Person:Heinrich Rentrop (1)

!MARRIAGE: LDS International Genealogical Index; source INTL Film #584880. Recorded in the Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche, in Altena [near Arnsberg], Westfalen, Prussia [now Germany]. Gerhard Henrich RENTROP married on 15 Nov 1781 to An. Mar. TRAPPE.

!IMMIGRATION: Article on "The Pioneers of Berwick Bay Belt," from MORGAN CITY REVIEW, 5 Sep 1931, reprinted from TIMES-PICAYUNE "about forty years ago." Henry REUTHROPE [sic] emigrated to America from Sweden...Like the planters generally, he was a financial victim of the Civil War, for how could any house stand after the labor which sustained it was gone and nothing left to replace it? He was the owner of the fine plantation now the residence of Capt. John N. PHARR." [Was Sweden his port of exit?]

!LAND-OCCUPATION: Glenn R. Conrad, SAINT-JEAN-BAPTISTE DES ALLEMANDS; 1753-1803; Lafayette, LA, Univ. of Southwestern Louisiana, 1972; pp. 232, 235, 242 & 257-258; Sutro California State Library, F377 S135 C66. Item No. 8, dated 6 Mar 1799, the Widow RAMBEAUX sells a piece of property 2 arpents wide, bounded below by Pierre PERCLE and above by Nicolas FOLQUE, to Henry RENTROP and Frederic HEINS for 525 piastres. (Heins signed his name "HAINTZ."

    Also: Item No. 20, dated 10 Sep 1799, an "Inventory of the Community Property of the Late Jean-Baptiste PERILLOUX and his Late Wife, Veronique DUPONT." One of the buyers was Henry RENTROP.
    Also: Item No. 21, dated 20 Sep 1799, a "Land Sale" by Nicolas FOQ to Jean D. BRIDY, piece bounded below by that of Henry RENTROP.
    Also: Item No. 24, dated 29 May 1800, "Inventory of the Community Property of the Late Louis ORY and His Wife, Marie-Marguerite VICNER." Debt owed to the succession by Henry RENTROP. Buyers at the public sale included Madame Henry RENTROP & Henry RENTROP.
    Also: Item No. 23, dated 15 Oct 1801 was a contract between Henry RENTROP and Frederick HEINTZ, an agreement regarding their rum making operation. Witnessed by Nicolas HAITE & Michel FORTIER.
    Also: On 29 Dec 1801, in item No. 31, there was a Public Sale of the effects of Henry RENTROP & Frederic HEINTZ. Buyers were: Madame RENTROP, Frederic HEINTZ, Jean D. BRIDY [new neighbor], and Henry RENTROP. Done in the presence of Pierre BOSSIER fils, & Jean-Pierre FOLSE.

!LAND: FIRST SETTLERS OF THE LOUISIANA TERRITORY; 1773-1803; vol. 1, Nacogdoches, TX, Ericson Books, 1983; p. 143, No. 145 & 146; California State Library Sutro, ; Orleans Territory grants from AMERICAN STATE PAPERS. In 1803 Henry RENTHROP claimed land on right bank of the bayou La Fourche, in county of La Fourche, or 12 arpents by 40 arpents, bounded on upper side by claimant [himself] and on lower by Michel BOURGEOIS, Jr. Confirmed.

    Also: another tract on left bank, containing 187 92/100 superficial acres, bounded above by C. F. GIROD, and on lower by Pierre GUILLOT. Confirmed.

!LAND: Charles R. Maduell, FEDERAL LAND GRANTS IN THE TERRITORY OF ORLEANS--THE DELTA PARISHES; 1790-1815; New Orleans, Polyanthos, 1975; p. 333; Santa Cruz Genealogical Library, LOUIS 7; Adapted from AMERICAN STATE PAPERS, PUBLIC LANDS, vol. 2, arranged by counties as they existed in 1812. Henry RENTHROP, #145-406, comprising 12 arpents fronting the bayou by a depth of 40 arpents bounded upstream by land belonging to the claimant, and downstream by Michel BOURGEOIS jun.

