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To General Ord.
Military Governor of the State of Mississippi

The undersigned Thomas Bates a Freedman, Respectfully represents, that on the 5th day of January of 1867, This Petitioner entered into a written agreement with one Noble Lea, a citizen of the County of Pike State of Mississippi, by which your Petitioner was authorized to enter upon and cultivate about 15 acres of Land more or less the property the said Noble Lea.

The Agreement reads as follows.

January 5 1867
Article of agreement made & entered into between Noble Lea of the First Part, and Thomas Bates a Freeman of the Second part all of the County of Pike & State of Miss. Witnesseth, that the said Noble Lea of the first part obliges himself to let the said Thomas Bates have the use of a certain field of land lying near the said Lea's dwelling, the potatoe patch excepted, also the said Lea lets the said Thomas Bates have a house which he is to move out and put up upon the said Leas land, and the said Thomas Bates is to fence and clear up ten acres of land and as much more as he sees fit to do, and the said Thos Bates do oblige himself to pay to the said Noble Lea, one bale of cotton weighing 450 pounds, and sixty Dollars (60) which is to be paid out of the crop made on the place, all the improvements made on the place is considered inside this agreement, now acknowledgment of the above agreement we do affix our hands and