Other (Brown/Smith)

On October 8, 1804, a dispute between William Brown, an overseer in Liberty County, and James Smith, a planter of Liberty County, was resolved by arbitrators. James Smith had hired William Brown as an overseer “for the purpose of managing the Slaves on the plantation called Westfield,” but Smith objected to something unstated about Brown’s conduct as overseer and refused to pay him. After reaching an agreement to abide by the decision of arbitrators, Brown chose Daniel Stewart and William Lambright, and Smith chose Joseph Jones and Nathaniel Law. 

The four arbitrators decided that William Brown “should draw a share for each of his negroes (say two) and that he should be allowed payment for his wages as long as he continued in the employment of the sd [said] Smith previous to their dispute say seven months &  a half agreeable to the agreement now before us and it is further understood that the said Brown shall have nothing to do with the management of the Plantation of Westfield and that his authority over the negroes shall immediately cease, but to be allowed the priviledge of continuing on the said plantation until the crop is harvested which we imagine will be in the course of twenty days after which period it is presumable that a division of the crop between the parties will take place and the said Brown is to depart the plantation after the expiration of the sd twenty days from the date of this award otherwise a forfeiture of his bond. The keys and all the plantation utensils to be given up immediately by the sd Brown.” 

Recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on October 9, 1804.