Berkeley County, SC Freedmen's Labor Contracts, Slaveholder Surnames Beginning with "O"

Somerset Plantation House, Berkeley County, 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 “O.”

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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:

Geo. O. Owens with Freedmen

DATE OF CONTRACT:

Feb. 1, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

Oakgrove Plantation

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

None listed

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

Geo. O. Owens with Freedmen

DATE OF CONTRACT:

Feb. 1, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

DeHay Plantation

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Spencer Cummings, fullhand
Amity Cummings, fullhand
William Cummings, halfhand
Ephraim Cummings, halfhand
Middleton Dantzler, fullhand
Mary Dantzler, fullhand
Fechipy Peas, fullhand

TITLE OF CONTRACT:

Geo. O. Owens with Freed people

DATE OF CONTRACT:

Feb. 1, 1866

PLACES MENTIONED IN CONTRACT:

Berkeley County

South Carolina

Oakgrove Plantation

NAMES OF FREEDPERSONS

Julius Squire, fullhand
Mary Squire, fullhand
Bess Squire, halfhand
July Ray, fullhand