and the Bayous, which lay in the'neighborhood and commnunicate with the Bayou Lafourche low
down, say the Cazaus, Grand and Petite, Bayou Blach, Bayou'Grand, &c. &e. The General Governme nt will, I hope, so shape
the law, as to permit- the whole of the clamis to be laid over again.on other Land, as it would be the height of injustice for he: to insist
on our keeping in the Florida District, such parts of the claims, as
were not taken from us by the settlers, or sold by her the General
Government, which of course can only be the part of the Land, the
least valuable; as it is a natural thing to suppose that the parts of our
Land taken up by the settlers, and those parts of it which have been
sold by the General Government, must be the choice parts of our
claims, However, (as the case may be) whatever Land may be
obtained or remain to the General Estate under those claims,:should be laid off into small tracks on or off Rivers or Bayous, and
Jeased out to small Planters or Farmers, for use and cultivation.
The.Seventy or. Eighty Thousanid acre  of Land laying in the




56
rear of the River Mississippi on the East side, sixteen Leagues
above the City of New Orleans, Back of the Sugar Estates of
Madam  Fontin, and Rezin D. Shepherd, and the Plantations of
Henry Fonteneau, (for a description of which and my opinion of
it, I refer to a list of my property in my account Book or Ledger,
Pages Fo. 21, 22 and 24.) A part of it lays within Forty Arpens
from the River Mississippi, the residue eighty arpens from  the
River and extends from thence (as per Plan) to Lake Maurepas
and the Amite River, a depth of eighteen or nineteen miles. This
body of Land is now at the present time of great value, and in time
will become of immense value.-Its soil is amongst the richest that
the sun shines on, and every inch of it will be cultivated in time,
as very small Levees would keep out the back waters, and make
every part of it cultivable. —It must become in time a perfect garden. The timber on it alone (which is of every kind) is a Fortune.
Cypress stands on it in sufficient quantities (and of immense
growth) to supply twenty Steam Saw Mills for twenty years.This Body of Land is intersected by several large streams or
rivers (the Arcadian Bayou or New River is one which runs
through the centre of the whole tract, and approaches near to the
Mississippi, falling into Lake Maurepas) which are navigable for
Brigs, and Schooners of large size.-If capitalists from New England would come out, with their industry and perseverance, and
put up Saw Mills on this tract of Land, paying certain prices to
the General Estate for each square foot of timber cut, and sawed
up, they would, (at the price at which our sawed cypress lumber
sells at here,) soon make fortunes. The whole Tract should be
accurately surveyed, a general plan made of it, and the whole
divided off into small tracts, and in time leased out to small Farmers for use and cultivation.
The Four Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety Six Acres and
6-100ths of an acre, (4.596 6-100ths Acres) of Land, laying sixteen Leagues above the City of New Orleans on the East Side of
the River Mississippi and adjoining the last above mentioned body
of Land, (of 70, or 60,000 Acres) above or on its upper side, is
situate in Township No 11, of Range No 5, East, on the East side
of the Mississippi River, and lays, some part of it forty arpens firom
the River adjoining 3Mr. Shepherd's Sugar Plantation, and other




57
parts of it at Eighty Airpens fr'om the River, are hell by me in virt
tue of Thirty Nine Certificates of the Receiver of Public Moneys
of the United States, (being Lands purchased by me at the Government sale, for which Patents must issue to me from the General
Land Office;) cand is not surpassed in quality by any Land in the
State. —It is of great value; every foot of it is believed to be cultivable, and is heavily timbered with the most valuable kinds of
Wood. A general Plan should be made of it, and the whole laid
out immediately in small tracts of Fifty Acres each, and leased out
to small Farmers.The Six or Seven Thousand Arpens of Land more or less, (being
seven tracts which were purchased by me from seven different
persons) laying all in one Body on the Bayou Des Familles and
Bayou Villars, on River Ouacha, within Four Leagues by land
along a fine Road, of the City of New Orleans, (a very easy 1~
or 2 hours ride)-is of great value.  There is nothing superior
to it in quality in Louisiana, and nearly every foot of it is cultivable.
-It is sufficiently extensive to form four large Sugar Estates, is
heavily wooded with Timber of every kind, and sufficiently near to
the City to supply its market with vegetables of every kind for its
daily use.-Though its value is great now, (for it cost me a large
sum of money) it must become immensely more valuable in time.It lays nearly opposite the Lands belonging to me on the opposite side
of the Bayou Villars, on Ouachia, in the rear of Macdonough, from
which town was there a Rail Road, (which there will be ere long)
the distance would be on a straight line but little over three miles.
— My intentions are, if spared and permitted so to do, to establish
this Body of valuable Land in Sugar Estates, and put black people
on them  to cultivate and work them.-If that is not done, they
should be divided into small Farms, fronting on the different
Bayous, say an' AcreWfront by a certain depth, and then Farms in
the Rear of those.-A general plan made of the whole Body and
leased out.The four different tracts of Land, laying on and fronting the
Right Bank of the [River Mississippi, at about Twenty Leagues
below the City of New Orleans, and which contain, say, one of said
tracts eighty or eighty four Arpens in front on the River; another
eight ^ arpens in  front;  another forty  Arpens  in  front 




