Marquess de Auxillon's 1800s Property Tax Documents from Sauveterre, France

On offer is a collection of a minor French nobleman’s receipts and documents dated 1870 to 1873.

This collection of two dozen documents tell the tax story of the Auxillon (sometimes spelled Auxilhon)  property in the town of Sauveterre in southern France. 

The property in question is a castle built in the 16th century by the Auxillon family. To this day, the property is owned by descendants of the founding Auxillons. The Auxillion family originally came from the Picardy region of France. The original castle that sat  on the lot in Sauveterre had been destroyed in the early 1400’s and was sold as a ruin to the Auxillion family who rebuilt it over a number of years. 

During the French Revolution, it was looted by mobs when the owners fled for their lives. After the Restoration, the castle was returned to the family and it was reconstructed. These documents detail some of the various taxes that the family paid during the years 1870 to 1873. Some taxes are on the real property and chattels. Other taxes refer to road maintenance and upkeep. In 1870, the property belonged to Clemence Anne De Rocus de Cahuzac, the widow of Maximilien August de Gairaud d’Auxillon, the Marquis de Auxillon. He had passed away in 1860. The note is unaddressed and unsigned but appears to be a reply to an inquiry on tax amounts owing:

An excerpt of the note follows: 

Madame la Marquise d'Auxillon est imposee pour le vacants qu'elle jouit a 66Ff d'impot. Si le Counseil municipal n'avait pas egard a la grande quantite de vacants qu'elle jouit, elle devrait payer au tous des autres d'etenteurs de vacants la somme de 166Fr. 

[Translation: Madame la Marquise d'Auxillon is taxed for the vacancy she experiences at 66Ff of tax. If the City Council had not taken into consideration the large number of vacancies she experiences, she would have to pay to all the other vacancy holders the sum of 166Fr.]. 

The taxes she pays are, relative to average annual income, substantial, which suggests that the family is well off.

For an economist, these receipts are detailed and give a very good picture of part of the tax burden of owning such a property in France under Napoleon III. These were turbulent times as military tensions between France and Prussia were at an all-time high. In fact, during this year, war would break out between the two countries. France would suffer a humiliating defeat and this laid the foundations for WWI.

The collection includes a one page Note (8.5”x7”), 15 tax receipts of varying sizes and eight tax notices.