Item 29b: Letter from [Antoine] Omer de Talon to Isaac Dewitt, 1794 July 30.

Item — Box: 12, Folder: 69b

Staff Only

Letter from [Antoine] Omer de Talon to Isaac Dewitt, 1794 July 30

Dates

Created: 1794 July 30.

Creator

Talon, Antoine Omer, 1760-1811 (Person)

Access:

All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.

Extent

1 items

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Type of Material:

Letter

Condition Note:

Poor. Paper has stains. Part of the letter has been ripped off and not collected , therefore making it illegible in some areas.

Measurements:

7 ⅝ in. x 3 ¼ in.

Description:

Item 33a and 33b are housed together, as they are both concerned with the French Azilum. The French Azilum was a planned settlement built in 1793 in Bradford County, Pennsylvania for French refugees fleeing the French Revolution and slave uprisings. Both creators Louis Marie De Noailles (Item 33a) and Antoine Omar Talon (item 33b) were heavily involved in the settlement's affairs. For context on this particular letter, Antoine Omer Talon, also referred to as “The Count”, was from France, though not from royal blood he was from a popular family, who had practiced law. During the beginning of the French Revolution Talon was civil lieutenant of the prison of the Chétlet and chief justice of the Criminal Court of France. He was associated with planning for the king's escape to Varennes, and subsequent failed escape plans. Because of his involvement with the royal family, Talon was forced to flee to Marseilles, England, and eventually Philadelphia. During this journey he met Laporte, a Frenchman whose descendents would play an integral role in the Asylum colony. In Philadelphia, Talon made the acquaintance of and befriended De Noailles. To read more on the establishment of the French Asylum see here. In this letter Talon orders shutters from Isaac Dewitt, later writings on the letter show that the order was received.

Transcription:

July the 30.th 1794 Mr. Talon to hanging five pare of shutters — Lo:- August the first - to hanging three pare dito — o: 3 Talon 8 3 . 6. 1 3. 15 3. 18.

Recd [Received] the order Isaac Dewitt 3.7.6

Comte Omar de Talon was the founder of the French settlement at Asylum.

Mr. Talon Order V Dewitt Recd 8/-

In pencil: Comte Omar de Talon was the founder of the French settlement at Asylum.