They Had Names

African Americans in Early Records of Liberty and Bryan Counties, Georgia

Post-War Labor Contract – St. Catherine’s Island (1866)

[Begin Transcript]

Contract

Between Messrs Winchester & Schuyler
Of St. Catherine’s Isle Liberty County
State of Georgia
And certain freedpeople of said Isle

Office Agent Bureau R.F. & A.L.
For St. Catherine’s Isle Liberty County
State of Georgia 1866
Approved: Wm. A. Perry, Agent

Know all Men by these presents that Messrs Winchester & Schuyler, St. Catherine’s Island of Liberty County, State of Georgia, held and firmly bound to the United States of America by these presents in this contract; that he is to furnish the persons whose names are subjoined, (freed laborers,) quarters, field, healthy and substantial rations, one bushel of corn, twelve lbs of bacon, one half gal. syrup, one pint of salt, [word] lbs of tobacco, per month. And medical attention which best [several words obscured] deducted from their portion of the crop. Also to furnish all farming implements horses, mules, and seeds to plant, And to give the undersigned Freed people, one third of the crop raised by them on said Plantation after paying of their part of the bagging, freighting and commission for disposing of the crop.

The said persons are to labor faithfully on his plantation, six days during the week, in the manner customary on a plantation; said persons to forfeit, in whole or in part, their wages, or their interest in the crop, in case they violate this contract.

All differences to be referred to an officer or agent of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, for Adjustment.

[Transcriber’s Note: Below signed by mark unless otherwise indicated. All names spelled as seen; some were difficult to read, and some surnames were spelled differently for different people even though they appeared to be the same name. There were two additional columns in the original; one was for age and was left blank and the other was for rate of pay, which seemed to be “one third of crop in all cases. There were notes appended to some names and those have been transcribed in parentheses. Names were also compared to the 1868 contract and notes have been made where differences in spelling were found.]]

