Martin Donato (Bello) Donato (abt. 1756 - 1848)

Descendants

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Slaves 1.2 Named enslaved children, freed by 1846 will 2 Research Notes 3 Sources

Biography

Martin Donato Bello, a free man of color and son of Donato Bello of Naples, Italy and Marie Jeanne Taillerer, a free woman of color, was born in French New Orleans about 1756. His parents' relationship was likely one of plaçage, as they could not legally wed under the French Code Noir. His father later married a white woman, Susanne Moreau, with whom he had six known children. But his father had at least three known children with Marie Jeanne, including Martin's sisters, Marie Celeste^[1] and Catherine Victoire Bello. His father couldn't marry his mother, but he could, and did, provide for his children, educating them and giving them the means to provide for themselves and marry well.

Martin Donato grew up wealthy and built the Martin Donato House, a French Creole plantation cottage c.1825 that is a nationally registered historic building in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, significant because it

embodies the economic attainment of an important ethnic group in antebellum St. Landry - the gens de couleur libres, or free people of color. Specifically it was home to the Donato family, the most prosperous free people of color family in the parish.^[2][3]

Years before their official marriages (both civil and parochial) in 1800^[1] and 1803,^[4] Martin Donato Bello and Marianne Castillion, also known as Marianne Duchesne, started their family, probably en plaçage; on 6 October 1784, Lucien Donato's birth was recorded at St. Landry Catholic Church in Opelousas, Louisiana.^[4] Martin married Marianne first by the priest of St. Landry Catholic Church in 1800.^[1] There was another marriage to Marianne in 1803,^[4] the civil counterpart to the church marriage in 1800 (-- although the civil marriage or license generally precedes the church marriage). Note that in the first marriage record, Marianne "Castillon's" father is listed as "'comexciante'[sic] from New Orleans," whereas in the second, Marianne "Duchesne's" father is from "Picardie," France; both records describe her mother as "negresse from New Orleans" named "Nanette." "Comexciante" is a botched transcription of "comeciante"--or merchant, and New Orleans was where he then lived. "Nanette" was the French version of "Nancy," and both were popular nicknames for the name Anne.

Martin Donato fathered two sets of children, at least seven by the woman who became his wife in 1803, and at least an equal number by an enslaved mulatto woman he owned named Julie. She and their children are freed in his September 1847 will, and financial arrangements are made for them. Julie was 32 and the children ranged in age from 1 to 14. Donato's wife had died in 1832. At the time of his death January 1, 1848, Julie was living with him. (In his will Donato makes reference to the furniture in Julie's room belonging to her.)^[3]

Known children of Martin and Marianne:

1. Martin Lucien Donato (1784)^[5][6][7][8]
2. Dioniza Donato (c.1786)^[9]
3. Antoine Martin Celestin Donato (c.1790)^[10]
4. Celeste Donato (1794)^[1]
5. Auguste Donato (c.1797)^[11]
6. Marie Louise Donato (c.1797)^[12]
7. Edmond Donato (1806- bef. 1848)^[4][13]

Slaves

From a March 1803 pre-nuptial inventory:^[14]

1. Bambara nègre named Grégoire, age 40
2. Congo nègre named Michel, age 24
3. Congo nègre named Bauhus, age 40
4. Congo négresse named Agathe, age 30
5. Créole nègre named Lubin, son of Agathe, age 2

From Louisiana Historic and Cultural Vistas:

Martin Donato-Bello, de couleur libre, was born in 1756, probably in New Orleans, to Donato Bello of the Kingdom of Naples, and to Marie-Jeanne Taillefer, quarteronne libre, native of New Orleans. Georges Boulard above is his step-father.

