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AGREEMENT WITH FREEDMEN.

This Agreement, made this 7th day of August A.D, 1865, by and between Saml M Witherspoon of the County of Lowndes, and State of Mississippi, of the first part, and the person hereinafter named and undersigned, Freedmen of the same place, parties hereto of the second part, 
WITNESSETH, That for the purpose of cultivating the Plantation known as the Pleasant Grove place, in the County & State aforesaid, during the year commencing on the First day of January A.D. 1865, and terminating on the 1st day of January, 1866. The said Saml M. Witherspoon, 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 on 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.
and to give them the one Sixth of the Crop that is raised on Said Place Namely the Corn & Fodder, Potatoes & Sorghum. the Wheat crop to be consumed by them on the place it being small & is therefore Exemted [[Exempted]]

[[vertical note 1]]
 
And it it is Further Agreed, That in case the said Saml M. Witherspoon shall fail, neglect or refuse to fulfil any of the obligations assumed by him, or shall furnish said parties of the second part with insufficient food or clothing, or be guilty of cruelty to them, he 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 Saml M. Witherspoon may require of them for the time aforesaid, not exceeding ten hours per day in summer and nine hours per day in winter; and in case 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. 

In Testimony Whereof, The said parties have affixed their names to this AGREEMENT at Pleasant Grove, State of Missississippi on the day and date aforesaid. 

[[4 columned table]]
| NAMES. | Age. | No. of Dependents. | REMARKS. |
|---|---|---|---|
| John his X mark | 40 |   |   |
| Henry his X mark | 67 |   |   |
| Venus her X mark | 58 |   |   |
| Daniel his X mark | 33 |   |   |
| Edward his X mark | 23 |   |   |
| [[Midleton?]] his X mark | 17 |   |   |
| Solman his X mark | 15 |   |   |
| Lavinia her X mark | 21 | 2 |   |
| Mirah her X mark | 26 | 6 |   |
[[/4 columned table]]

 [[/vertical note]] Approved  E.P. Bennett  Asst Pro Mar Freedmen

Transcription Notes:
**Note: next page talks about Henry and Venus being too old to be worth board, clothes, and medical attention. **Note: Mirah has six children from 10 years of age to 6 months and Lavinia has 2 children 4,2 years old and six months gone with the third, I consider them equal to about 6 each hours in all. Missississippi - misspelled (on document)