Cameron Family Papers - Records of Enslavement

Raleigh 21 Nov. 1865 My dear sir You have been already informed by Rebacca that Duncan was here - On my return from Hillsboro. I was informed by Morriss that he had left Durham that morning after we had left, with the intention of going to Goldsboro to engage in business there When I reached home I heard he was once at Dr. [illegible] I went over immediately to see him - he was there but as soon as he heard I was there, went off & did not return that night - I left next morning for the plantation requesting Mr. P at [heson?] to find him & bring him home & keep him until I returned - he did so & has been with us ever since going off occasionally & absorbing himself from his meals. tonight May was informed by [illegible] that he had Sold a pair of shoes he had on to an old man we have here & was trying to sell him his clothes he had on. I sent for the old man to enquire about it & he told me he had bought apair of shoes for $1.25! & that he offered to sell him the suit of clothes he had on for $15 saying they were too coarse for him that he had tried to sell them to a man named John, but he had not the money to

pay for them. I told the old man he must not trade with him for any thing - He then said he had borrowed $10 -from him & had put it down in a little book which he had & told him if he did not send it down to him by Thursday to show that book to me & I would pay him - It is very painful & disagreeable to me to communicate such things to you, but I think you ought to know them - I think the best thing you can do is keep him at home & let him take lessons from Dr Curtis. He will then be under your control.

I sent up by the train the Bags of Sugar & the barrel of whiskey which I hope will arrive safely - I am glad that the Yankee brought your [Stagville?] [men?] to terms - With Best love to all Yours truly [illegible]

case as there are plenty of boats at mobile waiting , freights would be reduced to $2.00 or $3.00 on the other hand cottoncould not be sold on the place, to reliable parties, for less than gets under the mobile quotations, so after much consideration or consultation we determined that I should come on out here & the Col. would try to effect the sale of a part at least of the cotton by the time I returned. Cotton was quoted in mobile at that time @ 44 to 50 cts in [Green?] @36 to 38 cts Fright on a bag by R.R. to Selena & down at a river $8.00 from [Candy's] landing $20.00 as I left Demopolis however the river had risen a foot & two or three small boats had come up & were taking it for $5.00 pr.bg. from that point so I hope the Col. will ship a part before I get back though I fear he has too much of his own business to attend to, to look after any one else very closely. The amount of Cotton on the place is as follows 110 bales packed 30 or 40 bales have been emptied in the blow room of Gin house this will not bring as much as the other by 4 or 5 cts as they say it is injured by repacking then there are from 50 to 75 bales still in the seed making a

total of 225 bales. I think it will come up to that certainly & may exceed it. It was not thought best to gin out the [seed?] cotton heretofore as it was so much more liable to be stolen but when I left Col. Jones had just began to give his & I left world for Oberry to do the same. Oberry told me that there are no changes on the place except a small bill say $150 besides his salary for 5 years which he expects to receive in gold. About 5700 bush of corn on the place 1110 old corn all of which will be required for plantation use80 Hogs to kill which will give nearly meat enough. Of other things I have taken memoranda so as to give you all the information I can. I hope you will be satisfied with our action in the cotton matter as we did the best we could under the circumstances. I could not find Judge Wright here this morning but found him this afternoon he has just returned from Georgia & can not go down with me which I regret very much but says there are some gentlemen in the neighbourhood that he will give me letters to. I hope to get off tomorrow -should have gone today but that I wanted to talk more fully with the judge. Returning by Ala. will delay me somewhat which I regret but could do no better hope to be home early in Dec. Will write again when I come up from [Sumica?] Best love to all Most Respectfully & Affectionately G.P. Collins To P.C. Cameron Esq Hillsboro N.C.

