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Henderson
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Name
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Henderson
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Freedom Status
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Enslaved until the end of the Civil War when he made an arrangement with Manly to continue to work on his plantation
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Basil Manly Diary VI (1858-1878) image 83, June 20, 1865
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"This day, at the plantation made an arrangement with my negroes to work on my place, being declared freedmen & freedwomen, by the Yankees. The arrangement includes my house – servants at home. They are to have the productions of ten average acres of corn. The following is a copy of the contract, and the names of the signers.
'We, the undersigned, declared “freedmen & freedwomen’” by the U.S. military authorities, and residing on the plantation of B. Manly, near Foster’s ferry, Tusk. Co. Ala do hereby agree to continue to work on the said plantation, under the direction of said Manly or his agent; to use due diligence during the customary number of hours, daily; to take care of all the stock, implements, or other property on the place or committed to us severally; and to act faithfully as laborers and employees on said plantation in all respects, until the close of the present year, on pain of being dismissed there from by said Manly or his legal representative by his desire. And we do also hereby agree to receive as full compensation for said services, the food, clothing, house-room, fuel and medical attendance in actual sickness, of ourselves and families; and further, that we receive the productions of a lot of ten (10) acres of land, to be selected as an average of the crop of corn; to be divided raticebly among us at the close of the year.
As witness of our freely & voluntarily agreeing here unto we have affirmed our mark opposite to our names, to this paper, before witnesses, at the said plantation, this 20th day of June, A.D. 1865.
Winter, Wood, Peter, William, Archy, Andrew, George, Robert, Alick, John, Henderson, Edmond, Oliver, Levi, Judy, Rose, Patsey, Martha, Sabra, Rebecca, Priscilla, Lydia, Binkey, Ann, Old Sabra, Julia, Morris, Arthur
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Basil Manly Diary VI (1858-1878) image 84, Aug 26, 1865 (Henderson absconding from the "fodder field")
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"Yesterday, James informed me, by letter, that a fire had broken out, on E. Collier Foster’s land; & that several of the negroes had gone home from the fire to dinner, contrary to his express order. He came home intending to punish them. Meeting with Binkey first, he began upon her; who resisted & fought. She left the plantation, & James sent her children & things, by a cart to town. But Binkey had reached town, her mother’s house, before the cart arrived with her children. I saw the man who attends to the freedmen’s affairs this morning; he promises to send a man down there this afternoon to see to the matter.
We will not suffer Binkey to appear on the place again. She left, of her own accord on frid. afternoon. Aug 25. The boy Henderson had left the fodder field nearly 3 weeks ago, after being very insulting to James. It is my wish that as many may depart as have a mind to.
The man did not go down, as he promised & pretended he would. My mule, sent to James Hutchins, to go down to the plantation, was not returned, but the yankee teamsters had him in a wagon on sunday morning, & had started off to Greensborough. But thro the watchfulness of my boy Levi, the intended theft was discovered & we obtained the mule: - took him out of their wagon.
The man, Hutchins, came to my house on Sunday morning, and pretended he had been to the plantation & lost all his money; and wished to levy a contribution on me. "
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Enslaver
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Basil Manly
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Leaser
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The University of Alabama
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Cadet Ledgers, 1861-1865 (Tailor's Account Book)
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Mess Hall Fund
1863
Dec 16 To 1 winter Jacket and pr pants for "Hannibal" $30.00
[ditto] for "Billy Bill" $30.00
[ditto] for John $30.00
[ditto] for Alf $30.00
[ditto] for George $30.00
[ditto] for Alfred $30.00
[ditto] for Henderson $30.00
[Total] $210.00"