,and tile other ten Arpens in  flrot;  makitng in  all about
One Hundred  &  Forty Arpens in fiont on the River Bank,
nall of them by forty Arpens in depth.-All of w%. hich tracts of I. and
lay adjoining each other and in one solid Body; are of great value
and would makae three largfe Sugar Estates. I It is the finest Body of
Land in that Region of Country, and possesses a noble Body of Timber.-(The timber alone from its situation is worth much money.)
If I am spared and permitted, I intend to establish those Lands in
Sugar.  IT' that is not done, it should be laid out in small Farms;of one or Two Acres in Front on the'River, by forty Acres deep,
and leased outA short distance above the last mentioned tra'ets of Land fronting on the River i1ississippi, I own two other Tracts of most valuable Land, (the most valuable in that Distric)t containing together,
the two tracts, (though they do not lay together, there being a small
tract between them) Four Hundred and Thirty Eight Acres and
26-1OOths of an Acre. (438 26-100th Acres.)  One of said tracts
has, I think a fonut on the River of about:Thirty Acres; the other,
I think a front of eignht or nine acres.-See TownshiDn Plot —Said
Land was purchased by me at J sale made by the Government of
the United States, and for which I hold two certificates of the Receiver of Public Moneys of the TUnted States, anrd must receive
Government Pate,?ts for it.  it lays in the Township Number 19,
in the Range Number 28 East, on the West Side of the Maississippi
River.-It should also be leased out in small Farms.The Thirty One Thousand Eight Hundredl and Sixteen Arpens
(31.816 Arpens) of Land, (forming a part of what is known as
the Vacherie Dugue), laying at Forty Arpens in the Rear of the
Left Bank of the Bayou Lafourche in the Parish of Lafourche Interior; fronts in its whole extent on the Bayou Des Allemans, and
the Petite Lake des Allemans. as per plan; (for which see a copy
in my Book of Plans.)  Said Body of Land lays at about Fifteen
or Eighteen Leagues at the City of New Orleans, by the route of
the Barataria Canal, and the Lakes in Rear, and must become in
time of very great value, from its situation and proximity to the
City of New Orleans and the Sea, and the richness of the soil. A.considerable part of it is heavily timbered, which, the timber, is:spreading  and extending yearly more and more.  A part of this




Land is now high, and fit to cultivate the Sugar Cane on, and akE
of it would make fine Rice Plantations.-(][t should be laid out in
the course of a few years, (as soon as a demand shall arise for it)
into small tracts of Forty or Fifty Square Acres each, and leased
to small Farmers.The Three Thousand two Hundred or Three Hundred (3,200
Arpens) Square Arpens of Land laying in the Parish of Iberville,
on the right side of the River Mississippi, Thirty Leagues above the
city of New Orleans, and about three miles in the rear of the River,
being a part of the Estate of the late Pierre Belly, is among the
finest and most valuable Lands in the World; none can exceed
them in richness and fertility, and every foot of it is high and cultivable;-Covered with Timber of every description and immense
Cane Brakes. The Cypress timber on it alone, (the high land Cypress, which are of immense growth and size, and as thick as trees
can stand on the ground) is worth a fortune. —I have been frequently applied to by persons who wished to establish Steam saw
mills thereon, to sell them Cypress, and permit them to establisi
mills on this Land, but always refused; not having time to go and
attend to it myself; and without that I might have had my Timber
destroyed without receiving payment for the one twentieth part of'
what would be taken and sawed up. But a plan may be fallen on
and adopted by calculating the square feet of timber in each tree,,
and its consequent value; and then ascertaining how many trees
stand on an acre of Land;-the value of the Cypress Timber on
each acre of Land would be known with precision. By which
means sales could be made of the Cypress Timber standing on ten
acres of Land, on twenty, thirty or fifty acres, which should then be
surveyed, and accurately marked and bounded; and the purchaser
of the timber obligated by contract, to have the cypress cut and
taken away by a certain time, (say in one year, two years, or a longer time as might be) under a forfeiture of whatever might remain
uncut and unremoved by said day, to the vendor of it.-Some plan
of this nature should be adopted, and the Cypress sold. If it can
be preserved however, from depredators on it, it will become more
and more valuable every year.-  s soon as the Cypress is sold, and
taken off the Land, (there should be however, on further re fection,
a certai a  n-urumber of large Cyp ress trees reserved i'rom sale on eac li