Martin parochially married 21 April 1800 Marianne Duchesne, also known as Marianne Castillon mulâtresse libre, native of New Orleans, daughter of Louis Duchesne, a merchant in New Orleans from France, and Anne “Nanette” St-Laurent, négresse libre, native of New Orleans, formerly a slave of Laurent Lérable dit St-Laurent: Église Saint-Landry des Opélousas [St. Landry Catholic Church], marriages, vol. 1, no. 103. The couple married civilly on 16 March 1803 at the Opélousas Post: Louisiana State Archives and Records, Opelousas, 1803. To the civil marriage came dowries and acknowledgments: The bride acknowledges 2 natural children prior to her cohabitation with Bello, namely: Auguste Piernas and Marie-Louise Allain. Groom’s assets: (1) 5,000 piastres, some of which is lent out (2) 150 Bulls valued at 1,200 piastres (3) 1 boat with brand new rigging at 500 piastres (4) 1 old barge at 100 piastres (5) 1 tract of land measuring 20 arpents by 40 arpents depth on Coulée de Sonneliers in Bois Mallet with a ranch and storage house measuring 22 feet by 16 feet at 500 piastres (6) 450 horned farm animals at 2,250 piastres (7) 26 horses at 1,040 piastres (8) 50 pack horses at 750 piastres (9) 1 plantation measuring 11 arpents by 40 arpents, with 1 ground-level home surrounded by a veranda measuring 50 feet in length, and 1 brand new cotton mill all valued at 4,700 piastres (10) 1 Bambara nègre named Grégoire, age 40, at 750 piastres (11) 1 Congo nègre named Michel, age 24, at 900 piastres (12) 1 Congo nègre named Bauhus, age 40, at 450 piastres (13) 1 Congo négresse named Agathe, age 30, at 300 piastres (14) 1 Créole nègre named Lubin, son of Agathe, age 2, at 150 piastres (15) 4 Silver place sets (16) 1 Silver soup spoon (17) 2 horse carriages (18) 1 bull carriage (19) 2 calèches (open horse-drawn carriages) (20) 3 bull plows (21) Household goods. Estimated value of groom’s assets: 18,590 piastres. Bride’s assets: (1) 50 horned farm animals at 250 piastres (2) 100 piastres cash from aunt Marie Castillon and cousin Edmond Simon (3) 30 bulls at 240 piastres (4) 4 horses at 160 piastres (5) 10 pack horses at 150 piastres (6) 4 Silver place sets (7) 1 Silver spoon at 35 piastres (8) 1,600 piastres of coins from Mexico. Estimated value of bride’s assets: 2,535 piastres. Marie Castillon, mulâtresse libre, wife of Nicolas Simon, dit Larouille below, was Marianne’s maternal aunt.

Martin died 1st January 1848 in St. Landry Parish, age 92: St. Landry Catholic Church, sépultures, vol. 2, p. 50. Martin’s succession is dated 7th January 1848: St. Landry Court House, Clerk of Court’s Office, successions, no. 1339; Louisiana State Archives and Records, Opelousas, 1848.^[15]

From the National Park Service Register of Historic Places:

In the early 1800s Donate landholdings grew considerably, and as his land under cultivation increased, so did the number of enslaved people he owned. In 1803, he and his wife owned approximately 2,142 acres and three slaves. By 1818, Donate owned 5,096 acres worked by forty-nine slaves. At the time of his death on January 1, 1848, he owned ninety slaves (per his probate inventory), making him one of the very largest black slaveholders in the United States. This does not include the twelve slaves he freed in his will. (One source, with statistics for the year 1830, identifies Donato as the largest black slaveholder in Louisiana and the third largest in the country.) His voluminous probate (over 100 pages) valued his estate at $96,620.54.^[3]

Named enslaved children, freed by 1846 will

From Alex Lee's Martin Donato of St. Landry Parish:

On September 2, 1846, Martin Donato wrote a last will and testament. Immediately after his death, he wanted to give freedom to these following slaves to-wit:

Julie [Julie "Raphael," Martin's "concubine," according to Lee's research], age about 32 years, and her ["their"] seven children, to-wit:

1. Eugenie, age about 14 years,
2. Emile, age about 12 years;
3. Uranie, age about 11 years;
4. Felicianne and
5. Felicie, twin sisters, age about 8 years;
6. Philomene, age about 4 years; and
7. Didier, age about 1 year 3 months;

and to [his son's] daughters with Celeste:

• Meurice &
• Olympie, twin sisters age about twenty years; and to
• Marie Jeanne, daughter of Olympie, age about 2 years, more or less. In consideration of the recommendation that was made to Martin by his deceased son Edmond Donato, Martin also gave freedom to his mulatto slave named
• Leon, age about 19 years (son of Rosine.)

Martin Donato also mentioned the free status that was given to

• Sabin Donato (son of negresse Celeste) who was given his freedom at birth by Martin and his deceased wife. Martin Donato also firmly declared that if any of his heirs would contest his wishes, they would be disinherited.^[16]

Martin Donato Bello died at age 92 on 2 January 1848; his death was recorded St. Landry Catholic Church in Opelousas, Louisiana.^[4]

Research Notes

According to a descendant, Martin or his son, Francois [or?] Auguste, had a relationship with Celeste, an enslaved woman of Martin's household, with whom Francois had at least two (the twin girls)^[17] of his four enslaved children:

1. Sabin Donato (c.1813) m. Magdeleine Robin^[18]
2. Meurice Donato (c.1815? or c.1825?), a twin
3. Olympe Donato (c.1815? or c.1825?), a twin ^[19]
4. Rosalie Donato

