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Agreement with Freedmen.

This Agreement, made this 3rd day of August A. D., 1865, by and between E J Bishop of the County Simpson and State of Mississippi, of the first part, and the person hereinafter named and undersigned, Freedmen of the same place, part hereto of the second part,

Witnesseth, That for the purpose of cultivating the plantation know as the plantation on which the Said E J Bishop resides in the County aforesaid, during the year commencing on the first day of January A. D., 1865, and terminating on the [[strikethrough]] 1st [[/strikethrough]] 25th day of [[strikethrough]] January [[/strikethrough]] Decr, [[strikethrough]] 1866 [[/strikethrough]] 1865.  The said E J Bishop party of the first part, in consideration of the promises and conditions hereinafter mentioned on the part of the parties of the second part, agrees to furnish to the said laborers and those rightfully dependent upon them, free of charge, clothing and food of good quality and sufficient quantity; good and sufficient quarters; medical attendance when necessary, and kind and humane treatment; [[strikethrough]] to allot from the lands of said plantation, for garden purposes, one acre to each family; such allotment to include a reasonable use of tools and animals for the cultivation of the same; [[/strikethrough]] to exact only one half a day's labor on Saturdays, and none whatever on Sundays.

To allot from the crop growing on Said plantation to the above named Daniel Lewis and [[Vina?]] the corn growing on three acres and the potatoes grown on one acre of land The clothing above refers to to consist of 2 prs pants and two shirts each to Daniel & Lewis one suit of clothes to [[?]] and two Suits of clothes to Mariah which in addition to those already furnished are deemed sufficient for the remainder of the year.

And it is further agreed, That in case the said E J Bishop shall fail, neglect, or refuse to fulfil any of the obligations assumed by her, or shall furnish said parties of the second part with insufficient food or clothing, or be guilty of cruelty to them, she shall, besides the legal recourse left to the party or parties aggrieved, render this contract liable to annulment by the Provost Marshal of Freedmen.  And it is agreed on the part of the parties of the second part that they will each well and faithfully perform such labor as the said E J Bishop may require of them for the time aforesaid, not exceeding ten hours per day in summer and nine hours in winter, and in cast any laborer shall voluntarily absent themselves from, or shall neglect, or refuse to perform the labor herein promised, and the fact shall be proven to the satisfaction of the proper officer, the party so offending shall be punished in such manner as the Provost Marshal of Freedmen shall deem proper.

IT IS FURTHER AGREED, That any wages or share of profits due the said laborers under this agreement, shall constitute a first lien upon all crops or parts of crops produced on said plantation or tract of land by their labor.  And no shipments of products shall be made until the Provost Marshal of Freedmen shall certify that all dues to said laborers are paid or satisfactorily arranged.

E J Bishop
Age [[43?]] Years

[[vertical note]]
Approved
[[Geo W Toole Capt  USCI
Actg Sub Com Freedmen Bureau
Westville Miss
[[/vertical note]]

Transcription Notes:
Found an Elizabeth Bishop in Simpson Co., MS on the 1860 US Census. She was born abt. 1821-1822, which would fit this lady. I believe this says her age is 43, not 73. Did not find anybody else that fits with her initials if she were in her 70s. She was on the 1850 and 1860 as married, and 1870 with no husband, but with children. She is listed as Westville, Simpson, MS. It fits.