Freedmen’s Bureau labor contracts were some of the earliest records which listed former slaves with newly-chosen surnames.

These records, which predate the 1870 census by several years, can provide clues for breaking through the 1870 Brick Wall by connecting census records with surnames to plantation journals with first names only.

Lowcountry Africana Co-Administrator Alana Thevenet has transcribed labor contracts for Berkeley County, SC. Here you will find records for slaveholder surnames beginning with the letter “E.”

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Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1867
Records of the Field Offices for the State of South Carolina,
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872
NARA Record Group 105
MC 1910, Reel 62, Target 4

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

Thos. M. Easterling and the following named persons

DATE OF CONTRACT:

Jan. 1, 1867

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Tom Vine
Cornelius Vine
Lavinia Vine
Toney Holmes
Susan Holmes
Sandy Caldwell
Marla Caldwell
Betsy Jenkins
Cloe Brown
Henrietta Brown
Mary Brown
Edward Ferguson
March Ferguson
Edward Ferguson Jr.
Billinda Ferguson
Hardtimes Brown
Hagar Brown
(Illegible) Scott

Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1867
Records of the Field Offices for the State of South Carolina,
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872
NARA Record Group 105
MC 1910, Reel 62, Target 4

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

Thomas W. Easterling with Freed people

DATE OF CONTRACT:

Feb. 12, 1867

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Jacob Brown
Pompy Brown
Silly Brown
Julius Brown
Roll Drayton
Ben Drayton
Edwin Bennett
Charlotte Bennett
William Kenwood
Bullak Kensel
Ellen Kensel
Cupid Brown
Dinah Brown
Samson Swinton
Susan Brown
Isabel Brown
Cillia Rivers
Sumter Green

Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1867
Records of the Field Offices for the State of South Carolina,
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872
NARA Record Group 105
MC 1910, Reel 62, Target 4

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

Thomas W. Easterling with Freed people

DATE OF CONTRACT:

March 1, 1867

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Wassly Bennett
Levina Bennett
Daniel Hasgill
Abbigal Hasgill
Esther Hasgill
Frank Cordes
Paul Cordes
Toby Gloven
Cloe Glover
Roselind Richardson
Hannah Richardson
Prince Richardson
Frank Richardson
Bado Richardson
Badden Green

Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1867
Records of the Field Offices for the State of South Carolina,
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872
NARA Record Group 105
MC 1910, Reel 62, Target 4

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

Thomas W. Easterling and Twenty four (24) Freed people

DATE OF CONTRACT:

March 1, 1867

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Robert Scott
Jack English
Flora English
Esau Owens
Betsy Owens
Richard Pinckney
Samuel Bash
Eliza Bash
Flander Gillard
Marianne Gillard
James Pettigrew
Jochan Pettigrew
Washington Small
Judith Small
Flander Brown
Stephny Milligan
Susannah Milligan
Zye Rainy
Catherine Rainy
Fortune Oppenheim
Thomas Chaplin
Affee Chaplin
Miley Drayton

Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1868
Records of the Field Offices for the State of South Carolina,
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872
NARA Record Group 105
MC 1910, Reel 62, Target 5

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

J. Evans Edings & others for rent of Seaside Place

DATE OF CONTRACT:

No date, 1868

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Primus Morrison
Roger Taylor
Ned Wilkinson, No. 1
John Kelly
Jack Watson
Chloe Johnson
Doris Brown
Ned Wilkinson, No. 2
Paddy Johnson
Sue Jenkins
Caesar Cyrus
Prince Weston
Jacob White
Peter Brown
Prince Singleton
Adam Mack
George Nelson, No. 1
George Nelson, No. 2
Will Williams
Thoas. Wilkinson
Rashel White
Washington Ranger
Jeffrey Burnsombe
Alfred Smith
Robert Seabrook
Charles Williams
April Fraser
Major Wilkinson
Tony Geddes
Rasannah Roberson
Peter Brown, No. 2
Joseph Wilkinson
Martha Johnson & daughter

Freedmen’s Labor Contracts
Berkeley County, SC, 1868
Records of the Field Offices for the State of South Carolina,
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872
NARA Record Group 105
M1910, Reel 63, Target 2

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

J.T.K. Elsworth and 5 Freed people

DATE OF CONTRACT:

March, 1868

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Edward Wood
Jacob Mitchel
Sam Prehu
James Loustray
Robert Lovely