Contract, Plantation Rental

 
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Plantation rent contract
Contract, Plantation Rental
Plantation rent contract
Plantation rent contract

Contract, Plantation Rental

Object number1998.055.12
DateJanuary 1, 1844
Mediumpaper and ink
DimensionsOverall: 15 1/4 x 13 1/4 in. (38.7 x 33.7 cm)
Credit LineOld State House Museum collection
Terms
    DescriptionWritten on brown paper with black ink. Document was folded into 13.25 x 7.625. Attached to the document is a Certificate of Record with the signature of the Circuit County Clerk. In the document J.W. Ridgel agrees to rent a plantation from Elijah Sparks. The plantation includes a mill and gin, horses, and 13 slaves.

    Certificate of Record is typed. It is 4.4375 x 7.75. It has an embossed insignia in the lower left corner.

    Transcription:

    Front Side

    "State of Arkansas
    Bradley County
    Acknowledgement of an agree
    [-]ment entered on to
    this the 1st day of January and thousand eight
    hundred & forty four between J W Ridgel
    of (?) and (?) & Elijah Sparks after
    others hath of the county & state above
    mentioned each of us lend our (?)
    our hands & assign to each other in
    the personal same of ten thousand
    dollars the payment well & (?) to
    be mad[e]

    The (?) of this
    (?) is such that J W Ridgel
    has this day rented or leased to E
    Sparks his plantation and negroes to (?)
    (?) (?) Bab Bab Leander George
    West Bell Elandre Suse Lela & (?)
    (?) & Mary & eight head of horses and
    (?) & all of my (?) and all my
    farming tools mill & gin and a (?)
    of (?) & fodder for the present year
    and my stake of hogs and the said E.
    Sparks agrees on his pact for the use for five years
    of the above named property to pay to the said
    Ridgel one thousand dollars annually for
    five years and return to said Ridgel at
    the expectation of the above mentioned time
    the same quantity of hogs & horses
    and further more of the said Sparks
    should fail to pay me the thousand
    dollars as it falls due by bad (?)
    (?) the said Ridgel has at in his (?)
    to discharge Sparks at the end of any
    year with the five years, and the said
    Sparks is to treat the negroes well and be at
    all eschews my (?) of death of (?) (?) can
    (?) to be (?)..."

    Reverse side, continued...

    "and further more the (?) is to be
    (?) to Ridgels [sic] debt every year
    until he receives his thousand
    dollars, (?) of the above named partners
    should (?) comply with the above
    contract (?) this obligation to be void
    otherwise to remain in full force
    (?) under our hands & seals this
    the 1st day of January on AD 1844
    J.W. Ridgel Seal
    Elijah Sparks Seal
    (?) (?) M.B. Nichols"
    Status
    Not on view
    Collections