Transcript
State of Florida
Jefferson County
This indenture witnesseth, that we, the undersigned, free persons of colour, have on this eighteenth day of January eighteen hundred and sixty seven, bound ourselves to serve as labourers for this year, in the service of Robert Gamble Jr. on the Plantations known as Belmont. We bind ourselves individually and collectively to faithfully, and industriously, serve the said R. Gamble, obeying all lawful commands, preserving and protecting all the goods and property of said Gamble to the best of our ability and opportunity. We bind ourselves to obey all proper orders given by his agents, White or Coloured, as though given by himself, we bind ourselves to do our proportions of all farming, which the said R. Gambles shall deem necessary on the plantation, to do our proportion of all work which may be deemed necessary by him, to put and keep the quarters in good order and presentation; to do our proportion in erecting corn houses, for storing the crop and bins, for our seed cotton, and putting the stables in good order. We bind ourselves to do our proportions of all wagoning done for the benefit of the plantation and when hauling off the Crop, should there be any return loads, to come from the deposit, it is to be brought by the return wagons , whenever the said Gamble has any interest in it. If when carrying on the year’s work the said Gamble has to send to the depot for meat, corn, or anything for the plantation, we bind ourselves to do our proportion of such labour. We agree to render true obedience to the orders of our foreman, doing all work necessary in repreparing for, cultivating, or gathering the crop, in the manner and time they may require. We agree to take the utmost care of the teams and tools, entrusted to us. We agree to attend faithfully to their feeding, watering, currying, and everything necessary to their welldoing, as well on rest days, as on others, and we agree to report to said R. Gamble anyone we see or hear of, as abusing or neglecting any of the team of the said R. Gamble, whether in our own company or in any other. We agree that if any of his teams is injured or dies by our neglect or bad treatment that we are to indemnify said Gamble for such loss. We agree to do our proportion of all plantation work and that the said Gamble shall have the privilege of sending messages, teams, etc., etc., whenever and wherever he may see [fit], in prosecuting
the interest of the plantation, or enabling him to pass from point to point. We, who are parents, or have to control of minors, who are labourers on the plantation, bind ourselves to enforce the obedience and service of such minors. We agree that if any full hand shall for any cause other than sickness be absent from work on the plantation, he, or she, shall forfeit one dollar, and, if on the plea of sickness, fifty cents for each day thus lost to the labour of the year, and a proportionate amount to every inferior hand so offending, which penalties will form a fund, to be divided between the contracting parties; and we agree, that for any neglect of the above duties, or failure to comply with the above pledges, the said R. Gamble has the right to dismiss the party so offending with forfeiture of all claims which he or she may have had, under this contract [last part of that sentence crossed out; replacement text written between the lines: so much of what may be due him or her as a board of arbitration shall determine], and may at his option put another in his or her place.
On his past, the said Robert Gamble Jr. binds himself to furnish the land for cultivation , to furnish and feed one mule, for every two full hands, to furnish all the necessary tools, bearings half the expense of repairing all tools and to allow to the labourers one half of all crops made on the plantation, reserving one third of the cane for seed. The said Gamble to determine the land which is to be planted in any crop, and the quantity of each crop which is to be cultivated by each hand.
Casey Kenedy’s Company
Casey Kenedy [his x mark] [seal]
Frisbee Rice [his x mark] [seal]
Harry Hall [his x mark] [seal]
Neptune Dorsey [his x mark] [seal]
London Sutton [his x mark] [seal]
R. Chambers [his x mark] [seal]
Edward Chambers [his x mark] [seal]
Hester Sprague [her x mark] [seal]
Sam Kenedy [his x mark] [seal]
Polly King [her x mark] [seal]
Phillip Williams [his x mark] [seal]
William Corwehis [his x mark] [seal]
Witness for Casey Company
Anthony Cole
Witness W.M. Feddeman [?]
Robert Gamble Jr. [seal]
As to paying expense of tools R. Gamble Jr. binds himself to do what Mr. Thomas does in that particular, it is alleged that Mr. Thomas agreed to pay all blacksmithing bills.
Anthony Cole’s Company
Anthony Cole [his x mark [seal]
Braxton Taylor [his x mark] [seal]
Nathan Cole [his x mark [seal]
Henry Weletus [his x mark] [seal]
Harriet Cole [her x mark] [seal]
Kate Taylor [her x mark] [seal]
Anthony Cole Jr. [his x mark] [seal]
Washington Smith [his x mark] [seal]
Sophia Cole [her x mark] [seal]
Tucker Cole [his x mark] [seal]
Harrison Cole [his x mark] [seal]
All differences arising on account of this contract not mutually settled shall be submitted to a Board of Arbitration composed of two reliable citizens and the agent of the B.R.F.A.L. whose decision shall be final. By order of Col J. T. Sprague
A.Com A.B. Gunwell
Bt. Capt. & [?], B.R.F.&A.L.
Witness for Anthony’s Company
Casey Kenedy
Witness W.M. Feddeman
Robert Gamble Jr. [seal]
No. 181
Copy of Contracts on Belmont Plantation
1864
Robert Gamble Jr. & Freedmen
Portion of crops
Approved
April 8th 1867
A.B. Gunwell
Bt. Capt. and S. A. Com.
B.R.F and A.L.
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