Louis Gex Oboussier
Louis Gex Oboussier (1771-1845) was born in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. He came to this country in 1804 with his wife and family. He purchased 319 acres along Indian Creek, renamed Venoge, by the Swiss after a river in their native land. Gex Oboussier grew grapes, planted orchards and farmed. He also held a license to sell spirits. The cottage we call Venoge was built on his property c.1814. In 1824 he moved to New Harmony, Indiana, drawn by the Harmonist Community and eventually became their postmaster.
The house pictured above is the two story house Gex Oboussier had built for himself in the French manner c.1804, on the high bank above the Ohio River. It burned in 1906.
Will of Louis Gex Oboussier
The undersigned Louis Gex Oboussier, with a view to regulate the small worldly affairs which have fallen to my lot, name as heirs and legatees in my succession each one in proportion determined as follows, My dear children: Antoine Gex, Louise Agniel, Felicia Sanders payable to Antoine Gex who will dispose thereof for his sister, her children, Sanders V. Columbine Pelham, to each one $800 making the 4/5s of the bond in my favor of Four thousand dollars due by Agniel & Son to Lucien Gex $400, the principle of this last sum revertible after the death of Nanette Flugel to those of her brothers of sisters, who shall stand the most in need thereof, according to the judgment and decision of my Administrators.
Out of the sum of $392.18 the on account current by C. Agneil & Son to my estate, settled of the 7th of January last and that which shall accrue afterwards and in the contribution of principle and interest of this account current, I desire there may be paid the objects and legacies as follows:
1 st $41.50 to Mr. Juste Vairin the amount of a memorandum of that sum due by J.G. Flugel to Jean Pierre Vairin … and which I directed to be deducted from the portion of Nanette Flugel in my estate.
2nd A legacy which I make to Catherine Bardy, not as compensation for her service which I have paid and settled at the time, but as a slight mark of gratitude for her disinterestedness in relations, $25
I bequeath to my dear grandson Charles Agniel, my shaving apparatus such as all my razors, straps, hone and all that belongs to shaving.
I bequeath to my dear grandson Jean Pierre Vairin, my traveling desk with clover formed key, as remembrance of their grandfather.
I bequeath to my dear daughter Louise Agniel, my gold watch as being the same I carried at the time of my marriage with her mother (I have had this watch since 1782)
I bequeath to my very dear daughter Columbine Pellham, my silver repeater, all that remains of my plate. All that shall remain of bed … and other effects such as furniture and household utensils kept with her mother or acquired since.
All the articles of … and clothing all sorts for the use of my own person, all my tools of whatever sort they may be as well for writing as for working in wood and for the garden, praying her husband and grandson to dispose of these tools either for himself or for his children as he shall think proper.
I name for administrator of my estate and executors of my will my grandsons Camille Agniel and William C. Pellham, co-jointly and separately. I beg and charge them to dispose of my library in favor of my 6 heirs before named, to the greatest advantage of all in regard to value in the same proportion as my estate is assigned to them.
If any one of my children desires a complete work the price of which shall exceed that proportion my administrators shall have the right to compensate such value as they shall judge proper and in general dispose of the rest of my books in the manner as to them shall seem the most suitable.