Category: Freedmens Bureau Records, 1865-1872

People Named: Joseph L. Peeples [or Peoples], Ned Monroe, Luke Monroe, Isaac Monroe, August Hendry, James Williams, Will Williams [Begin Transcript] Joseph L. PeeplesAndNed Monroe EtcFreedmenContract Office of Agent ofR.F. & A.L. forLiberty CountyThe within contract is approved by meThis 24th of March 1866Wm. [William] B. GauldenAgent B R F & A L.DuplicateApp Approved by command ofBrig Gen Tillson Theo. F. Forbes Georgia, Liberty County } This contract entered into this 24th of March (1866) eighteen hundred & sixty six between Joseph L. Pebbles and the following freedmen to wit Ned Monroe and his three sons to wit Ben Monroe Isaac Monroe Luke Monroe and August Hendry, James Williams for himself and for his brother a minor and orphan aged about thirteen or fourteen years named Will Williams, witnesseth that the Joseph L. Peeples promises and agrees to allow Ned and sons twenty five acres of good land to plant in the Biddeford plantation in said county and August Hendry seven acres and to James Williams eight acres and more if they desire it; and promises to furnish syrup and corn to said freedmen enough for them [to] subsist on until their crops are gathered at cost prices and allow

People Named: William Jones, Thomas G. Pond [Begin Transcript] Articles of Agreement between W. Jones and T.G. Pond, and certain freedmen of Liberty County Liberty County, State of Georgia } Memorandum of agreement between W. Jones and T.G. Pond, both of the county and state aforesaid, parties of the first part, and the freedmen and freedwomen whose names are hereto subscribed of the second part. It is agreed by the parties of the first part to allow the parties of the second part to take up as much land on the plantation of the said Wm. Jones as they may want for their bona fide use in planting corn, rice, cotton, peas, potatoes or cane, subject to this restriction, that wherever land is taken up in a field previously planted it must be so done as not to derange the running of existing rows and task ditches; the lands so taken up and the crops thereon raised to be for the sole use and occupation of the parties of the second part, not subject to division, nor to the control of the parties of the first part, in any respect, during the year 1866, except in case of forfeiture of

People Named: Isaiah Murchinson, Jack Culbert [Begin Transcript] State of Georgia, Liberty County } This indenture made this 16th day of April A.D. 1867 between Isaiah Murchinson [alt: Murchison] party of the first part & Jack Culvert and others party of the second part witnesseth that said Party of the second part is to furnish the rice used in planting, said rice to be returned to said party of the second part when the crop raised therefrom is gathered. Said party of the first part is to furnish the corn used in planting, under the condition aforementioned; the produce of the joint labor of the said parties to be divided as follows, to wit, said party of the first part to receive one half of the grain, and said party of the second part also one half of the grain. The potatoes to be divided as aforesaid. The fodder to belong entirely to the party of the first part; the cotton to be divided into thirds, said party of the first part to receive two of said thirds and said party of the second part to receive the other third. Further that the said Jack Culvert is hereby recognized by

People named: Benjamin McDonald, Charles Way, Scipio Lambert, Jack Anderson, Cesar [alt: Caesar, Caesar] Anderson, Natt Jones, Frank Williams, Sam Law, Primus Jones, Jim Law, Nancy Williams, Troop Way [Begin Transcript] Copy Labor Contract1867Benj. (Benjamin) McDonald EmployerA.M. McIverAgt B R F & AL State of Georgia, Liberty County } This indenture made between Benj. McDonald of the State and County aforesaid of the first part and the undersigned Freedmen of the same place of the Second part witnesseth that the said McDonald hath & doth agree that the said undersigned Freedmen may plant a crop of corn, cotton rice peas potatoes & other things on the Retreat Plantation belonging to Dr. R. [Raymond] Harris controlled the present year by the said Benj. McDonald. And the said undersigned Freedmen of the second part do agree to plant one & a half acres of land to each full hand and in like proportion to three quarters half or quarter hands to be by the said undersigned Freedmen cultivated and properly tended once every fourteen days and harvested for the exclusive use and benefit of the said McDonald, the land to be planted in such crop as suits the said McDonald and that

People Named: Jack Bacon, Caroline Bacon, Stephen Bacon, Andrew Baker, Charlotte Baker, Eliza Delegal, Hettie Brown, Peggy Quarterman, Alfred Stevens, Nancy Stevens, Rachael Stevens, George Powell, Ida Powell, Clarinda Way, Delia Brown, Samson Brown, Posy Curry, Ben Curry, L. J. Mallard [Lazarus John Mallard], J.O. Varnedoe [James O. Varnedoe] [Begin Transcript] Head Quarters A B R F & A L [Agent, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands]For Liberty CountyMay 21st 1866I approve the within contract. Wm. B. GauldenA.B.R.F.&A.L. Duplicate State of Georgia, Liberty County } This agreement made this 14th day of April between L.J. Mallard and J.O. Varnedoe of the 1st part & the freedmen & women of 2d part whose names are undersigned, witnesseth that they have entered into the following contract for labor on Mr. W.W. Winn’s [William Wilson Winn] plantation during the year 1866. 1st. L.J. Mallard and J.O. Varnedoe of the 1st part do pledge themselves & are hereby firmly bound to furnish the dwelling for the laborers also as much land as they may need for planting & they further pledge themselves to give to the freedmen & women all provisions which they may make on the plantation over & above five (5)