!LAND: "Lafourche Interior Parish Records of Deeds," in TERREBONNE LIFE LINES; vol. 18, no. 1 (spring 1999); 1808-1812; p. 71; own copy. Abstract No. 19 (22 pages?), dated Sep 1808, on p. 20 of Deed Book at the Lafourche Parish Courthouse in Thibodaux, LA. Henry RENTHROP of Lafourche Interior sells to Henry HERGEROEDER of Attakapas on Bayou Sash [Teche?] for $1,000 a tract of land of 12 acres by 40 acres, located on the right bank of Bayou Lafourche, about 17 leagues below the Mississippi River, bounded above by Michel MORVANT and below by Michel BOURGEOIS. [See above]

!CENSUS: 1810 U.S. federal census, Attakapas Parish, LA; 1810; National Archives San Bruno, Microfilm M252, Roll 10; p. 89. John RANTROP:

    Free White Males                    Free White Females                              Other     Slave 

0-9 10-15 16-25 26-44 45+ 0-9 10-15 16-25 26-44 45+

1       1        0       2        0       0       1         0       0       0                         0          0

[What is Heinrich's relationship to this John or Johann? Was this a brother? Age isn't right to be his father.]

!OCCUPATION: Walter Prichard, et al, "James Cathcart Journal of 1819," in LOUISIANA HISTORICAL QUARTERY, [200 pp.]. On p. 781, In 1811 the Territorial Legislature authorized Henry RENTROPE to operate a ferry from the lower part of Bayou Teche, through Lakes Plat, Palourde, de Jone, and Verret, the tolls being fixed in the act of $4 for each foot passenger and $12 for each man and horse. This grant was limited to seven years; in 1817 Frederick RENTROPE, resident of Assumption Parish, and Henry KNIGHT of St. Mary, were granted a further term of seven years.

!LAND: Glenn R. Conrad, LAND RECORDS OF THE ATTAKAPAS DISTRICT; 1804-1818; vol. II, part 1; p. 106; own copy. Henry KNIGHT [Sr.] sold to Henry RENTROP of Assumption Parish a tract of land located oon the west side of Bayou Teche, measuring 2 x 40, bounded above by the lands of the vendor and below by vacant land. Price: $800. Record #26:16 in St. Martin Parish Conveyances, dated 25 Jan 1811.

    On p. 336, Henry RENTROP, Sr. sold his ferry franchise to [his son] Peter RENTROP for $500. Ferry ran from the Attakapas side of the Bayou Teche to the canal of the Lafourche. Franchise granted to Henry RENTROP by legislature of Territory. Dated 25 Apr 1811, record No. 3 in St. Mary Parish Conveyances.
    Next entry, record No. 4, dated 10 May 1811, Henry RENTROP, St. of Lafourche Parish, sold to Peter Henry RENTROP a tract of land situated on west side of Teche, measuring 2 x 40 arpents, bounded above by Henry KNIGHT and below by public land for $800.
    On p. 351, John ROGERS sold to Henry RENTROP a mulatto slave, Betty (age 35) for $650. Dated 8 Mar 1813, record No. 146 in St. Mary Parish Conveyances. [have copy]

1. ↑ Terrebonne Genealogical Society. Terrebonne Life Lines. (Houma, LA: Society)
   vol. 18, no. 2 (summer 1999), p. 97.

   In Lafourche Interior Parish, Records of Deeds 1808-1812, #77, p. 73: Henry HERGEROEDER, County of Attakapas, sold to Henry RENTHROP, Sr., of the County of Lafourche, Parish of Assumption, for $800 a tract of land containing 12 acres front by 40 acres depth, located on the right bank of Bayou Lafourche, about 17 leagues below the Mississippi River; bounded above by Michel MOURVAN, below by Michel BOURGEOIS. Cancellation of mortgage is given at Attacapas, Parish of St. Martin, on 6 Jan 1811, by Henry & Martha HERGEROEDER.

