Contract Between John H. Brown & Ben Roundtree, Derry Ferall, et.al.

Freedmen's Bureau Labor Records

Sharecropper Contracts

Labor Contracts

Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands

Brown, John H.

State Archives of Florida, Series L346

1867-01-01

Roundtree, Ben

Ferall, Derry

Ferall, Luvenia

Harass, Chance

Harass, Laurah

contracts

eng-US

Text

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L346

12

Jefferson County (Fla.)

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This agreement made this January first, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, between John H. Brown of the County of Jefferson and State of Florida, of the first part, and the undersigned persons of color in said County and State of the second part. Witnesseth that the said John H. Brown in consideration of the covenants on the part of the party of the second part, hereinafter contained doth covenant and agree to with the said parties that he will give them one third of what the land makes, that they may cultivate, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, to furnish all stock and farming utensils. Also to furnish each hand one peck of meal a week. And the said parties of color, in consideration of the covenants in the part of the party of the first part, doth covenant and agree to and with the said John H. Brown, that they will labor faithfully and diligently on said Brown’s farm according to his directions to cultivate all land they plant, to gather and house the same, to take good care of the stock, water and feed them, and take good care of all the tools they may have in their possession. Said labor to commence from the date above written and continue until the crop is housed. If either one of the said parties fail to comply with the above contract, they shall forfeit so much of

their interest in the crop, as a Board of Arbitration shall determine. In witness whereof, we have hereunto let our hands and seals the day and year first above [written]. Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of Hollida Sauls James Riggins John H. Brown Ben Roundtree [his X mark] Derry Terall [his X mark] Luvinia Terall [her X mark] Chance Horass [his X mark] Laurel Horass [her X mark] The said Brown further agrees to pay each one of the laborers fifty pounds of meet, provided they cultivate their crop good, and make a good crop. It is further agreed that all differences arising on account of this contract shall be submitted to a Board of Arbitration composed of two reliable citizens one listed by each contracting party of the B.R.F. & A.L. whose decision shall be final. No. 204 John H. Brown & Freedmen Portion of crops Approved Oct 11, 1867 A.B. Gunwell Bt. Capt. & A. Com. C.R.F. & A.L.