Sabin's marriage record strongly suggests that Martin was NOT the father of Sabin (but may well have been the paternal grandfather).^[18]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Rev. Donald J. Hebert, Southwest Louisiana Records, Vol. 33 Supplement, Mixed Records (1903-1953), Slave/Black Records (1765-1886) Corrections & Additions (1756-1904), ("SWLR, vol. 33") (Baton Rouge, LA: Claitor's Publishing Div., 2008) pp. 138, 157-158;
   • Sister

   DONATO Celeste - quarteronne libre (Donato BELLO & Marie Jeanne, mulatresse libre) m. 8 Feb. 1796 Jean Baptiste MEILLON, mulatre libre (Opel. Ch.: v.1, p.43)

   
   
   • Church Marriage:

   CASTILLON, Marianne -- quateronne libre (Mr. CASTILLON, comexciante from New Orleans & Nanette, negresse libre) m. 21 April 1800 Martin DONATO, quarteron libre (Opel. Ch.: v.1, p.103)

   DONATO, Martin quarteron libre (Donato BELLO, captain of the militia & Marie Jeanne , mulatresse libre) m. 21 April 1800 Marianne CASTILLON, quarteronne libre (Opel. Ch.: v.1, p.103)

   • Child:

   DONATO, Celeste -- quarteronne libre (color pardo) (Martin DONATO, quarteron libre & Marianne CASTILLON) b. 9 Oct. 1794 (Opel Ch.: v.1 p.38)

2. ↑ Historic building: Wikipedia contributors, "Martin Donato House," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Martin Donato House (accessed May 7, 2021); citing sources.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Historic building: National Park Service Certification of Registration, National Registration of Historic Places, citing sources.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} Donald J. Hébert, Southwest Louisiana Records, 1750-1900, compact disk #101 ("SWLR CD"), (Rayne, LA: Hébert Publications, 2001; reprints by Claitor's Publications);
   • Child:

   "DONATO, Martin Lucien (Martin DONATE, carteron libre & Marianne CASTILLON) b. 6 Oct. 1784, bt. 15 Jan. 1785 Spons: George BOULE, mulatre libre & Celeste DONATE. Fr. GEFFROTIN (Opel. Ch.: Folio OA, p.55)

   • Civil Marriage:

   "BELLO, Martin Donato (Donato & Marie Jeanne TAILLEFER) m. 16 March 1803 Marianne DUCHESNE (LSAR: Opel.: 1803)

   "DUCHESNE, Mariane (Louis & Nanette ST. LAURENT, negresse of NO) m. 16 March 1803 Martin Donato BELLO (LSAR: Opel.: 1803)

   • Child:

   "DONATO, Edmond (Martin, quarteron libre & Marie DUCHESNE, quarterone libre - of New Orleans, and now living in Opelousas) b. 17 Nov. 1806, bt. 24 Nov. 1809 at the residence of Martin DONATO - called to Opelousas in the absence of the priest. Pats: Donato BELLO - of Naples & Marie Jeanne TAILLEFER, quarterone libre - of New Orleans; Mats: Louis DUCHESNE - of Picardie & Anne ---- of New Orleans; Spons: Antoine Celestin Martin DONATO & Marie Louise DONATO - his sister. Fr. Michel Bernard BARRIERE (SM Ch.: Folio E, p.133).

   • Death, succession:

   "BELLO, Martin Donato d. 2 Jan. 1848 at age 92 yrs. (Opel. Ch.: v.2, p.50).

   "DONATO, Martin Succ. date 7 Jan 1848 (Opel Ct. Hse: Succ #1339).

5. ↑ Child's birth:
   • "Louisiana Births and Christenings, 1811-1830, 1854-1934", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HS5R-CGN2 : 14 January 2020), Martin Donate in entry for Luc Martin Donate, 1784. [same as below]
   • Hébert, SWLR, CD;

   DONATO, Martin Lucien (Martin DONATE, carteron libre & Marianne CASTILLON) b. 6 Oct. 1784, bt. 15 Jan. 1785 Spons: George BOULE, mulatre libre & Celeste DONATE. Fr. GEFFROTIN (Opel. Ch.: Folio OA, p.55)

6. ↑ Child's marriage: Hebert, SWLR, vol. 33, p. 158;

   DONATO, Lucien (Martin DONATO & Marie Anne DUCHESNES) m. 12 Feb. 1811 Manette BALQUIER (Opel. Ch.: v.1, p.280)

7. ↑ Grandchild: Hebert, SWLR, vol. 33, p. 158;

   DONATO, Lucien quarteron libre (Lucien DONATO & Anne BALQUIER, quarterons libres), bt. 1816. Paternal grandparents are: Martin DONATO BELLO & d. Marianne DUCHESNE, of New Orleans. The maternal grandparents are: Joseph BALQUIR of pointe Coupee & Marie Francoise LAURENS. All of these are mulatoes or free quarteroons (Opel. Ch.: v.2, p.6)

