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Guide to the Joseph St. Leger d'Happart Papers, 1768-1815 DAR.1957.01

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Metadata Details

Title
Papers of Joseph St. Leger d'Happart, 1794-1815, D'Happart papers, 1794-1815
Subject
D'Happart, J. L. (Joseph Leger), Thompson, Elizabeth, Jefferson, Thomas , 1743-1826, D'Happart family, Babin, C. F, Betsy (Schooner), Merchants--Pennsylvania, Debt, Imprisonment for--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia, Slavery--United States--History, Slavery--North Carolina--History, Slavery--Maryland--History, Pennsylvania--History--1775-1865, France--History--19th century, France--Description and travel, Suriname--Description and travel, United States--Commerce--History, United States--Economic conditions--To 1865, France--Commerce--History, France--Economic conditions--19th century, Pennsylvania--Commerce--History, Pennsylvania--Economic conditions--History, Connellsville (Pa.)--History, West Newton (Pa.)--History, Pittsburgh (Pa.)--History, Somerset (Pa.)--History, Philadelphia (Pa.)--History
Description
This collection of around 2000 items documents d'Happart's personal and professional life. The majority of the collection is in English, but personal and some business correspondence are in French, and many documents related to his business in Suriname are in Dutch. The collection contains correspondence, ledgers, depositions, bound print materials, transcription books, note cards, and travel papers. D'Happart's various residences are documented with personal and local business records, correspondence, and financial documents. D'Happart's personal papers consist of family correspondence, papers, and documents relating to his imprisonment, and his divorce. The Thompson family papers document the family of d'Happart's wife, Elizabeth Thompson. D'Happart's family correspondence includes letters from d'Happart's wife, Elizabeth, his sister Maria Read, and his niece, Henriette de St. Leger. D'Happart's personal papers also include documents and correspondence related to his estrangement and divorce from his wife, which are quite detailed about the acrimonious split. D'Happart's failed French business ventures are documented, as well as his subsequent arrest in Pittsburgh and imprisonment in Philadelphia from 1807 to 1808 on a debtor's warrant issued by his French business partner, C. F. Babin, related to a ship they co-owned, the Brig Betsy . Business correspondence unrelated to his French partnerships is also present, including letters from Albert Gallatin and Thomas Jefferson concerning Indian Affairs and the Treasury, respectively. A number of bound transcription books are also represented, containing handwritten copies of correspondence to and from d'Happart in English and French. These books seem to be the work of a nineteenth century family member. These transcription books are not comprehensive, and include family correspondence not contained in their original form elsewhere in this collection. The collection also contains a number of published materials that were probably collected by d'Happart in the United States and France. These materials include literary magazines published in the United States in English and French, and two longer French language works. Finally, the collection includes a set of calendar cards created by library staff or a researcher of a portion of the d'Happart papers., Papers of Joseph St. Leger d'Happart, 1794-1815, DAR 1957:01, Darlington Memorial Library, University of Pittsburgh., Gift of LeRoy d'Happart, 1957., Joseph St. Leger d'Happart spent eighteen months in a French prison before immigrating to the United States. D'Happart claimed to have served Louis XVI, but the voracity of this claim is dubious. He arrived in Boston early in 1796 and obtained United States citizenship. D'Happart became a clerk in 1797, but he soon quarreled with his employers. D'Happart married Elizabeth Thompson, daughter of Brigadier General William Thompson (c.1725 to 1781) of New Castle, Delaware. According to materials in the collection, the couple had at least three children, including an oldest son and a daughter. D'Happart and his wife lived in New Castle for a short time, and subsequently resided throughout Pennsylvania. D'Happart made his living in the mercantile business, and was involved in a variety of colorful international business ventures. Between 1798 and 1801, d'Happart made three trips to the Dutch colony of Suriname for the William & Read Co. and the Rocheteau firm. From 1804-1805, d'Happart made an extended trip to France during which he arranged for the import of French goods which d'Happart, Joseph Thebeaud and Simon Chaudron & Co. sold in the United States. While in France, d'Happart met L. F. Babin, a Frenchman who assisted d'Happart in his lawsuit against the French government for the return of d'Happart's family property, which had been confiscated during the Revolution. D'Happart gave Babin power of attorney to complete the return of his property. D'Happart returned to the United States aboard his ship the Brig Betsy , of which L. F. Babin owned a quarter share. The ship was boarded by the British and taken to Newfoundland where all but a few items hidden by d'Happart were confiscated. In 1806, Babin accused d'Happart of owing him money. D'Happart was arrested in Pittsburgh in September of 1807, and taken to a Philadelphia debtor's prison to await trial. According to d'Happart's deposition, Babin sold d'Happart's French properties and fled France with the money. Furthermore, d'Happart claimed that he could account for all of the goods for which Babin claimed to be owed. The facts of this story remain unclear. After his release from prison in June of 1808, d'Happart and his family lived in Philadelphia until October. They later moved to Chambersburg in early November, and settled at Somerset a month later. D'Happart and his wife separated in 1812, and Elizabeth was granted a divorce by the governor of Pennsylvania in 1815., Finding aid Available in repository and on Internet; Folder level control; http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/f/findaid/findaid-idx?type=simple;c=ascead;view=text;subview=outline;didno=US-PPiU-dar195701
Contributor
D'Happart, J. L. (Joseph Leger), University of Pittsburgh (depositor)
Date
1794-1815
Type
Collection, Merchants-Correspondence., Merchants-Business records-Pennsylvania., Merchants-Personal papers-Pennsylvania.
Identifier
pitt:US-PPiU-dar195701, oclc: ocm31509152, oclc: 31509152, pitt: US-PPiU-dar195701
Language
eng, fre
Relation
http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/f/findaid/findaid-idx?type=simple;c=ascead;view=text;subview=outline;didno=US-PPiU-dar195701, pdcp_noharvest
Coverage
Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States, North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, France, France, Suriname, United States, United States, France, France, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Connellsville (Pa.), West Newton (Pa.), Pittsburgh (Pa.), Somerset (Pa.), Philadelphia (Pa.)
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