1865-1867 D. A. Chaffraix Receipt Book - Cotton Factors - Sugar Planters - NOLA

Description

[New Orleans History]
Chaffraix & Agar Receipt Book.
Nineteenth century leather-bound ledger measuring 10 3/8 x 7 5/8 inches - black leather title-labels stamped in gilt:
RECEIPTS - D.A.C.
[152] pages, recording disbursements to various: Cotton Factors, Sugar Brokers, Planters, as well as workers employed in packing, labeling, and keeping watch of the warehouses - Steamboats, including payment for freight shipped (sugar, molasses, cotton, coffee), insurance, Levee dues, Port Warden's fees, inspections by the N.O. Board of Health, etc, etc.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Contains signatures of numerous planters and manufacturers of the era, with names including: Agar - Bouligny - Buchanan - Duncan - Garain - Robert - Conery - Capdeville - Dunbar - Claiborne - Meringo - Quemper - Sabatier - Walsh - Urquhart - Fortier - Hero - Joseph - Cruzat - Leche (grandfather of the Louisiana governor) - Wilkinson - Arrington - Livaudais - Faust - Laffon - Landry - Rapier - Duncan - Behan, etc. etc.
Gardner's New Orleans Directory
, 1866-1867 lists D. A. Chaffraix as Commission Merchant at 54 Customhouse, and residence at 71 Conti. He is also listed in the business section under Commission Merchants and Cotton Factors.
Among other business interests, Chaffraix & Agar are cited in the
Louisiana Sugar Report
as owners and operators of Concession Plantation in Plaquemines Parish, and are credited as having built and operated the first sugar refinery in New Orleans along with a Mr. Barclay.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         According to his obituary, Desire Annet Chaffraix (1828-1912),
"was born at Pionsat, Puy de Dome, and was educated at Iseur, at Allier, graduating with high honors. His cousin, P. A. Giraud, a leading merchant here, sent for him, and he arrived at New Orleans Jan. 5, 1848. He went to St. Louis to learn English and acquaint himself with American business methods, under the tutorship of the late Rufus J. Lackland, president of the Boatmen's Bank. On his return to New Orleans Mr. Chaffraix entered the office of P. A. Giraud & Co., and after serving diligently, was admitted into the firm. For many winters he went to Cuba to purchase raw sugar for Northern refiners. P. A. Giraud & Co. also were large importers of Brazilian coffee.  The civil war necessitated the liquidation of the firm, and Mr. Chaffraix in 1861 left for New York, bearing important documents for the French government, and thence went to France.  He returned to Louisiana later and resumed his former business with John Gandy, who died soon after. In 1867 he formed a partnership with William Agar, under the firm name of Chaffraix & Agar, and engaged in the sugar and coffee commission business."
Chaffraix's nephew, Pierre Antonin Lelong (1853-1913) joined the business in 1870, which eventually became the leading sugar export company in the South. He served as a charter member of the board of commissioners of City Park. The board organized in 1895, and was responsible for securing the Isaac Delgado donation for building the Delgado Museum, now the New Orleans Museum of Art.