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Agreement with Freedmen.

This Agreement, made this the 18th day of Spt A.D. 1865, by and between A. H. Thomas of the County of Oktibbeha 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 known as the A. H. Thomas Plantation in the county & state aforesaid, during the year commencing on the 1st day of January A.D., 1865, and terminating on the 1st day of January 1866. The said A.H. Thomas party of the first part, in consideration of the promises and conditions hereinafter mentioned on the part of the part 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; 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; to exact only one half a day's labor on Saturdays, and none whatever on Sundays. 

The Sead A.H. Thomas fearther agrees to pay Henry, Ann his wife and Robbert his son Sixty-nine dollars and Joe Thirty four 50/100 dollars Lid and her three children to remain at the house Lid to cook and wash for the White family and the Balance of the time she works for herself

And it is further agreed, That in case the said A H Thomas 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 A H Thomas may require of them for the time aforesaid, not exceeding ten hours per day in the summer and nine hours in the winter, and in case any laborer shall absent him herself 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.

Approved 
EP Bennett
Asst Prv Mar Freedmen