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[F 10 ENCL] 

State of North Carolina }
Hertford County } SS

I, Elsy Baker (or Vaughn), freedwoman, being duly sworn, depose & say: That my child Frank Williams, was bound out to Henry D. Baker, my former master, without my knowledge or consent.  I never heard that the child had been bound out to said Baker until last May. Neither Mr. Baker, nor any other person, ever asked my consent to have the child bound out. nor have I ever subsequently consented thusly. 

The child was taken away from me by force about three weeks before last Christmas, against my remonstrances, by two of Mr. Baker's sons who were both armed with pistols which they exhibited in a threatening manner; one of them discharging his pistol twice before I suffered him to take the child away. — 

This child will be six years old on the sixth of May, 1867.

Mr. Baker has never furnished any provisions whatever for the support of the child since I left him at Christmas, 1865.  The last day of May following, i.e. May 31. 1866, at St. John's in this County, Mr Baker paid me (18) eighteen pounds of Bacon in part payment of the sum of six dollars ($6.) which he had agreed to pay me for my services from the date of Lee's surrender (when I became free) up to the following Christmas. He has never, at any time, furnished me, or my child, with any provisions whatever, except as above stated; & then only in part payment of a debt. — The Bacon was valued by him at (12½) twelve and one half cents per pound.

I have at all times strongly objected to Mr. Baker having the custody of my child, & I never at any time consented to it. I am in good health, about thirty years old, and can find abundance of work to do, and am well able & desirous to maintain my child comfortably. The child was never in a suffering condition until since he was carried away by Mr. Baker's sons. Since then, both his feet have been badly frostbitten by exposure in the recent inclement weather, and no clothes have been furnished him except 

Transcription Notes:
It looks like her name is spelled "Elsy" here, rather than "Elsie." -- Beth