60
smnall Farm, into which said tract will be divided for the uses, (Buildings, Fences, &c &c) of those who will establish and settle said sinall
Farms.)-the Land should be divided off into small Farms of 50
or 100 square acres each and leased out.-I- have reserved a Road,
(a private Road of my own through the Front Estate, when I sold
off the Front Estate.) back to those lands from the River.-A general plan should be made of the whole of this body of Land, shewing
the subdivisions of it into small Farms; the Roads through it and
everytbing else in relation to it.
Adjoining to those last mentioned Lands in the Parish of Iberville, (or close by them) I also own Two Thousand One Hundred
and Eighty Eight and 70-100ths) 2.188 70-100ths Acres) square
acres of the finest Land in the World, (of same quality as that last
mentioned above) laying in the Township Number 11 of the Range
Number 13, purchased by mae at the Sale of Public Land made by
the Government of the United States, and for which I hold fifteen
Certificates of the Receiver of Public Money of the United States,
and must receive Government Patents for them, as soon as issued
from the General Land Office.-It is also covered with the high
land cypress, and should be managed as I recommend for the last
tract above, and leased out. A general Plan with the Tract last
above, should be made, shewing their relative position &c &c.
r:he 5400 or 5500 Acres of Land in this and the last above described Tract, I again observe, are of great and immense value. —
The large and extensive Body of Land called the " Grand
Cheniere" lays at about Thirteen Leagues below the City of New
Orleans, on the right side of the River Mississippi, and about two
or two and a half miles in the rear of the River. It lays on each
side of a Bayou of that name. (which Bayou commences at Lake
lHermitage) fronting on Lake Hermitage on each side of said
Bayou, and runs with said Bayou twenty four miles and upwards, toward the Sea, and to the Sea;-having a depth of Six Arpens, on
each side of said Bayou.- It is a noble, rich and most valuable
Body of Land, and should be laid off into small Farms of Four or
Five Acres front on the Bayou, with its depth and leased out.There is a large quantity of valuable Live ~Oil? Timber on it, be.
sides Timber of every other description.-It is one of the richest
soils in the State, and there is now several persons living on it, to




whomra i have gidven short leases of small tracts, fbr the purpose of having the Timber (Live Oak) taken care of and not
depredated on. —A general Plan should be made of it.The Island, laying on and formed by the Grand Lake, Barataria; the little or small Lake, Barataria; and the two Bayous or
Rivers, called, one of them Bayou Saint Dennis, the other Bayou
Cabbanaze or Grand Bayou, which Bayous, runs out of Little
Lake Barataria, into Big Lake Barataria, lays in the Parish of
Jefferson, at a distance of eighteen Leagues from the City of New
Orleans, and is believed to contain Fifty or Sixty Thousand Square
Acres of Land or more.  Some small part of it is high Land; there
is a considerable quantity of Live Oak and other Timber on it,
and it is fast becoming timbered.-The whole of it, (being a soil
of the richest kind) is believed to be highly adapted to the culture
of Rice, as by means of small Levees, the Rice Plantions could be
overflowed with water at pleasure.-It will in time no doubt become very valuable.
The Tract of Land adjoining, and laying oil the lower side of
the Town of Baton Rouge, (Forty Leagues above the City of New
Orleans) having a front on the River Mississippi of fourteen Arpens, is an immensely valuable Body of Land. —Its position and
situation is most beautiful and advantageous, and it possesses one
of the richest soils covered with the finest timber.-It will in time,
(and that time not far distant) become a part of the town of Baton
Rouge, and be wanted for Town Lots; when a Plan will have to
be made of it, dividing it into Squares and Lots, by means of
streets to be leased out. —In the mean time it should be laid out
into small Farms of one Acre each fronting the river, by 20 or 30
Acres deep, or running back to a road which crosses it in the Rear
at about that distance from the River;-and then other small
Farms, fronting on said Road in the Rear, and running back to the
back or rear limit of the tract.The Two Thousand and Sixty Five Acres, and 45-100ths of an
Acre (2065 45-100ths Acres) of Land, laying on the River Auchene, in Township Number 15, in Range No. 12 East, on the
East side of the Mississippi River was purchased by me at a sale'
of Public Land made by the Government of the United States, for
which I hold six Certificates of the Receivcr of Public Money of




