On the French frigate of Captain Lauwereins (or, Lowereins) had set sail from New Orleans with Juan (or Jean) Valentin Bobé, his wife Maria Henrieta D'Orgon (Mme Devergés grand-daughter) and his mother-in-law Magdalena Devergés, widow D'Orgon (Mme Devergés daughter). The ship was wrecked off the Isla del Matir, and all the passengers and crew were presumed dead as no survivors had been found. Mme Devergés presented a claim against Bobé's estate for 8,000 pesos, the value of her grand-daughter's dowry, Antonio Thomassin, executor of Bobé's estate, countered with the argument that, first, there was no proof of Bobé's death and he must therefore be considered missing and second, the law prohibited the partition of property of missing persons for ten years. The group of documents included petitions, testimony of witnesses, copies of documents, orders, and certifications.