Washington Parish, Louisiana Labor Contracts

From caucasian Brumfield genealogy, it is known that Brumfield families travelled from the Carolinas and established homes in Pike County, Mississippi as well as Washington Parish, Louisiana  which was formed from a portion of St Tammany Parish in 1819. 

Following the American Civil War, the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands also known as the Freedman's Bureau was created in 1865. The former enslaved people without money and  few personal possessions  signed labor agreements.  Labor contracts were established with former enslaved people in order to provide food, clothing and housing.   In a prior post "Climbing the Brick Wall",  records of the Bureau of Refugees   Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, Louisiana 1865-1872 I found the following the following labor contract. The people in this labor contract in agreement with Wiley G. Collins was signed in Washington Parish, Louisiana in September 18, 1865 .  Wiley G. Collins signed other labor contracts.  Some of the individuals listed  are relatives of Eli Brumfield from the census and records presented in previous blog posts.  The labor contract does not mention the surname Brumfield. There are two records of the labor contract agreement. The first is the actual contract which was on a previous blog post. It is listed again because of additional information. 

 

Charlotte 48 years old (infirm) was the probable wife of Isham Brumfield. Charlotte's grandchildren are identified as Keziah (Kizzie) 4, Charlotte (Lottie) 8 and Wade 10 years old.  She is not enumerated in the 1870 census with Isham Brumfield and children because being infirm or sick probably died. 

 Sarah (Sally) 23 years old is named on the labor contract. Sarah (Sally) has been identified as the wife of Eli Brumfield. Sally and Eli had two daughters Charlotte (Lottie) 8 and Keziah (Kizzie) 4 which are enumerated in federal census records  as their children and are the grandchildren of Charlotte from this labor contact.  Harriet 28 years old was the probable wife of Gale(Gayle) Brumfield. I have not given information concerning Gale Brumfield's family at this time but will be featured in future blogs. The most valuable piece of information is the notation at the bottom of the page "the whole of the above are one family". There are major discrepancies in the documentation information  with other records correlated with these families. The ages of the individuals doesn't correspond with subsequent information in later federal census enumerations and school records.  There is also a book ledger Records of the field offices of the state of Louisiana,  Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands,  1863-1872. 

In the ledger, there are additional pieces of information not present on the labor contract. There are individuals who might be related to a black Brumfield families namely Hester 25, Thomas 25 and Irvin 14. There are children described as orphans Mary 8, Ophelia 4 and Sam 2.  Specific information about Minerva Arg?? 30 portion of  corn agreement with husband $3 pr month to stay as before rations + clothes + came on place Aug 15 having been away for 2 years.
There are other also people I have not identified them with the Brumfield surname. I have included other labor contracts that are associated with names entered in the ledger.  More to come.

-----The Tree Gardener

FOOTNOTES

1 "Louisiana Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99G2-6SXW?cc=2333781&wc=STRY-SPF%3A1458447902%2C1444396285 : 20 January 2015), Amite City (assistant superintendent and assistant sub assistant commissioner) > Roll 58, Register of contracts, Jun 1865-Oct 1866 > image 4 of 44; citing NARA microfilm publications M1905 and M1483 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

2 "Louisiana Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99G2-6SXW?cc=2333781&wc=STRY-SPF%3A1458447902%2C1444396285 : 20 January 2015), Amite City (assistant superintendent and assistant sub assistant commissioner) > Roll 58, Register of contracts, Jun 1865-Oct 1866 > image 4 of 44; citing NARA microfilm publications M1905 and M1483 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

Putting the Pieces Together Part 3

Isham Brumfield Family

 The Federal Agriculture Non Population census I have found to be helpful in filling in the gaps of missing people and family relationships. The 1870 and 1880 Agriculture Non-Population Census helped fine tune geographic locations. For example, Charlotte Brumfield was the wife of Isham Brumfield.    I found Charlotte listed in Labor contract in 1865 for Washington Parish and the Washington Parish, Louisiana Agriculture census in 1870(shown in prior blogs) .    In the 1870 Federal population census for Pike County, Mississippi Isham Brumfield born in Louisiana is listed with Eli, Hester and Harriet born in Mississippi who are probably his children.  The 1880 Agriculture Census for Pike County, Mississippi lists Isham and Eli Brumfield 

Hope Smith, Bob Magee, Isham Brumfield, Eli Brumfield, Jacob Ellezy, George Lundy, Green Smtih, Casander RimeJames McDaniel  Richard McDanie

 In the homesteader records in 1883, Isham property is near Walker’s Bridge and he states he has three children but no mention of a wife.  Charlotte has probably died.   I know that Charlotte was the wife of Isham because I found an two important pieces of information.  In the 1865 Labor Contract, Charlotte is listed and grandchildren Keziah,Wade and Charlotte are also listed. Eli had a child named Keziah.   Eli Brumfield died in June 2, 1933 in Pike County, Mississippi and his parents are listed as Isom Brumfield and Charlotte Brumfield on the death certificate.

----The Tree Gardener

Climbing The Brick Wall

 Freedmen

In black African American genealogy,  family history prior to 1870 is  hard to find. The lack of family surnames and documentation has been called one of the brick walls.    

Just before the end of the Civil War in 1865,  the Freedmen ’s Bureau (Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands) was established to aid former slaves and whites in needed assistance for survival.  Attempts were made to provide food, clothing, educate, reunite families, legalize marriages, provide employment, and aid the black military.  This was an ambitious undertaking to provide all these services.  A paper trail however was established which lead the road to finding some of my ancestors.

In the search, I looked for the former slaves with the Brumfield surname in Washington Parish Louisiana, and Pike County Mississippi in Freedman Bureau records. There is voluminous amount of information to review.    I realize that my ancestors may have come from other areas and possibly different surnames.  The homestead records however lead me to believe that these geographic areas must have been considered home.  Home is defined as a place where a person has knowledge, history, and familiarity.  

During my investigation, I looked for names of ancestors in locations where they may have lived.   I looked at Freedman labor contracts.  Labor contracts were established to assist in the employment of former slaves now Freemen.  Terms of employment were established.  In the contract, the name of the former slave was given sometimes with a surname along with the name of the planter.  

 In records of the Bureau of Refugees   Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, Louisiana 1865-1872 I found the following:

 

Charlotte 48(infirm), Harriet 28(good hand), Margaret 16(daughter), Sarah 23, Mary 8 (child of Sarah) Ophelia 4, Sam 2 Grandchildren of Charlotte; Wade 10, Charlotte 8, Keziah 4 signed September 18, 1865 with Wily G. Collins

 

      These are my people!  Charlotte was married to Isham Brumfield and Harriet was married to Gale Brumfield.   Sarah was married to Eli Brumfield (son of Isham).   I have been able locate their  one of their children Keziah granddaughter of Charlotte.

                                                                              -------- The Tree Gardener