8. ↑ Grandchild: "Louisiana Births and Christenings, 1811-1830, 1854-1934", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HS5B-VYT2 : 14 January 2020), Martin Donat in entry for Lucien Donat, 1816. This is Martin's grandson, son of Lucien Donato.
9. ↑ Child's marriage: Hebert, SWLR, vol. 33, p.157;

   DONATO, Dioniza quarteronne libre (Martin DONATO & Marie Anne DUCHESNE- quarteronnes libres) m. 1 March 1802 Francois Donato LEMELLE, quarteron libre (Opel. Ch.: v.1, p.141)

10. ↑
    Child's marriage: Hébert, SWLR CD;

    "BELLO, Antoine Martin Celestin Donato - native of this parish (major son of Martin Donato BELLO & Marianne DUCHAINE) m. 10 May 1820 Anne PALLIET [PAILLET] - native of this parish (major daughter of Antoine & Felicite ORSAL) Wits: Francois LEMELLE, Louis FRILEAU [FRILOT], Valerien OSENDE [OZENNE], Joseph BALQUET [BALQUE]. Fr. Flavius Henri ROSSI (Opel.Ch.: v.1-B, p.354-A)

11. ↑
    Child's marriage: Hébert, SWLR, vol. 33, p.156;

    DONATO BELLO, Auguste (Martin DONATO BELLO & Marianne DUSCHAISNE) m. 4 Dec.1827 Marie Denyse MEILLON (Opel. Ch.: v.2, p.73)

12. ↑ Child, Sponsor at her brother's baptism: Hébert, SWLR CD;

    "DONATO, Edmond (Martin, quarteron libre & Marie DUCHESNE, quarterone libre - of New Orleans, and now living in Opelousas) b. 17 Nov. 1806, bt. 24 Nov. 1809 at the residence of Martin DONATO - called to Opelousas in the absence of the priest. Pats: Donato BELLO - of Naples & Marie Jeanne TAILLEFER, quarterone libre - of New Orleans; Mats: Louis DUCHESNE - of Picardie & Anne ---- of New Orleans; Spons: Antoine Celestin Martin DONATO & Marie Louise DONATO - his sister. Fr. Michel Bernard BARRIERE (SM Ch.: Folio E, p.133).

13. ↑ Hebert, SWLR, vol.33, p. 157;
    Child's birth:
    • DONATO, Edmond quarteron libre (Martin DONATO & Marie Anne DUCHESNE) b. 17 Oct. 1806 (Opel. Ch.: v.1, p.263)
      
    Child's marriage:
    • DONATO, Edmond (Martin DONATO BELLO & Marianne DUSCHAINE) m. 8 Feb. 1831 Aimee GRADENIGO (Opel. Ch.: v.2, p.104)
    Grandchild:
    • DONATO, Edmon (Edmon DONATO & Aimee GRADENIGO) Paternal grandparents are: Martin DONATO BELLO & d. Marianne DUCHAINE. Maternal grandparents are: Joseph GRADENIGO & Aidelaide LEMELLE. b. 3 Jan. 1831; bt. 9 Aug. 1832 (Opel. Ch.: v.2, p.130)
14. ↑ Louisiana Historic and Cultural Vistas, citing "Groom's assets," Louisiana Marriages, Louisiana State Archives and Records, Opelousas, 1803.
15. ↑
    Article, citing sources: Louisiana Historic and Cultural Vistas, Internet Blog, 1792 Opelousas census, citing "Liste des Mulâtres et Nègres libres du Poste des Opéloussas" (Opélousas Post Census of Free Mulâtres and Nègres), footnote 2.
16. ↑ Article: Alex Lee, Martin Donato of St. Landry Parish, Creole Gen.org.
17. ↑ https://rsam1979.medium.com/the-donatos-of-st-landry-parish-de2ecf040c4b
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} Hebert, SWLRvol33, p. 158: Child of household (grandson?):

    DONATO, Sabin (Louis JADOIN & Celeste -esclave a Martin DONATO) m. 6 Sept. 1838 Magdeleine ROBIN - of Attakapas (Opel. Ch.: v.3, p.5)

19. ↑ https://rsam1979.medium.com/the-donatos-of-st-landry-parish-de2ecf040c4b

• 1810 United States Census

See Also:

• Carl Brasseux, Creoles of Color in the Bayou Country, (Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi, 2012)
• Donato Family Papers
• Sidney J. Lemelle, '"The 'Circum-Caribbean' and the Continuity of Cultures: The Donato Colony in Mexico,1830-1860," in The Journal of Pan African Studies, vol.6, no.1, July 2013, pp. 62-75.