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S18

Port Lavaca Tx. Decr. 1st 1868

Capt F.W. Bailey
Indianola Tx.

The Freedmen here bough Lot 12: Block 53 from Alexander Reed, choosing as trustees four freedmen Wm. Bellfield Jim Flemming: John Lytle Hubbard Wilson. The deed is on my table just now dated Jany 16 1867: witnessed before J.D. Braman N.P: recorded by J.R. McCreary in Book G. page. 351. 352. on 23e day of January 1867 at 9 oclock A.M.

In march a building was commenced by them (I think 30 x 40 the lumber was bough from A. S. Hensley and Bros: amounting to $581.14, then the yellow fever epidemic caused a delay, and after paying $212 00/100 we waited on the B.R.F. to assist, as we got none, the Freedmen were reduced to the necessity of executing a Deed of Trust on their lot in favor of A.S. Hensley and Bro. as security for the rest of the bill: which deed is recorded in Book G page 572. Before the time for payment expired the Freedmen had raised the balance $369 03/100 and consequently got from the above merchants a Quit Deed which is recorded in Book of Deeds H page 63 by J.R. McCreary May 13th 1868.

The building is not yet finished, but yet is free from debt except for cost of erecting; which was done by one of the Freedmen and we are paying him as we can by monthly collections. The above Trustees are now Trustees of Building and Lot, all of them own property in this town. Such is the effort that has been made by the Freedmen of Lavaca to obtain a lot and building for school and Church use, an effort they never would have attempted