A Guide to the Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais records, 1778-1804, #APA 236

Biographical Information

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

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

Scope and Content

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

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

Contents List

Box 1-2 Folder 1-5, Oversize Folder 1

Beaumarchais Papers , 1778-1804 .

Folder 1
Beaumarchais Papers, 1778 .
- Receipts for Payment, 1778 .
- Letter from Chevallie to Thomas Smith, 1778 June 2 .
  Correspondence in French
- Lt. Gov. John Page's Order for Tobacco, 1778 June 5 .
- Agreements between Armistead and Chevallie, 1778 June 6 .
- Lt. Gov. John Page's Order for Northampton to Carry Tobacco, 1778 June 12 .
- Thomas Smith's Accounts to William Web, 1778 June 16 .
- Gov. Patrick Henry's Orders for Dispatch, 1778 June 29 .
- Gov. Patrick Henry's Orders for Tobacco, 1778 June 30 .
- Receipt for Flour on Le Fier Rodrigue, 1778 June 30 .
- Two Receipts to Edward Oliver, 1778 July 17 .
  Documents in French
- Certificates for Two Flats on Le Fier Rodrigue, 1778 July 24 .
- Letter from Gov. Patrick Henry to Thomas Smith, 1778 July 25 .
- Letter from De Francy to Cpt. John Michel to Deliver Tobacco, 1778 July 28 .
- Receipt for Tobacco Shipment, 1778 July 30 .
  Document is in French
- Beaumarchais Accounts, 1778 Aug .
- Letter from Cpt. John Michel to Thomas Smith, 1778 Aug 3 .
  Correspondence in French
- Receipts Granted on Le Fier Rodrigue, 1778 Aug 3 .
  Documents in French
- Plats Onboard Le Fier Rodrigue, 1778 Aug 3 .
- Gov. Patrick Henry's Orders to Deliver Tobacco, 1778 Aug 4 .
- Letter from De Francy to Thomas Smith, 1778 Aug 13 .
- Letter from Thomas Smith Regarding the Invoice, 1778 Aug 14 .
- Letter from George Elliott Concerning Flats, 1778 Aug 17 .
- Letter from De Francy to Thomas Smith Regarding Tobacco, 1778 Sept 13 .
- Gov. Patrick Henry's Orders to Pay Three Frenchmen, 1778 Oct 27 .
- Gov. Patrick Henry Referring Dispute Elsewhere, 1778 Nov 16 .
Folder 2
Beaumarchais Papers, 1779-1785, 1787 .
- Certification of Henry Burch Delivering Tobacco, 1779 Feb 23 .
- Debts of State of Virginia, 1780 .
- Cannon Purchase Agreement and Copy, 1780 May 11 .
- Certificate of Balance Due to De Francy, 1780 May 12 .
- Balance of De Francy Account with the State of Virginia, 1780 June 4 .
- Letters Regarding the Account, 1783 May 27 .
- Letter from William Armistead to Gov. Benjamin Harrison Regarding Chevallie, 1783 June 2 .
- Beaumarchais General Account, 1783 July 1 .
- Balance of Sales, 1783 July 1 .
- Translation and Summary of Letter from Beaumarchais and Vaigneur, 1783 July 4 .
- Letter from Armistead to Gov. Benjamin Harrison Regarding "Iliberal Charges," 1784 Jan 24 .
- Letter from De La Luzerne Defending Beaumarchais, 1784 Feb 17 .
  Correspondence is in French and English
- Letter from Vaigneur to Gov. Benjamin Harrison, 1784 May 19 .
- Letter from R. Winstone to Oster Regarding French Translations, 184 May 317 .
- Letter from Gov. Patrick Henry to Solicitor General Regarding Beaumarchais, 1784 Dec 11 .
- Report on Beaumarchais Account from Solicitor General, 1784 Dec 16, 21 .
- Letter from Solicitor General Regarding Beaumarchais Account, 1785 Jan 6 .
- Letters and Orders Regarding Account and Payments, 1787 Jan 25, May 8 .
Folder 3
Beaumarchais Papers, 1792-1793, 1795-1796, 1803-1804 .
- Beaumarchais Warrants for Payment, 1790 Feb 24, Apr 21 .
  Documents are in French and English
- Letter from Chevallie, 1792 Apr 4 .
- Report of General Assembly Proceedings, 1792 Dec .
- Petition to Gov. Henry Lee and Council Members, 1793 Jan 3 .
- Statement on Money Owed, 1793 Jan 19 .
- Beaumarchais Account Balance with Virginia, 1795 .
- Response to Beaumarchais Petition, 1795 Apr 5 .
- Attorney General James Innes' Response, 1796 .
- Auditor's Response, 1796 Aug 26 .
- Deposition of George Picket, 1796 Sept 28 .
- Commissioner's Report, 1796 Oct 4 .
- Statement of Payments to Beaumarchais, 1796 Oct 6 .
- Copy of Order Between Virginia and Beaumarchais Estate, 1803 May 10 .
- Warrant for Payment to Beaumarchais Estate, 1803 June 28 .
- Warrant for Payment to Beaumarchais Estate, 1803 Nov 11 .
- Acknowledgment of Warrants of Payment to Beaumarchais Heirs, 1804 Feb 4, 7 .
Folder 4
Beaumarchais Papers, Undated .
- Account of Shipments and Tobacco.
- Account of Tobacco Ordered.
- Settlement of Beaumarchais Account.
- Tobacco on Potomack.
Folder 5
Descriptions of Removed Beaumarchais Papers, 1778-1793 .
Box 2 Oversized Folder 1
Oversized Papers, 1778-1804 .