2. ↑ U.S. federal census
   Microfilm M252, Roll 10, p. 36 (24).

   Maxille BOURG:
   Free White Males Free White Females Other Slaves
   0-9 10-15 16-25 26-44 45+ 0-9 10-15 16-25 26-44 45+
   0 0 2 2 1 2 0 1 1 0 0 1
   [Maxille is around 32 years old, with wife 28, and two daughters under 10. Yhe older man over 45 is probably his wife Caroline's father, Heinrich Gerhard RENTROP, now a widower around age 50. There is also one slave.]

3. ↑ Will
   Succession No. 214.

   A handwritten letter directed at the top to "My Son Henry," apparently accompanied the last will & testament dated 1 May 1828 [filed between pp. 6 & 7 of the succession packet] .
   "I think it is not necessary to give my last will & testament in strangers hand. I give it in your hand. I think it would be good to take two good citicen in this parish by opening my last will and testament, that would prevent to be any difficulty amongst the heirs, on my part I would wish to take Mr. George Royster for one of them a gentelman of good knowledge for such bisness, and you call for Maxill Bourg, and you administrate yourself for the children of the deceased Frid: Rentrop."
   "I wrote this after I done written my last will & testament. the first May 1828. and signed with my own hand written. Henry Rentrop."
   The will itself, comprising pp. 3 and its reverse in the probate packet, reads:
   "The last will & testament of Henry Rentrop resident in Attakapas parish St. Mary, State of Luisiana [sic], the first May one thousand eight-hundred and twenty eight."
   "I Henry Rentrop considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being of sound mind and memory /blessed be allmighty god for the same/ do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following/ that is to say/ on the account that I, got no more then two slaves vs. Sanders and Isabel, and there is three heirs for it, vs. Madam Maxil Bourg, Pittre H. Rentrop, and the famille of the deceased Frif: Rentrop."
   "My desire is that the said slaves may stay on the place, that my son Henry may take them for himself and be estimated the value of them and my son Henry give the third part of the estimation to my grandchildren of M'd Maxil Bourg, and the same to my grandchildren of the deceased Frid: Rentrop, and the same to my grandchildren of himself."
   "My desire is, that my smal property may be divided amongst my grandchildren. Sanders is an old sikly slave: and Isabel is not very healty [sic], so I wish that they may not fall out of a good masters hand in a severe hand."
   "Item. I give and bequeath to my grandson Valsin H. Rentrop the son of Peter H. Rentrop,
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   [reverse of p. 3]
   my Desk and all my Books, and my silver watch. And this is all my property belong[ing] to me. Kitchen, and hous furniture, I got n[?] my bedding and my clothing I give that [to] my Servant / Betty/ Item. I desire that Betty may stay in the same house so lon[g as] she lives and after that it belongs to my [son] Petre H. Rentrop."
   "Item it is my desire to give and bequ[eathe] to my three grandchildren vz. Rosaly Hono[rine] and Edmond, the children of Maxile Bou[rg], one tract of land, of two arpents in fron[t] with the ordinary dept, and with the build[ings] on it, adjoining below at the Canal l..[?] down to the Lake Werret, and above to the land of Maxill Bourg in the Fourche Pa[rish of] Assomption, a tract of land which I bou[ght] on Sherifs Sale."
   "So long as this my last will & testa[ment] is a smal heirship, I consider myse[lf] that it may be not necessary to troub[le] me about any witness. My children have no doubt of my hand writtings, [or?] my signature."
   "Signed by my own hand the day and year above written Henry Rentrop."
   A marginal note reads: "Opened & filed this 10th of May 1832. Joshua Baker, Probate Judge of St. Mary. Witnesses, Henry Knight [made mark]; Nath'l M. Cochran."
   
