Contract Between William R. Roach & Dennis Roach, Rose Allen, et.al.

Freedmen's Bureau Labor Records

Sharecropper Contracts

Labor Contracts

Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands

Roach, Wiliam R.

State Archives of Florida, Series L346

1867-01-24

Roach, Dennis

Allen, Rose

Allen, Elizy

Allen, Joe

Allen, Dick

M., Aaron

Tolbut, Cyris

Taylor, John

Taylor, Willis

Butler, Napolian

Butler, Luke

Butler, Soloman

Butler, Mark

Atkinson, Lisborn

Atkinson, Sumter

Roach, Peter

William, Charles

Butler, Ailsey

Atkinson, James

contracts

eng-US

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L346

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Jefferson County (Fla.)

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State of Florida County of Jefferson LS Articles of agreement made and entered into this 24th day of January AD 1867 between William R. Roach planter of the first part and the freedmen laborers [whose] names are signed below of the second part. Witnesseth that the said Roach binds himself to give and turn over to the following named freedmen one third of all crops raised and made on his plantation, viz., one third of the corn, cotton, peas, fodder, sugar, etc., the seed cane saved for next year to belong to said Roach; said crops to be made and housed by the 25th day of December 1867. All crops not housed by that time to be forfeited to said Roach, providing that the following named freedmen comply with their part of this contract, which is as follows, viz., they are to labor on said Roach’s plantation during the year 1867 until Dec. 1867, to obey all lawful orders of said Roach or agent to do all necessary work on the place, such as building [or] repairing buildings, splitting rails, clearing fencing, and they agree to commence work at sunrise in the morning and continue to labor until sunset, taking only the usual time for breakfast and dinner. Said freedmen

are to be respectful to their Employer or agent, also to family--All lost time from idleness, [sickness] or otherwise, to be deducted from the portion of crops of the said freedmen at the rate of One Dollar ($1.00) per day. Said money so deducted to be divided between said Roach and freedmen, Roach taking two thirds (⅔) and the freedmen one third (⅓) of said money. It is agreed if any of said Hands shall be discharged by said Roach for idleness, imprudence, etc., he or she shall forfeit so much of what may be due them as a board of arbitration shall determine. [Crossed out version of previous sentence: It is agreed that if any of said Hands shall be discharged by said Roach of idleness, imprudence, etc., he or she shall forfeit two thirds of the amount due them.] They further bind themselves to take good care of their employer’s stock, farming implements, houses, fencing, etc., and to pay full value of the same if wantonly or carelessly destroy or injure, such pay to come out of their portion of crop of the laborer or laborers inflicting such injuries or destroying such property. We further promise and agree to pay for everything furnished by the same William R. Roach for and during the present year out of our portion of the crop except what he promises us in contract. And the said Roach party of the first part agrees and promises on his part to furnish to each of the following named full Hands or laborers four lbs. of bacon or pork or 3 ½ lbs. of bacon or pork and one pint of syrup per week and one peck of corn per week. Corn to be furnished up to first of August next and (over)

And to each half Hand whose names are hereunto signed as such, one half of the above stated rations per week. In witness whereof, we the parties of the first and second part have set our hands and seals, day and year above written. In the presence of Thos. P. Cooksey E. E. Blackburn Wm. R. Roach, Planter (LS) Dennis Roach , Freedman [his X mark] Rose Allen, Free Woman [her X mark] Elizz Allen, Free Woman [her X mark] Joe Allen, Freedman [his X mark] Dick Allen, Freedman [his X mark] [Previous four names above bracketed with the notation “three hands”] Aaron Mazeke, Freedman [his X mark] Cyrus Tolbert, Freedman [his X mark] John Taylor, Freedman [his X mark] Willis Taylor, Freedman [his X mark] Napolian Butler, Freedman [his X mark] Luke Butler, Freedman [his X mark] Soloman Butler, Freedman [his X mark] Mark Butler, Freedman [his X mark] Lisbon Atkinson, Freedman [his X mark] James Atkinson, Freedman [his X mark] Sumter Atkinson, Freedman [his X mark] [Previous three names above bracketed with notation “one of fourth hand”] Peter Roach, Freedman [his X mark] Charles William, Freedman [his X mark] Ailsery Butler, Freedman [his X mark] All differences that cannot be mutually settled shall be submitted to a board of arbitration composed of two white citizens and the agent of the B. R. F. & A. L., whose decision shall be final. By order of the Ast. Com. A.B. Grumwell Bt. Capt. & S. A. Comm. B. R. F. & A. L.

No. 136 Contract Wm. R. Roach & Freedmen Portion of crops Approved March 11, 1867 A.B. Grumwell