Limerick Plantation House

Limerick Plantation House, Cordesville, Berkeley, SC
Historic American Buildings Survey, www.loc.gov

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 “W.”

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Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1866
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 3

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

Benjamin Whitesides and Freedmen

DATE OF CONTRACT:

Feb. 17, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Isaac Brown
Thomas Brown
(Illegible) Thompson
Sally Thompson

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Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1866
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 3

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

Mrs. Catherine G. White with Freed people

DATE OF CONTRACT:

Jan. 1, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Gibby Simmons
Lizetta Simmons, his wife
Chance Wilson
Cumsee Wilson, his wife
Billy Hopkins
Best Hopkins, his wife
Castler Green, Foreman
Harriet Green, his daughter
Cain Michael
Dolly Michael, his wife
Fender Gadson
Sander Gadson
Adilaine Gadson, his wife
Gabrial Harris
Lucie Harris, his wife
Billy Williams
Gabrial Ferguson
Clara Ferguson, his wife
Jerry Ferguson, his daughter
Andrew McNeil
Fatima McNeil
Boser Gillins
Cloa Wescott
Jacob Augustis
Mily Augustis
Sery Augustis
Ellen Augustis
Joseph Schifel
Willey Schiffel
Ben Bowman
David Haynes
Eve Haynes
Rosetta Singleton
Martha Sanive
Beck Duncan
Nancy Dyles
Satin Sheppard
Martha Wigfall
Saby Giddis
Susan Giddis
Alec Wright
Agrippa Champlain
Maria Dyles, Nurse

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Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1866
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 3

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

Moses Whitesides with Freedmen & women

DATE OF CONTRACT:

March 1, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

Mount Pleasant, S.C.

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Rose White
Will White
Daniel White
Sarah Whitesides
Beller Mitchel
Brister Geders
Martha Capers
Dandy Green
Hanna Green
Primas Ravinal
Tom Ravenel
Charles Brown

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Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1866
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 3

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

E. Clarence Whaley and Freedmen & women

DATE OF CONTRACT:

March 22, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

Wadmalaw Island

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Thomas Evans
John Roseburnell
Ceasar Brown
Louis C. Brown
Samuel Drayton
Samuel Brown
Mary Ann Brown
Margaret Jamison
Watt Johns
Daniel Cooper
Henry Fogarty
Ned Wright
Noble Bull
Maria Carper

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Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1866
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 3

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

J.J.R. Wescott with freed people

DATE OF CONTRACT:

May 7, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

Edisto Island

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Leonard Lewis
Benjamin Manigault
Billy Gaze
Sam Gadsen
Scipio Polite
Jerry Poyas
Andrew Moultrie
Wrenty Jenkins
Hercules Brown
Daniel Shaw
Jacob Moultrie
Kit Moultrie
Wm. Manigault
Ksaac Manigault
Donny Captain
Stephen Mack

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Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1866
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 3

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

Joe Walker with Fr. peo.

DATE OF CONTRACT:

March 23, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

James Island, S.C.

Lawtons Planatation

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Joe Walker

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Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1866
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 3

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

Thos. D. Wagner and Freedmen & women

DATE OF CONTRACT:

March 3, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Thomas Aiken
Lynda Aiken
Isac Reid
Clarisa Reid
Rinty Brown
Juliana Brown
Peter McBride
Huber Vince
William Simons
Jessy Brown
Fannie Brown
Tina Reid
Maryann Reid
Sarah Brown
Cain Brown
Tenah Smith
Moses Witherspoon
Deliah (Illegible)
Toby Rurden
Friday Geddins
Lida McDaniel
Sarah Reid
Hativer Singleton
Lucy Moultry
Cain Moultry
George Brown
Henry Goodman
Rachel Capers
Louis Reid
Tina Rurden
Jim Brown
Ginny Washington
Betty Rivers
Cumba Wilson
Daniel Middleton
Jack Reid
George Singleton

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Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1866
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 3

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

J.J.R. Westcott & Thos. A. Baynard & the freedmen

DATE OF CONTRACT:

May 7, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

Bailey Plantation

Point of Pines Plantation

Edisto Island, S.C.

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Sampson Gadsen
Johnson Tailor
Matthias Johnson
Matthias Johnson
Plenty Green
Sandy Simmons
Walley Wilson
Joe Williams
Richard Neat
George Manigault
Tom Reed
(Illegible) Drayton
Francis Glover
Maria White, mother
Peter Campbell
Will Wright
Jim Burnell
Maria Green
Phebe Williams
Titus Finley

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Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1866
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 3

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

J. Legare Walpole with Freed people

DATE OF CONTRACT:

April 4, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

Dr. J. Edwin Matthews Place

Johns Island

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Tom Hornet
York Frazer
Asberry Jones
David Small
Jupiter Murrin
Cyrus Frazier
Henry Small
Munday Gibbs

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Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1866
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 3

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

J. Legare Walpole and the Freed people

DATE OF CONTRACT:

April 30, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

Johns Island

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Joe Clements
York Guillard

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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:

F.M. Whaley with Freedmen

DATE OF CONTRACT:

Feb. 18, 1867

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Joseph Jenkins
Camden Brown
Maria Days
John Rosebrick
Margaret Rosebrick
Lindsy Chisolm
Simon Mackey
Stephen Frasier
Lizzie
Sophrone Gilmore
Louisa Keith
Nancy Brown
Betty Frasier
Eliza Taylor
James Bradly
Kit Williams
Washington Smith
William Filmore

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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 1

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

N.L. Westcott for his farm of California

DATE OF CONTRACT:

March 2, 1868

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Cornelius Jenkins
Nancy Singleton & children
Henry Cumming
Peter Loy, wife & children

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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 1

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

James M. Ward and (Illegible) B(illegible)

DATE OF CONTRACT:

April 1, 1868

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

None listed

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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 1

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

Edward Wedigan and October

DATE OF CONTRACT:

Jan. 23, 1868

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

October

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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 1

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

Edward Wedigan and October

DATE OF CONTRACT:

Jan. 23, 1868

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

October

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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:

John Whitesides and Fifteen Freedmen

DATE OF CONTRACT:

Feb. 12, 1868

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

Whitehouse Plantation

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

John Gillan
Peter Thomson
Joseph Elf
Scppio Wright
Elin Washington
Sarah Thomson
Moley Elf
Sarah Ann Wilson
Friday Bollough
Silvey Jenkin
Mary Graerson
Hanna Breen
George Hambleton
Mordci Fordam
Edward Graerson

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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:

B.J. Whitesides and Fifteen Freedmen

DATE OF CONTRACT:

Feb. 12, 1868

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

Whitehouse Plantation

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Primas Ravnel
Tiner Ravnel
Daniel Green
Hanna Green
William Harley
Laura Harley
Hecter Gillen
Daneal Jerry
Maria Jerry
Brister Geddis
Clarra Elf
Thomas Legare
Dianna Legare

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Freedmen’s Labor Contract
Berkeley County, SC, 1866
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 3

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

A.V. Toomer with Freedmen

DATE OF CONTRACT:

March 30, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

SC

Mount Pleasant, S.C.

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS:

Sam Porcher
Nancy Porcher
Isabell Porcher
Zike Vanderhorst
Henny Vanderhorst
Francis E. Gaillard
Zilfer Gaillard
Tom Hopkin
Ugenia Hopkin
Marcus Snowden
Hariet Snowden
Marry Press
Chloe Press
Sally Press
Jor Horlbeck
Sarah Horlbeck

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