the U. States, and have to receive Government Patents for it, a&
soon as issued by the General Land Com-missioner;-is of great
value. —The Au Chene which lays about 1[ miles in the Rear of the
River Mississippi, heads about five Leagues below the City of
New Orleans on the left side of tilhe Mississippi near to Terre aun
Boeuff, and runs down towards the Sea keeping about the same
distance in its whole course from the River Mississippi.-This
body of Land begins about Six Leagues from the City of New
Orleans and has a front of about three miles on each side of said
river Auchene; said river Auchene running through the centre of
it in its whole length.-The Land is of the first and richest quality,
covered with Timber of every kind, and has on it a large Body of
most valuable Live Oak.-It should be laid out in small ]Farms of
two or three acres in front on the River, (Farms on each side of the
River) with all its depth and leased out, reserving all the Live
Oak from  being touched or cut down.-(Not permitting a Live
Oak Tree on any part of the whole tract to be cut down, as that
Timber is very valuable and becoming very scarce.The Tract of Land of Twenty Four Acres in front and forty
acres deep, laying on the canal of the Bayou Lafourche, which
leads to the Attakapas, is very valuable. The front on the Canal
for a few acres in depth, I am told, is low but after that there is
one of the finest and richest bodies of high Land in the World.-It
should be laid off in small Farms of one or two acres in front on
the Canal, by forty deep, and leased out. —It is heavily timbered,
and is an almost impenetrable Cane brake.The eleven Hundred and Fifty Nine Acres, and 90-10lths of an
acre (1159 90-100ths.) of Land, laying in the Townships Numbers
13 & 14 in the Range Number 14, was purchased by me at a sale
of Public Land made by the Government of the United States, for
which I hold fourteen certificates of the Receiver of Public Money
of the U. States, and have to receive Government Patents for it.It is a most valuable Body of Land, none richer or superior to it. —It is covered with an immense growth of Timber, is an impenetrable Cane brake, and lays, I believe, adjoining the last above mentioned tract, or at any rate in its immediate vicinity. —-Should be
laid out in small Farms of 50 or 100 Acres each and leased out.
The Tract of Land, containinc Ten Acres in front on the Rivelr




illississippi ancd eighty acres in depth, situate eleven leagues below
the city of New Orleans on the Right Bank of the River, adjoining
above the Sugar Estate of Mr. Andrew Dunford, is a most valuable tract of the best land of the Country. It should be divided off
into small farms of one arpen in front on river, by a certain depth;
and then Farms laid off in the rear from a high ridge of Lands
which lays there, also of one arpen in front on a road along said
ridge of high land, by the residue of the depth of the tract, and
leased out.
The Tract of Land containing six hundred and forty acres, (640
acres) laying on the left bank of the Amite River, near Lake Maurepas, being the first bluff or tract of high land on the River in gorng up it,(on which I forzmerly had a steam saw mill) —-is a very valuable body of Land, in every light in which it can be viewed, as to soil,
(being of the first quality,) elevation, situation &c &c. It must be
the landing and place of deposit for the shipment of the Produce of
a large extent of back country, and in time will be wanted; (a part.of it at least) for Town Lots; when it should be divided and laid
off into Squares, Lots and streets for a village. In the mean time
it should be divided into small tracts for Farms and leased out.The Tract of Land containing Three Thousand Two Hundred
Arpens, (3,200 Arpens) laying in the Parish of Opelousas, fronting forty Arpens on each side of the Bayou "Ney Pegue," and forty Arpens in depth on each side,-is well timbered and of middling
quality. It should be laid out into small Farms of one or two Arpens in front on the Bayou by forty Arpens deep, and leased out.For mnany other valuable tracts of Land and other pieces of property, laying in the city of New Orleans, its different suburbs and
the country around, on which I have no particular remarks to make,
or information to coimiunicate to the Gentlemen, who will see carried into execution,  ny last Will and Testament, or to those Gentlemen who will receive the appointments of Commissioners and
Agents to the General Estate, I refer them to a list of my Real Estate kept in my book of accounts. Said Book is marked or labelled
out side 1 "Ledger" J.'6 McDonogh" —
I recommend to the Commissioners and Agents of the General
Estate, to have plans made out by their Secretary, and copied into
the Book kept fr the pulrpose, s1howing the division into lots, of




