People Named: R.C. Hines, Artemas Gordon, Benjamin Martin, Lucy Martin, ?Corotine? Pray, Newton Bacon, Venus Bacon, Litta Baker, Squire Bacon, ?Casidis? Lewis, Cilla Lewis, Thomas Lewis, Nancy Lewis, Will Lewis, Henrietta Lewis, Phipyan (?) Williams, Cit, Williams, Jinny Baker, Harriet Bacon, France Bacon, Augustus Williams, Juda Williams, Shedrach Robards, Bets Robarts, Hager Robards, Israel Stevens, Abram Stevens, Ben Stevens, ?Bossen? Stevens, Delia Stevens, Dinah Stevens, Delia Stevens, Caroline Baggs, Fanny Stevens, Sarah Stevens
[Begin Transcript]
R.C. Hines
Duplicate
Office agent R F & A L
I approve the within contract this the 12th of March 1866.
Wm. B. Gaulden
Agent, R.F. & A.L.
App
Approved
By Command of
Brig Genl Tillson
Theo. F. Forbes
State of Georgia Liberty County } 10th March 1866
Memorandum of agreement between R.C. Hines of the said County and State of the first part and the freed men and freed women of the second part [whose] names are hereunto signed.
This agreement witnesseth that R.C. Hines is to control and direct the management of the plantation on which said freed men and women are to work that the said freedmen and women are to keep up the fencing & keep up the houses which they occupy the bridges and gates in as good repair as when turned over to them on the said plantation and to do all necessary work of carrying on the plantation successfully and they are to continue their work on said plantation until the crop is harvested and prepared for market and should the crop be destroyed or wasted from negligence on their part the said freed men and women are to be responsible for the same said freed men and women further agree to feed clothe themselves furnishing seed to plant furnishing their own implements to work and paying their own doctor bills receiving at the end of the year or when the crop has been harvested and prepared for market two thirds of all that has been made R.C. Hines allowing them for their own use one half acre of ground for each family and the use of his pastures for their stock the said contract to be beinding for the year 1866.
R.C. Hines
Witnesses
Geo. E. Brewer
Artemas Gordon
[Names below signed by mark; names in brackets were found in the 1870 Liberty County census]
Benjamin Martin [Ben Martin]
Lucy Martin [Lucy Martin]
???Corotine??? Pray
Newton Bacon [Newton Bacon]
Venus Bacon [Venus Bacon]
Litta Baker [Letty Baker]
Squire Bacon [Squire Bacon]
???Casidis Lewis
Cilla Lewis
Thomas Lewis [Tom Lewis]
Nancy Lewis
Will Lewis
Henrietta Lewis
Phipyan WIlliams
Cit Williams [Kit Williams]
Jinny Baker [Ginny Baker]
Harriet Bacon [Harriet Bacon]
France Bacon [possibly died before 1870]
Augustus Williams [Gus Williams]
Juda Williams [Judy Williams]
Shedrach Robards [Shadrack Robarts]
Betsy Robarts [Betsy Stevens] [note change of surname; she was living in household of Shadrack and Hagar Roberts]
Hager Robards [Hagar Robarts]
Israel Stevens [Israel Stevens]
Abram Stevens
Ben Stevens [Ben Stevens]
Bossen Stevens
Delia Stevens [Delia Stevens]
Dinah Stevens [Dinah Stevens]
Delia Stevens
Caroline Baggs
Fanny Stevens [Fanny Stevens]
Sarah Stevens [Sarah Stevens]
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Records of the U.S. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen & Abandoned Lands, Field Office Records for Georgia, Liberty County, 1866 Labor Contract between R.C. Harris & Freed men and women; digital database, Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/62309/images/004139868_00298), U.S., Freedmen’s Bureau Records, 1865-1878 -> Records of the Field Offices -> M1903 > 83, image 172-176; citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M1903, Roll 83.