I, Marie Clementine L’Arnaudiere, a native of the Post of Nachitoches, Province of Louisiana, do certify and declare by this document that, being confined to my bed as a result of an accidental illness, through the infinite grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, am of sound judgment, full knowledge, and memory and will, that I was married by the rites of the Holy Church to my husband, Jean Ignace Piedferme; that I affirm by this document that, there having been no children born of this marriage, for that reason I have reared one of my legitimate nephews, named Maximilian D’Arce from infancy, that he has served during the space of twenty years he has looked after my interest with the greatest fidelity and exactitude, without benefit of the salary justly due him, that finding myself today on the eve of appearing before the Tribunal of God to render account of my actions, that I name him, in recompense for the work that he has performed, as my sole and absolute heir to all the goods and assets acquired by my husband and myself; that I am confident that said nephew will execute these duties with the same fidelity that he has shown up to the present, and I declare null and void any other will. [Here the words and meaning are not clear due to the age of the document] 28 July 1817. Because of my not knowing how to write my husband has made a cross for me; the witnesses being Pedro Esparza and Jose Antonio Rodriguez.
