Friend of Friends Friday: Lease Agreement: Sowden to Tansill

The following document was submitted as supporting evidence in Culpeper County, Virginia in the 1859 chancery case of James A. M. Muschett v. Seymour Lynn (as executor of the Estate of Samuel Tansill).

Sowden to Tansill

Lease of Slave

24 May 1841

We Ann Sowden & John Sowden have this day hired to Samuel Tansill, two negro men (Thomas & Philip) for one hundred and twenty dollars per year, commencing the first day of June Eighteen hundred & forty one and the said Tansill is to clothe them, pay their taxes and treat them with humanity, and pay the 1^st one hundred and twenty dollars as follows, viz, he is to pay thirty dollars on the first day of Sept eighteen hundred & forty one and thirty dollars on the first day of Dec 1841 and thirty dollars on the first day of March eighteen hundred & forty two and thirty dollars on the first day of June eighteen hundred and forty two, and it is further on by the said Ann & John Sowdon that whatever interest may accrue on the bonds, which the said Tansill now holds of ours as assignee of Thos. A. Farrow shall be deducted from the above named hire of one hundred and twenty dollars.  In witness whereof we the parties to the above agreement have hereunto set our hands & affixed our seals this 24^th day of May Eighteen hundred & forty one.

Ann Sowden {seal}

John Sowden {seal}

Samuel Tansill {seal}

I certify that the above contract is a true copy of a contract filed in the case in the Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery in Prince William County of Alexander v. Sowden.

Milton Fitzhugh Clk

Of Circuit Court of Pr. Wm. County