No.Names
1George Werring
2Betty Werring
3Lucy Werring [Waring in 1868 contract]
4Andrew Werring
5Samson Albany [Sampson Albany in 1868 contract]
6Raechel [alt; Rachel] Albany
7Plasant [alt: Pleasant] Albany
8Francis Albany
9Sam Campbell [Samuel Campbell in 1868 contract]
10Ben Campbell
11Percilla Dixon
12Margret [alt: Margaret] Dixon
13Richard Dixon [spelled Dickson in 1868 contract]
14Simon Stone
15Moses Stone
16Delia Jackson
17? Febe ? [alt: Phoebe] Jackson (Dec’d April 20th)
18Ben Kill [Kell in 1868 contract]
19Elovia Kill
20Joseph Dixon [Joe Dickson in 1868 contract]
21Charlotte Gibson
22Samson Kill 
23John Boun [John Brown in 1868 contract]
24Cecilla [alt; Cecilia] Boun
25Scipio Mangin [Mongin in 1868 contract]
26Betty Mangin
27Matilda Mangin
28Barlow Malone
29Jane Malone
30Glascow Boun (out of the contract) [Glasgow Brown in 1868 contract]
31Mary Kill
32John Kill
33Samson Stone
34Ring [or Riny] Grayson
35Dolly Grayson
36Aaron Grayson
37Milly Grayson
38Smart Grayson
39Hannah Grayson
40Tyas Grayson
41London Grayson
42James Sams
43Flora Sams
44Lucretia Grayson
45Flander Grayson
46Robert Grayson [Bob Grason in 1868 contract]
47Moses Campbell
48Brutus Campbell
49Frances Coe
50Rebecia [alt; Rebecca] Coe
51Pompey Grayson [Pompey Grason in 1868 contract]
52Didia Grayson
53Dye [alt: Die] Grayson
54Samuel Grayson
55Benjago Grayson
56Bina Grayson (died May 15th)
57Joseph Morningstar [Joe Morningstar in 1868 contract]
58Silvey Morningstar
59Henry Mangin [Mungin in 1868 contract]
60Mary Mangin
61Maria Boun
62Mary Boun
63Dublin Battice
64Diana Battice
65Robert Frazier
66Peter Stone
67Dolly Stone
68Evan Great [Evin Grate in 1868 contract]
69Cathrine Great [alt: Grate]
70Samuel Great [alt: Grate]
71Grace Great [alt: Grate]
72Jane Great [alt: Grate]
73Scipio Albany
74Elizabeth Albany (died 8th of May)
75Hester Barnwell
76Maria Casanda (died May 16th)
77Claranda [alt: Clarinda] Casanda [alt: Cassandra]
78John Battice
79An [Ann] Mary Battice
80Joseph Battice
81Fanny Sherman
82Lucinda Sherman
83Abby Sherman
84Andrew Shedd [surname spelled Shea in 1868 contract]
85Pusey Shedd
86Ishmel [alt: Ishmael] Shedd [surname spelled Shea in 1868 contract]
87Dick Shedd 
88Louis Shedd
89Money Boun [Money Bowen in 1866 contract]
90Ben Boun
91John Green
92William Graham
93Percilla Graham
94Daniel Graham
95George Graham
96Diana Graham
97Harry Battice
98Nancy Battice
99Hester Johnson
100Susan Johnson
101Percilla Johnson
102Anthony Doughty (died April 22d 1866)
103Phebe [alt: Phoebe] Doughty
104Solomon Doughty
105James Richards (out of the contract)
106Elcia Richards [spelled Elsy in 1868 contract]
107Betsy Richards
108July Boun
109Phillis Boun
110Jonas Boun
111Thomas Sherman
112Jane Sherman
113Cato Collic [alt: Kollock]
114Jonas Colman [alt: Coleman]
115Eliza Colman [alt: Coleman]
116Lydia Young
117Andrew Mangin [Mongin in 1868 contract]
118William Hamilton
119Patience Hamilton
120Polly Harris
121Charlotte Gould
122Georgann [alt: Georgiann] Hage [spelled Haig in 1868 contract]
123Judy Kill [alt: Kell]
124Jeffry House [spelled Housey in 1868 contract] [possibly Hussey?]
125Jeffry Grayson
126David Dixon (dec’d April 2?)
127Betsy Wiley
128Ceasar Wiley (died 31st day of May 1866)
129Charlotte Jeferson [alt: Jefferson]
130Oliver McCloud [spelled McLeod in 1868 contract]
131Jerry Campbell
132Rose Morningstar
133Simon Stone
134Elvina [or Elvira] Stone (out of the contract)
135Aaron Albany
136Phebe [alt: Phoebe] Albany
137Frances Sherman
138Elizabeth Sherman
139Elsie Hague [could also be spelled Hage, Haig]
140Toney Hage (died of smallpox 4th day May/ 66)
141Emma Battice
142Queen Battice (died April 21st 1866)
143Amelia Spry [spelled Emilia Spright in 1868 contract]
144Toby Stevens
145Solomon Miller
146William Williams
147Jacob Morningstar
148Joshua Sweetwine (out of the contract 11 July/66)
149Tiny Shedd
150Sarah Fraser
151Samuel Bown
152Carn (?) Heague [could be spelled Hague, Hage, Haig]
153Binnah [alt: Binah] Bowen
154Martha Colman [alt: Coleman]
155Dinnah [alt: Dinah] Great [alt: Grate]
156Charles Jefferson

This contract is to commence with this date and close with the year.

Given in duplicate at St. Cathrine Island Liberty County State of Ga this 30th thirtieth day of July 1866.

Witness: [Did not attempt to decipher signature]

[End Transcript]

Records of the U.S. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen & Abandoned Lands, Field Office Records for Georgia, Liberty County, Labor Contract between Messr Winchester & Schuyler & freedmen and women; digital database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/62309/images/004139868_00390, U.S., Freedmen’s Bureau Records, 1865-1878 -> Records of the Field Offices -> M1903 > 83, image 251-5; citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M1903, Roll 83.