The full content of this document is only available to subscribing institutions. More information can be found via www.amdigital.co.uk
If you believe you should have access to this document, click here to Login.
| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Beaver Note Made out to a Merchant by a Voyageur |
| Library | University of Alberta |
| Date | 1 May 1692; 18 Jun 1676 |
| Description | A beaver note for 42 livres promising to pay the debt in “beaver at the price of the bureau.” The “bureau” was the appointed board of officials and traders in Quebec City that set the price of beaver, and in doing so set the value of the most important medium exchange in New France, the beaver pelt. |
| Document Type | Business Records, Manuscript |
| Theme(s) | Trade and Commerce |
| Keywords | beaver note, currency, employment, fur trade, fur trader, language, livre, merchant, payment, promissory note, trade, voyageurs |
| Countries | Canada |
| Places | Montreal; New France; Quebec |
| People | Gabriel Cardinal; Sieur Nicholas Jenvrin Dufresne; Jean Arnoud |
| Language | French |
| Additional Information |
Translation: “Gabriel Cardinal approves the obligation that Tetros and Cadieu, his friends, have undertaken towards Sieur Dufresne, in which he is responsible with them, this other than for what he has personally received, which is 42 livres 10 sols, which he promises to pay as his share of the partnership, in beaver at the price of the bureau. Drawn up this 1st of May 1962. (signed) Gabriel Cardinal (his mark and cross) Translation of witness certificate and footnote: (witness certificate) “I the undersigned, certify that the said Cardinal gave me at Lachine, this note on which he has made his mark at the bottom, to be taken and used by Sieur Dufresne. This 1st of May, 1692. (signed) Jean Arnaud” (footnote) “The obligation (possibly meaning the total debt for all the partners) is for 236 livres 1 sol.” Beaver notes, because they were secured by beaver skins at the price set by the bureau, often circulated amongst colonists due to the lack of hard currency. The notes were negotiable, and were considered money. Beaver notes are one of the earliest forms of paper currency in New France, pre-dating card money. Gabriel Cardinal (1661-?) was a voyageur, and came from a family whose male members were primarily involved with the fur trade. Sieur Nicholas Jenvrin Dufresne (1690s-1700s) was a Montreal merchant. Jean Arnoud was a Church Warden of Montreal. Please note that some of the metadata and translations for this document are taken from the University of Alberta library finding aid, with information originally compiled by Bjarne Tokerud Bookseller Inc. |
| Copyright | University of Alberta |