   

4. ↑ Donald J. Hébert. Southwest Louisiana Records, 1750-1900: compact disk number 101. (Rayne, LA: Hébert Publications, 2001).

   RENTROP, Henry Succ. dated 10 May 1832 (Frank. Ct. Hse.: Succ. # 214)

5. ↑ Mary Elizabeth Sanders. Annotated Abstracts of the Successions of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. (1972)
   pp. 116-117.

   Estate #214, will lists heirs as grandchildren of decedent's three children, one of them Caroline RENTROP, Madam Maxil BOURG.

6. ↑ Donald J. Hebert. Southwest Louisiana Records, vol. 3. (Eunice, LA, Author, 1976)
   p. 543.

   Henry RENTROP, succession record is dated 10 May 1832 in the St. Mary Parish Court House, Franklin, LA (Frank.Ct.Hse.: Succ. #214).

7. ↑ St. Mary Genealogical and Historical Society. St. Mary Links. (St. Mary Parish, LA)
   vol. 13, no. 4 (winter 1997), pp. 35-37.
   1. 214, for Henry RENTROP, deceased, signed on 1 May 1828, filing dated 10 May 1832.
      His will names as heirs his grandchildren (the children of his three children: Caroline RENTROP, now Madam Maxil BOURG; Peter H. RENTROP; and Frederick William RENTROP. No witnesses, no executor named. It mentions real estate in Assumption Parish. Appraisers Nathaniel M. COCHRAN & Henry KNIGHT were appointed on 10 May 1832.
      On 7 Jul 1832 son Peter Henry RENTROP petitions, says decedant died at his residence. An inventory was made there.
      On 8 Jul 1835 [there is litigation in connection with this succession], Caroline RENTROP is a resident of Mobile, AL, separated (as of 25 May 1822) from husband Maxil BOURG of Assumption Parish.
      

   Article by Mary Elizabeth Sanders titled: "Annotated Abstracts of the Successions of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana."

8. ↑ St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, Courthouse. Succession Record
   Succession # 214.

   Includes the will of Henry RENTROP and a copy of the marriage separation decree granted to his daughter Carolina RENTROP vs. Maxil BOURG dated 25 May 1822. There were three slaves in the estate (Sam, Saunders [Sanders] and Isabel), but the local property had already gone to Peter H. RENTROP. A piece of land in Assumption Parish [estimated separately at $1,200] was left to Henry's grandchildren [children of Caroline, named]. A watch and desk were left to Valsin H. RENTROP, grandson [son of Peter H. RENTROP].
   His servant Betty, a colored [mulatto] woman Henry freed on 4 Nov 1819 [he bought her on 8 Mar 1813 at age 35], was to get a substantial amount of money [$538] for past wages and loans, plus the kitchen and house furniture and bedding and the right to remain in the house as long as she lived. The estate was not finally distributed until 26 May 1836, after long court appeals.
   The total value of the estate was estimated at $1,067.25. A public auction was held on 21 Apr 1834 at the residence of Peter Henry Rentrop on Berwicks Bay, St. Mary Parish, LA. The three slaves were to be sold, household furniture, and other moveables.
   The slave Sam, a Negro man aged 24 years, was sold to Joseph Berwick for $850; Sanders, a Negro man aged 52, diseased and decrepid [sic] was sold to Peter Henry Rentrop for $50; Isabel, an old Negro woman, also diseased and decrepid, was also sold to Peter Henry Rentrop for $25. Valsain Rentrop bought the silver watch his grandfather willed to him, for $15. Some bed & Bedding, and crockery, were also bought by Peter Henry Rentrop for $21.50 [but were these to go to Betty?]. The amount finally received from the sale was $1,005.25.

   From St. Mary Parish, LA, Courthouse, a 61-page photocopy in possession of Karen Theriot READER.