64
each particular piece or portion of a piece of propery, which:shall
be divided:-Its measurements &c &c with a General Plan or
Plans, shewing the particular situation of each piece of property,
in relation to that which surrounds it, or which is in its neighborhood.-As also Lists of every Piece of property or Real Estate
either in the Country, in the cities, towns or villages, belonging to
and owned by the General Estate; its measurements, place, situation, how disposed of, whether leased or not, to whom leased or
rented, for what length of time leased, conditions on which leased
&c &c.-Besides opening an account on the Books on the General
Estate for every person, with whom it has affairs of business.As my object in recommending to those Gentlemen who will
have the execution of my last Will and Testament, and the Gentlemen who will be named Commissioners and agents of the General Estate, to take up Lands low down on the River Mississippi,
on the Bayou Lafourche, and various swamp and lowlands in
other parts of the State;-if misunderstood by them may occasion
their surprise, I will observe that the great object I have in view,
(as may plainly be seen) is the gradual augmentation in value of
the Real Estate, which will belong to and be owned by the General
Estate, for Centuries to come; by investing at this time small
sums af money in large and extensive properties, now at this moment of little value, but which Time, (who is unceasingly at work,
and whilst nmen sleep is actively employed) will make of immense
value. (For Tine is never for an instant idle, but is constantly and
for ever employed, "6setting unto man therein a speaking example
which says'"Labour, Oh man is the honor of thy being" Labour
and fulfill the intent of thy creation.")-so that the revenue arising
therefrome, (which alone is to be taken and expended) will go on
increasing with the increase of the country and its population, for
Centuries to conme, and produce means in time, sufficient to educate yearly, Thousands upon Thousands of the Poor of our Country, which God will, I pray of his infinite mercy and goodness
grant.It will be well to say here in whom I place my hopes, Trust, Belief and Faith, and in the tenets of what church of Christ I have
walked. —ly hopes, trust, belief and Faith,'is in salvation through
the perfect, t he all sufficient, and accepted atonement of our Blessed




v)
Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. —And I have walked a Presbyterian of the " Presbyterian Church" so called, or that church, the
Ecclesiastical Government of which is conducted and ruled by
Presbyters.I request that a copy of those memoranda, Recommendations
&c, may be made out and forwarded to the Commissioners of the
Free School and Free Schools Fund in the city of Baltimore, in the
State of Maryland, to be by them copied into a Book in their
office for safe keeping, as also a copy of my last Will and Testament, also to be copied by them into a Book
sig'd JOHN McDONOUGH.
The slaves mentioned in my last Will and Testament, to be sent
to Africa, are already sent and gone there.The slaves James Thornton, Noel, John Defuge and Long
Alary, (being old and faithful servants) are to be set free here.I recommend that Insurance on some of the Buildings, laying in
New Orleans, and Macdonogh, be effected in other cities of the
United States, (or Europe) besides New Orleans; because if the
whole city of New Orleans should be burned down, the Insurance
offices would be ruined, and rendered unable to pay the loss.I request that a copy of my will, a copy of those notes and memoranda, with a copy of the Inventory of my Estate, may be forwarded to the Governor of the State of Maryland, to be placed in
the Archives of that State for the purpose of knowing its rights
under my Will through all future time. So that, if it should be attempted hereafter to violate my Will and intentions in any way,
that she (the State of Maryland) may know and put it right, or
other ways seek her just interest under it. And that the same
may be done (for the same purpose and intent( and delivered to the
Governor of the State of Louisiana, to be placed in the Archives
of this State.Should I be cultivating any Estates at my death, on which I
have slaves, I recommend to the Commissioners and Agents of the
General Estate, to purchase other slaves (Every fifteen years as
they are authorised to do by my Will) to cultivate said Estates,
(whether proffitable or not, as by so doing said slaves will obtain
their freedom in Africa fifteen years; which circumstance with the




