People Named: William Harrison, Peter Law, Jenny Bacon
[Begin Transcript]
Duplicate
Office of Agent
Of R.F. and A.L. for
Liberty County
This contract is
Approved by me
They not being first
Class hands
This the 3rd of March 1866
Wm. B. Gaulden
Agent B.R.F. & A.L.
Approved by Command of
[word] Genl Tillson
Theo. F. Forbes
Georgia, Liberty County } This contract entered into by William Harrison of the County and State aforesaid of the one part, and Peter (Law) and Jenny (Bacon) Freed persons of color, of the County and State aforesaid, of the other part. Witnesseth that the said William Harrison contracts and agrees to employ in his service for the term of one year from the date of this contract, the persons herein named, and for said service, the said Wm. Harrison agrees and contracts to pay the said Peter and his wife the sum of one hundred and forty four dollars or seven dollars per month for Peter and five dollars per month for his wife; and the said W. Harrison further agrees to furnish the said Peter and his wife and their child named Samuel with a competent supply of wholesome food, also to furnish a comfortable house for them to live in, also to allow the said Peter for the greater part of the year at least one day, namely Saturday, to cultivate for his own use and benefit a piece of land as extra, and in addition to his wages, and to furnish the said Peter as much land as he can cultivate in such extra time, and for the use of said land, he is not to pay any rent the present year, and further the said W.
[page appears to be missing]
…small acts of service in the family of said Harrison. (The said Peter and his wife are each over fifty years of age, and their child some nine or ten years of age, as near as can be ascertained.)
In witness whereof we the contracting parties have hereunto affixed our seals and signatures, this eighth day of January one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
W. Harrison
Peter Law [signed by mark]
Jenny Bacon [signed by mark]
In presence of
J.H. Brewer
Jesse Brewer, C.S.C.L.C.
[End Transcript]
Records of the U.S. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen & Abandoned Lands, Field Office Records for Georgia, Liberty County, 1866 Labor Contract between William Harrison and Peter Law and Jenny Bacon; digital database, Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/62309/images/004139868_00307), U.S., Freedmen’s Bureau Records, 1865-1878 -> Records of the Field Offices -> M1903 > 83, image 181-183; citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M1903, Roll 83.