Viewing page 5 of 309

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

These articles of agreement and contract made and concluded this 3rd day of January 1866, by and between John G Skinner of the first part, and Antony Cooper a freedman of the second part, Witnesseth: That for and in consideration of the payments hereinafter stated to be made, the said Antony Cooper freedman agrees and binds himself & his wife Lily to work as plantation laborers for said Skinner in Yazoo County, Mississippi. He agrees and binds himself to render to said Skinner during said year, (1866,) respectful, obedient and faithful labor, and to labor from daylight until dark, of each day, under such plantation regulations as the said Skinner or his Agent, shall make.

In consideration of the faithful performance of this contract by the said Antony Cooper freedman, the said Skinner hereby obligates and binds himself to pay said Antony Cooper the sum of $15.00 per month, payable at the end of the year, and to furnish him & his wife with 3 1/2 lbs. of meat and one peek of meal per week and with good and comfortable quarters and fuel, and two suits of clothing, two pairs of shoes for each of them.

The said Skinner further agrees to keep constantly on hand meat, meal, and salt which he hereby bins himself to furnish said Antony & his wife in sufficient quantity over and above his ration as stated, at current market price.

The said Skinner further agrees to require no labor fo the said Antony from twelve M. Saturdays until the Mondays following except attention to stock, and except further, that when work and labor may be deemed indispensable by the said Skinner to the successful cultivation and gathering of the crop, and when said Antony & his wife shall be so required to labor on the afternoons of Saturdays as above stated, the said Skinner agrees either to pay said Antony & his wife for such extra labor, or to allow said Antony & his wife an equal amount of time for his or her own use, out of laboring days when the situation and condition of crop and plantation will permit.

It is further agreed that in case the said Antony & his wife, shall absent himself without permission, or shall neglect or refuse to labor, as above stipulated, the said Skinner or his Agent, reserves the right to discharge said Antony, from his employ, and the said Antony shall forfeit all wages due him, by virtue hereof, at time of his discharge.