Labor Agreement for Truss B. Hall

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Description

Following the Civil War, the Federal Government established the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands to aid former slaves – better known as the Freedmen’s Bureau.

One of the services this agency provided was assisting freedpeople with labor contracts. This contract acknowledged that Robert McKenzie, representing Robinson Company, would pay Truss B. Hall $4 a month for his service until December 25, and that Hall would “obey all lawful commands as he use to when a slave.”

Transcript

Office of Bureau of Refugees Freedmen &c.
For Robeson Co
Lamberton Aug 28th 1865

This instrument witnesseth that Robert McKenzie of Robeson Co agrees to pay Truss B. Hall $4.00 per month until 25th day of December next for an in situation of the said Truss B. Hall rendering the Robert McKenzie true and faithful service and obey all lawful commands as he use to when a slave.

Robert McKenzie
Truss B. Hall
x his mark

Witnessed and approved
James Sinclair, agent of Bureau

Citation

This primary source comes from the Records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands.

National Archives Identifier: 595055

Full Citation: Agreement of Labor for Truss B. Hall; 8/28/1865; Freedmen’s Labor Contracts, 5/1865 – 12/1867; Records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, Record Group 105; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/document/hall-labor-agreement/, December 22, 2025]

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