Signed Note Confirming Ownership of a House at Ferney

What it is

This is a signed certificate dated 2 October 1774 at Ferney, written in the hand of Voltaire's secretary Wagnière but signed by Voltaire himself. It certifies that a house built by a local man named Perrachon, where a surgeon named Pouble lived, had been built with Perrachon's own money and belonged to him.

Why it matters

This document shows Voltaire not just as a famous writer but as a landowner and prominent figure in the small town of Ferney, where he lived his later years. His willingness to certify local property matters shows the respected, almost official role he held in the community, alongside the people named in the document, Perrachon and Pouble.

Look closer

• Why might people in Ferney ask Voltaire specifically to certify this kind of local matter?
• What does the handwriting by his secretary, with Voltaire's own signature, tell you about how he worked?
• What does this everyday document add to our picture of Voltaire beyond his famous writings?