A letter from a North Carolina Freedmen's Bureau to an employer who failed to pay his African American servant, 1866.

Transcription:

Headquarters Freedmens Bureau
Sub. Dist. [[object Object]] of Tarboro, Rocky Mount N.C.
January 14th, 1866.

Mr Enos Harrell
Edgecombe Co. N.C.

Sir:
Complaint has today been made at the headquarters by Sophia Dunford, a freedwoman, who states that she worked for you last year and that you have given her no money--to save further trouble, you respectfully requested to settle with her. Such hours are worth at least four dollars per month. If you can’t settle with her, come to office on this day week Saturday next when the matter will be investigated.

Respectfully Yours
William Fox
Lieut. [[object Object]] Veteran Reserve Corps
Assistant Superintendent

Recieve in full of the above account of Enos Harrell Jan the 20 1866
Soph “her mark x” Dunford

E, E, Cobb

Citation Information
“Letter from Freedmen's Bureau to Enos Harrell,” Digital Public Library of America, http://dp.la/item/59412c85c8180febb8bed502c9e834d1.
Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.
Courtesy of East Carolina University via North Carolina Digital Heritage Center.

Tips for Students

For this source, consider:

  • the author's point of view
  • the author's purpose
  • historical context
  • audience