Ville de Fonds-des-Nègres, Fonds-des-Nègres Center, Nippes, Haiti, is the central business district of Fonds-des-Nègres and is located along Route Nationale 2.
Ville de Fonds-des-Nègres
About[]
The town center is located on the plateau of the same name which extends from Morne Bossé via Demizaine, Cadiak, Pillard, Didier, Pemel, Pont Roche, Rivière-Sèche, Grande-Savane, Morne Brice, Virgil, and Caillou to Morne Coma, along the Route Nationale 2. The municipality itself extends from Cadiak, a locality that separates it from the municipality of Miragoâne, until Morne Brice, limited by the commune of Aquin by the bridge over the river "Dlo Rouge".
History[]
From an ancient site of Indian villages, the settlers moved inland after the signing of the Ryswick Treaty, where they discovered a suitable location for settlement and agriculture. They converted this area into plantations, and the names of these early plantations continue to be reflected in the property titles of the modern city.
• In 1767, Paul Carenan, a free mulatto, purchased an indigo plantation in a valley near the fertile parish of Fonds des Nègres. He spent 130,000 livres* on the estate and its 60 slaves, marking it as the most significant acquisition by a free person of color in the area during the 1760s. The notary referred to Carenan as “Sieur” in the sales document. However, three years later, the Port-au-Prince Council ruled that Paul Carenan was a slave. Since his manumission papers were never officially recorded, all his contracts, including his purchases, were declared invalid. This slave owner was to become the property of the court.
Within three weeks, the council changed its decision after an appeal from Marie Jeanne Delaunay, Carenan’s legitimate wife for thirteen years and mother of his six children. While she did not dispute the court's authority to revoke her husband’s freedom, Delaunay pointed out that Carenan had lived as a free man for forty years, had acted as a free citizen, and had a lawful marriage, which should have protected him from such legal actions. Paul Carenan’s situation highlights three key aspects of the experience of free people of color in the 1760s.
First, it reveals his perception of his status in colonial society. He was a respected individual with influential connections, as his plantation had once belonged to Denis Carenan, likely his father. This sense of security led Carenan to overlook the necessity of government approval for his freedom. Second, the incident reflects the growing tensions between white individuals and free people of color in the 1770s. In Carenan’s case, the issue was not local but arose from the efforts of Port-au-Prince officials to assert control over wealthy free people of color.
*1,000 livres was worth about $180.00 USD; 130,000 livres = $24,300 USD; $24,300 (1767) = $970,795 (2024). [1]
• In 1800, as Rigaud's army retreated to the South and after capturing Miragoâne, Dessalines established his headquarters at the Muzaine estate. During his stay, he fell ill, a condition that nearly led to his demise. On June 28, he received news that the Southern army was occupying the Fond des Nègres plain, equipped with artillery, and that the infantry was advancing its outposts close to Muzaine. Rigaud arrived from Les Cayes to take command of his troops, numbering 800 men. Aware of Rigaud's intentions, Dessalines took precautionary measures. On June 29, while suffering from a serious illness, he entrusted the command to Colonel Dommage, remaining at Muzaine with a few regiments.
Localities[]
The Linoncourt settlement which represents the current town center, including the localities of Lina, La Sucrerie, Corail, Grande-Savane, Ninval, Corosse, Colo, Mingrette, Lindor, Michaud, Baron, and Morne Brice are part of this area.
Further up is the Butête habitation, which gathers the districts of Butête, Pont-Roche, and Guillaume and The Pimel or Pémel (today Pémerle, since 2003) which extends on Pemel, Violette, Kadette, Nan Mirand, and Jovange.
Neighboring sections
| North 2e Morne-Brice |
Northeast  3e Pémerle | |
|---|---|---|
Fonds-des-Nègres |
||
| Southwest 8e C.A. Mongons, AQN, SD Sud Dept. |
Southeast 10e Guirand, AQN, SD Sud Dept. |
References[]
"Before Haiti" - Freedom, Slavery, and the French Colonial State [2]