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Wood, L. F., Sharecropping Agreement with Fifteen Freedmen and Freedwomen on the Mount Hope Plantation, Mississippi, 1865 May 25-August 23

1 box
Collection Creator:
Princeton University. Library. Special Collections
Dates:
1865 May 25-August 23
Located In:
Box P-000109
Extent:
1 box
Languages:
Multiple languages
Scope and Contents

Consists of a sharecropping agreement between L. F. Wood of the Mount Hope Plantation in Jefferson County, Mississippi, and fifteen freedmen and freedwomen. The contract is signed by Wood, two witnesses, and the freedmen and freedwomen by mark and dated May 25, 1865. Names listed include Isham Bass (46), Robert Bass (15), Richard Thompson (46), Eliza Thompson (45), Daniel Thompson (15), Emeline Darnald (38), Hager Curtis (52), Prince Miller (17), Minda Miller (28), Rachel Williams (46), Matilda Fitzgerald (21), Edward Johnson (40), Hester Johnson (30), Cornelia Griffin (18), and Perry Christmas (19).

In this document, signed weeks after the close of the American Civil War, these laborers agree to work as sharecroppers on the plantation on which they were formerly enslaved for 10 hours per day, 5 days per week, for the remainder of the year. The plantation owner agrees to "furnish the said freedmen with food & clothes to the extent of my means, also to allow said freedmen the use of teams & plantation utensils to cultivate their respective crops." Each freedman and freedwoman is also given "one to three acres of land to cultivate on his or her own account."

The terms of this agreement were enforced by Union troops; the docketing on verso is signed by the county's lieutenant and sub-commander of freedmen, who certified to "the within contract being in conformity to Gen. Order No. 34." A tax of $33 was noted as paid through August 23 on eleven remaining "hands."

Existence and Location of Copies

Parts of this collection are available on microfilm, cataloged separately as RCPXM-7497696.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Acquisition:

AM 2018-103

Purchase, 2018 .

Credit this material:

Wood, L. F., Sharecropping Agreement with Fifteen Freedmen and Freedwomen on the Mount Hope Plantation, Mississippi; General Manuscripts Miscellaneous Collection, C0140, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (mss): Box P-000109
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Lisa Yankowitz during the summer and fall of 2010 . The finding aid was written by Lisa Yankowitz in January 2011 and was regularly updated with new acquisitions by Faith Charlton, Kelly Bolding, Armando Suárez, Amy C. Vo, Kalliopi Balatsouka, and Lauren Williams.

Collection-level notes were revised by Faith Charlton in 2024 to more accurately describe the nature of this collection.

No additions will be made to this collection. Single item acquisitions will be added to Princeton University Library Single Item Acquisitions (C1771).

Subject Terms:
African Americans -- Mississippi -- Economic conditions -- 19th century -- Sources
Freed persons -- Mississippi -- Jefferson County -- History. -- 19th century -- Sources
Sharecroppers -- Southern States -- History. -- 19th century -- Sources

Collection Overview

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

Consists of a sharecropping agreement between L. F. Wood of the Mount Hope Plantation in Jefferson County, Mississippi, and fifteen freedmen and freedwomen. The contract is signed by Wood, two witnesses, and the freedmen and freedwomen by mark and dated May 25, 1865. Names listed include Isham Bass (46), Robert Bass (15), Richard Thompson (46), Eliza Thompson (45), Daniel Thompson (15), Emeline Darnald (38), Hager Curtis (52), Prince Miller (17), Minda Miller (28), Rachel Williams (46), Matilda Fitzgerald (21), Edward Johnson (40), Hester Johnson (30), Cornelia Griffin (18), and Perry Christmas (19).

In this document, signed weeks after the close of the American Civil War, these laborers agree to work as sharecroppers on the plantation on which they were formerly enslaved for 10 hours per day, 5 days per week, for the remainder of the year. The plantation owner agrees to "furnish the said freedmen with food & clothes to the extent of my means, also to allow said freedmen the use of teams & plantation utensils to cultivate their respective crops." Each freedman and freedwoman is also given "one to three acres of land to cultivate on his or her own account."

The terms of this agreement were enforced by Union troops; the docketing on verso is signed by the county's lieutenant and sub-commander of freedmen, who certified to "the within contract being in conformity to Gen. Order No. 34." A tax of $33 was noted as paid through August 23 on eleven remaining "hands."

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by the name of the creator or by the date of acquisition.

Collection History

Acquisition:

AM 2018-103

Purchase, 2018 .

Appraisal

No material was separated during processing.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Lisa Yankowitz during the summer and fall of 2010 . The finding aid was written by Lisa Yankowitz in January 2011 and was regularly updated with new acquisitions by Faith Charlton, Kelly Bolding, Armando Suárez, Amy C. Vo, Kalliopi Balatsouka, and Lauren Williams.

Collection-level notes were revised by Faith Charlton in 2024 to more accurately describe the nature of this collection.

No additions will be made to this collection. Single item acquisitions will be added to Princeton University Library Single Item Acquisitions (C1771).

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

Wood, L. F., Sharecropping Agreement with Fifteen Freedmen and Freedwomen on the Mount Hope Plantation, Mississippi; General Manuscripts Miscellaneous Collection, C0140, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
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Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (mss): Box P-000109