Contract Between William H.H. Nichols & Jolly Harris, George Harris, et.al.

Freedmen's Bureau Labor Records

Sharecropper Contracts

Labor Contracts

Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands

Nichols, William H.H.

State Archives of Florida, Series L346

1866-11-24

Harris, Jolly

Harris, George

Harris, Jim

contracts

eng-US

Text

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L346

12

Jefferson County (Fla.)

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68

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State of Florida Jefferson Co. Station #2, November 24th, 1866 This agreement made this the 24th day of November, A.D. 1866, between Wm. H. H. Nichols of the State and County above, named of the first part, and Jolly Harris, George Harris, and Jim Harris, freedmen of the same State and County, of the second part. Witnesseth that the said Nichols of the first part agrees to furnish one hundred acres of land, (3) three mules, (2) two yokes of oxen, and one wagon, and feed said mules and oxen, pay all blacksmiths bills and furnish corn and cotton seed to plant said land. The said Jolly Harris, George Harris, Jim Harris, of the second party, agree to cultivate said one hundred acres of land, and to plant (50) fifty acres of said land in cotton and (50) fifty in corn. They also bind themselves to be personally responsible for all mules, oxen wagons, and whatever other property that may be placed in their hands, and to return the same in good order. They furthermore bind themselves to obey all orders or instructions given by said Nichols in reference to the farm; they also bind themselves severally to hold the entire product of the land that they may cultivate, subject to the control of said Nichols, until the debt or debts contracted by themselves shall be paid.They, each one for himself, bind themselves to deliver to the said Nichols, by the first of December, five thousand pounds of lint cotton packed and delivered in good order; they also agree besides to give said Nichols one-third of the product of said land. Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of us. Witnesses W. L Bond J. J. J. Willie Jolly Harris [his X mark] George Harris [his X mark] Jim Harris [his X mark] U.S. I.R. Stamp 10 cents Nov. 24, 1866 For value received, Wm. H. H. Nichols of Jefferson County Florida [does] hereby transfer and set over to Bond & Co. of the County of Jefferson and State of Florida the within agreement together with all the interest I may now have or may hereafter have and authorize them to take and receive all the profits that may accrue to me by virtue of said agreement, and I do agree to remain on the place mentioned in said agreement and continue my superintendence management and control and perform all the duties and obligations mentioned in said agreement

but for the benefit and use of said Bond & Co. and they shall have the entire control of the products of all my interest in all the growing crops, either direct or indirect, until the full payment and satisfaction of all demands they may have against me. Witness my hand and seal this first day of April, 1867. W. H. H. Nichols (seal) Attest H. J. Bond G. E. Dennis B. F. Leonard U. S. I. R. Stamp $1.00 Apr. 1867 County of Jefferson Before the undersigned Clerk of Jefferson Circuit Court came B. F. Leonard, to me known, who being duly sworn says that he knows the aforenamed W. H. H. Nichols, Grantor, and that he did, in his presence, declare the foregoing to be his signature and seal and that he signed, sealed, and delivered the foregoing instrument as his own voluntary act for the purposes therein set forth, whereupon I have admitted the same to record. Witness my hand and the seal of said Court this twenty-second day of April, A.D. 1867. S. Pasco Clerk