People Named: Jno. B. Mallard, Plymouth Fraser, Milly Fraser, Starling Lambright, Simon Fraser, Toney LeConte, Judy LeConte, Elsey LeConte, Henry Porter, Rose Porter, Eve Porter, Edward Quarterman, Maria Quarterman, Lazarus Jones, Booby Houston, Rosanna Houston, May [or Mag] Fleming [identified as female: “her mark”], John McDonald, Billy Elliott, London Way, Joe Way, Amanda Way, Israel Powell, Betsey Powell, Cooper Mills, Flora Mills, Barthomy [alt: Bartholomew] Stevens [Begin Transcript] John B. MallardAgrees to pay 26 Freedpeople, ⅔ of the crop, for one year’s servicesApp[roved] State of Georgia, Liberty County } Memorandum of Agreement between Jno [John] B. Mallard of said County and State, of the first part, and the Freedmen and women whose names are hereto signed of the second part. This agreement witnesseth that the said Jno. B. Mallard of the first part is to manage the plantation on which the said Freedmen & women are to work and he, or his agt [agent], is to advise said Freedmen and women in all matters relating to the planting, working and harvesting of the crop. He is to allow them the privilege of planting on his plantation; the use of the negro houses, or Quarters, on the place; and the privilege

People Named: John B. Mallard, Isaac Phib [Begin Transcript] J.B. Mallard State of Georgia, Liberty County } Memorandum of Agreement between Jno [John] B. Mallard of said County and State of the first part, and Isaac Phib Freedman of said County and State of the second part Witnesseth that the said Isaac Phib agrees to work for the said Jno B. Mallard till the first day of January next; doing faithfully and to the best of his skill such work as may be required of him and not to absent himself from the premises of the said Jno B. Mallard without his knowledge and consent. The said Jno B. Mallard agrees on his part to pay to the said Isaac Phib on the first day of January next seventy five dollars in currency and to give him weekly one peck or meal or beat rice, and to advance him from time to time such small sums of money as his necessities may require, said sums to be deducted from his hire at the end of the year. The said John B. Mallard also agrees to furnish the said Isaac Phib with a house suitable to live in. Witness of signature

People Named: Pompey Houston, Jacob Quarterman, Battis [alt: Batteece, Battice] Quarterman, Andrew Marshall, Edmund Bacon, Simon Cassels, July Anderson, Plymouth Fraser, Edward Miller, George Miller, Niger Anderson, Henry Anderson, Doddy Brown, July Anderson, July Law, Phillis [alt: Phyllis] Law, Peggy Dryer, Joseph Bacon [Begin Transcript] Head QuartersA.B.R.F. & A.L.For Liberty CoMay 21st 1866 I approve the within contract.Wm. [William] B. Gaulden[Agent] B.R.F. & A.L.For Liberty Co. Duplicate L.J. Mallard State of Georgia, Liberty County } This agreement made this 21st day of May 1866 between L.J. Mallard and C.S. Mallard of the first part and the freedmen and women of the second part whose names are undersigned witnesseth that they have entered into the following contract for labour on the Est[ate] of Thomas Mallard’s plantation during the year 1866. 1st L.J. Mallard and C.S. Mallard of the first part do pledge themselves and are hereby firmly bound to furnish all the dwellings necessary as the homes of the labourers and also as much land as they may need for planting and they further pledge themselves to give to the freedmen and women all they may make both of cotton and provisions over and above ⅓ one third of what they

People Named: E.R. Martin, Dublin, Dick, Abraham, Judy, Lucy [Begin Transcript] E.R. Martin [Transcriber’s Note: The “E” in Martin’s name is very clear but the R is a little difficult to read and could be another letter.] Head QuartersA.B.R.F. & A.L.For Liberty CoMay 16th 1866 I approve the within contract.Wm. [William] B. Gaulden[Agent] B.R.F. & A.L.For Liberty Co. Duplicate State of Georgia, Liberty County } Memorandum of agreement between E.R. Martin of said State & County of the first part & the freedmen & freed women who are hereunto signed of the second part, this agreement witnesseth that E.R. Martin part[y] of the first part is to manage and control the plantation on which said freedmen & women are to work he is to direct there [sic] labors not only in all matters connected with the crop but in making such repairs to buildings roads bridges & fencing on the plantation as in his judgment may be right & proper & to command there [sic] personal services from time to time to himself as may be necessary. The said freedmen & women also to submit to the direction & control of the said E.R. Martin doing at all times such

People Named: Nicholas Brown, Jake Bacon Following is a labor contract found in the U.S. Freedmen’s Bureau records of Liberty County, Georgia. (See citation at the end for full details of source.) [Begin Transcript] Contract ofNicholas BrownWithJake Bacon An Agreement between Nicholas Brown of Walthourville Liberty Co. Georgia of the one part and Jake Bacon of said County and State of the other part. Witnesseth that the said Nicholas Brown of the first past hereby agrees to pay to the said Jake Bacon of the second part the sum of sixty dollars in United States currency which sum is to be paid on eight day of January 1868 also to give said Jake Bacon two suits of clothes one suit during the summer of 1867 and the other suit during the winter of 1867 such suit to be of the kind usually given to labourers working on Plantations, in addition the said Nicholas Brown agrees to board said Jake for one year commencing on 7th day of January 1867 and ending 6th day of January 1868. For and in consideration That the said Jake Bacon will work for him for one year commencing on 7th day of January 1867 and