pread o. thle Gospel and eivilization consequient -eheonn w~ill'e ha
good, far exceeding  all pecuniary profits and advantages of this
world)-and replace those who will have served fifteen years, and
hlave been sent to Africa, and so on every fifteen years, (so long as
there shall be slaves remaining in our country) purchasing a sufficient number for the cultivation of the Estates, and delivering up
to the Colonization Society, all such slaves as have served fifteen
years, to be sent to Africa.
I recommend that great care be taken in selecting proper muen,
as overseers and managers for the Estates, that they are pious
and christian men, who will strive to lead the ]Black People to the
Most High, at the same time that they make theml, and teach them
to do good work, to be faithful, industrious and indefatigable in
their labors.That application be made to the Legislature of the State for permission to educate the Black people on the different Estates, (a
good English education,) as they are to be sent to Africa.
If permitted by law get teachers, and have them educated, and
specially in the knowledge of God.See that the Overseers, every morning and evening assemble the
people in prayer before going to work in the morning, and after
work at night.
See that the Overseers have them taught, Old and Young, (little
children and all) the Ten Commandments, the Lord's prayer, and
the Creed, and, (if permitted by Law,) hold Sunday Schools.As soon as they know how to read, give each one a copy of the
Holy Bible.And on going to Africa, see that a copy of that Holy Book, (the
Bible) is put into the hands of each, to be taken with them.If permitted by law let Sunday Schools be constantly held for the
whole of them, Old and Young, and they made to attend it, the
whole day.
Let there be a house erected on each Plantation for a Church
and Divine Service performed therein on the Sabbath day, forenoon
and afternoon constantly.
On such Estates as I may be cultivating at my death, and which
the Agents and Commissioners of the General Estate may con-.;~nule to ctltivate after my decease, the.slaveq and cattle, (immate



rial what the culture carried on may be, Stugar or other) shall, not
be permitted to labor on the Sabbath day, but shall cease work at
Sundown, on Saturday evening and commence again their labour at
sundown on Sabbath evening.
I recommend that the Estate laying in the Bayou St. John and
the Metairie Road, be laid off into acre lots, fronting the Metairie
Road, running across said tract of land, (Eigwhteen acres deep) and
leased out for Gardens.-And in time, (when the lots will be wanted
for city Lots) that a plan be made of it, dividing it into Squares and
lots, as the streets of the city of New Orleans, continued back will
run through it, and then it may be leased out in small city lots. The
Revenue arising from this Body of Land, will in time be very
great.I recommend that the Secretary of the General Estate be made
to reside in the house which I now occupy in Macdonogh, by which
means the Black people, mechanics and others, will be kept out of
the contaminating influence of the city of New Orleans, and be the
more easily managed. Bricks made, Lime burned, and other materials Kept in store, and laid up for use. —Having been the friend of the Black and Colored Man through
the whole period of my long life, I will now (when near its close) give.
to them, (the Free Black and Colored man, wherever he may be
throughout our widely extended country) a parting counsel and advice, in the interest of themselves and their posterity. - The counsel I offer them in all the sincerity of my soul, is that they separate
themselves from the White Mtan.  That they take their wives,
their children and their substance and depart to the land of their
fathers, that great and ancient land, where they and their posterity
through all their generations may be safe, may be happy, living
under their own Fig Tree and vine, having none to make them
afraid.
If my mind has been virtuously disposed in life, I am indebted
for it under the Most High to the education bestowed upon me by
virtuous and pious parents, (Blessed be their memory) and especially to the care they took in instructing me and having me instructed in Music. —-At a time when there was no other teachers in
the City of Baltimore, but a singing School for youth, held at night,
my beloved Fathler would take his So-ns and dautghters by the hand




68
and lead them there nightly, staying there with them, taking a
part in their singing and exercises, and then would lead thema
home. —-That love for singing and music given me in my youth,
has been the delight and charml of my existence, throughout all its
subsequent periods, notwithstanding from the multitudinous occupations of my life, I have been able to give it but little of my time;
still its love and charm pervaded my existence, and gilded my path
to comparative happiness here, and as I say above, led me, as I
firmly believe (under the Most High) to what little virtue I have
practiced.
(Sig'd)             JOHN McDONOGH.