People Named: W. John Way, Seaborn Spivey, Alonzo Spivey, Sarah Bradley, Elsy Fraser, Cely Fraser
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W. John Way
Headquarters A.B.R.F. & A L for
Liberty County
June 11th 1866
I approve the within contract the woman Sarah being an unhealthy & unsound woman.
Wm.B. Gaulden
A.B.R.F. & A.L.
Duplicate
State of Georgia, Liberty County } March 1st 1866
Memorandum of agreement between W. John Way of said County & State of the first part & the freedmen & freedwomen of the second part whose names are hereunto signed.
This agreement witnesseth that W. John Way party of the first part is to control & direct the labor of the freed men & women whose names are hereunto signed. That all freed men & women are to do all necessary work called upon to do on & around the place & to continue this labor with W. John Way doing any & all work called upon to do until Jan 1st 1867. Said freedmen Seaborn & Alonzo agree to clothe themselves & pay all of their own Dr. bills & further agree to labor daily from ½ sun to 12 o’clock M. & from 2 pm to sun set (Sundays excepted) & to be obedient & respectful at all times. Said freedmen further agree to give food & water & attention to the stock on the place & haul & cut wood & lightwood for the use of the said W. John Way & family. Said freedmen further agree to work at Steam Mill one day in each week hauling lightwood & firing and doing whatever may be necessary about the Mill until all of the corn is ground then should it require until after night. Said W. John Way agrees on his part to feed & quarter said freedmen (i.e.) to furnish them each with eight quarts of meal or corn pr week & what may be convenient from table & kitchen & furnish all farming utensils & seed planted one half of said seed to be paid for by said W. John Way, the other half to be paid for by said freedmen or deducted from their proportion of crop. W. John [Way] further agrees to furnish a plough & horse or mule & feed said horse or mule and allow said freedmen the use of horse or mule a reasonable time to do the ploughing & give the said freedmen one half of gross crop made except watermelons & ¼ acre of sugarcane. Said freedmen are to plant a part of the crop on lands owned by Mr. J.E. Mann ⅓ of crop made on said land to go for the rent & the other ⅔ to be divided between W.J. Way & said freedmen. Said W.J. Way to receive ½ & said freedmen ½. Said W. John Way of the first part agrees to feed Sarah & child an infant (i.e.) furnish 12 quarts of meal or corn per week & whatever may be convenient from the table & kitchen & pay said Sarah four dollars pr month. Said Sarah agrees on his part to cook, wash, iron and do all other work called upon to do about the house or lot & further agrees to clothe herself & children & pay Dr. bills & remain with said W. John Way until January 1867 being obedient & respectful at all times.
Said W. John Way of the first part, agrees to feed & clothe Cely minor girl) (i.E.) to give her two suits of clothes & pay her twenty dollars pr year & said Cely agrees on her part to work as house servant doing all & every thing called upon to do about the house, lot & garden at all times & paying Dr. bills, being obedient & respectful at all times.
Should any of them be sick at any time; said W. John Way agrees to render them his personal attention and do all he can to make them comfortable (except in contagious diseases) & treat them kindly so long as they continue to comply with said contract. This contract is to remain in full force until January 1867 and should any of the said freed men or women fail to comply [with the] agreement or leave before Jan. 1867, any such party or parties shall & does sacrifice all claim to any part of crop or wages promised in said agreement. Should said freedmen or women or either of them become disobedient or unruly; said W. John Way shall have the right to make them leave the place & thereby forfeit all claim to any remuneration for past services.
In presence of
J.C. Norman
J.S. Norman
In presence of
E.G. Andrews
Enoch Rogers
W. John Way of the first part
Seaborn Spivey
Alonzo Spivey
Sarah Bradley
Elsy Fraser for Cely Fraser
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Records of the U.S. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen & Abandoned Lands, Field Office Records for Georgia, Liberty County, Labor Contract between W. John Way & freedmen and women; digital database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/62309/images/004139868_00410, U.S., Freedmen’s Bureau Records, 1865-1878 -> Records of the Field Offices -> M1903 > 83, image 268-71; citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M1903, Roll 83.