though the Dr. thinks she ought not to go out She has had a [nice?] [little?] [party?] since she came & enjoyed it very much; & I wished you could have seen the sweet little miss, particularly Rebecca who sat up at the table & enjoyed herself as much as any bodyWe are all right well here except Annie -. I think dear Papa looks a great deal better since I saw him last I hope he will not be any the worse for his strife. I am truly glad I think he is coming to Hillsbro, & we will all be rejoiced to have him comfortably settled there. Aunt Maggie [??] & uncle George send you love & say they are so sorry to think of my going; & that they have not seen much of me & will expect [now?] to come after we are all settled at home to see them. I have to go for I know I am a comfort & assistance to Aunt Milly. Tell the children, we would all have been glad to have had them come to the Fair yesterday; Annie had a good many pretty presents to cheer & help her. [illegible] has just left - I know you will be glad to hear that Barker saw him - he seemed to feel the parting from his friends so much -

ful for the many blessings which are still left us, for when compared with the condition of those [lands?] around us, we have a grea deal to be thankful for.- I suppose you have in this [illegible] that our friend Holden has be relieved of the onesons duties of his office and that Gov Webb is to occupy the Gubernatorial chair - I know one may now look forward to better times and shall [illegible] escape the malignant attacks which have heretofore been made often us - May the New Year be the harbinger of new [ways?], new joys and new comforts to us all - we have all [full?] much sincerity about [illegible] the with charge on this long journey and [illegible] we shall I even hear of their safe arrivalI am glad to find Mr Collins was so helpful & [Sanguine] and if he continuies so, have no doubt of his services - We are undergoing the burden and manage as of Chrstimas hoilday to servants, bent upon the

Greensboro Ala Dec 30th. 1865

Mr P C Cameron My dear. In accordance with the understanding had with Mr Collins new son-in-law While here - I have shipped seventy bales of [illegible?] Collins to William Stewart [illegible] Mobile - and have instructed them to sell as soon as they can do so advantageously - that is on the first ac. live market. Middlings are at present [illegible] about 48 [cents?] each for [illegible] in that market. & with- not having actually [illegible] Collins, be leave it to be above that wait [illegible] & [illegible] he can get for it 50 cents for lb. when sold I have instructed him to forward proceeds to you by draft [illegible]. [illegible] You and Mr Collins both succeed [illegible] to realize about what that number of bales will bring & I know of no way in which it can be [illegible] so safely and [expeditiously?]- I paid B [illegible] in November [last?] 18h.70 [illegible] & bagging not by [illegible], for you - loaned Mr Collins 200 dolls & [paid?] [illegible] new Freedmen 192.50- making in all 578.20. [illegible] which [illegible[ I have drawn one Mr Stewart who this draft has not as yet gone forward- Mr Collins was shipped on a [illegible]

to hire themselves for another year- I shall [consider?] them all- as usual- the Field had [well?] generally [illegible] with this [former?] [illegible] (there is nothing else really [in them?]) [the?] [bales?][ given will be about 10 pm mostly [in?] first [chap] fellows- 8 [in?] 2nd 8 in [illegible] [chap] women & 6 be second & so on- The [illegible] finishing house-room;food, and fuel- the Freedmen clothes. & medical [illegible] illegible]- we expect to be able to get out [of?] [them?] about 2/3 work- not more than this can be [counted?] on with any certainly- all of my children from Margaret to his youngest boy-now two weeks old have had his [illegible]. [illegible] [within?] [illegible] I am happy to say will [love?] itHalcott Jones is with meI shall be glad to have [now? receid?] [illegible] to his balance of Mr Collins cropwill [now?] hold for him Spring market-.? With my kindest regards to Mrs Cameron I am my true [illegible] A.b. Jones

The hands work better and are not so insolent and are more obedient than before the visit from Capt. Freeland though he did not go to them as they were back in the bend at [?] cutting wheet and much wheet would be run over and lost to get to them I doubt not it was best not to go to them as what was said at [Steyville?] was carried to them & all others & they not [?] will have a good effect at least for the present and do hope by the fall at lest you can rid yourself of a large lot of trublesome ones as there can be no living in a neighborhood with such a set of people I will do all I can to save what I can and make the most of what is left. Please make up in your mind what you will pay the negros in crops as I would like to get out the wheet soon clean up & put yours in the [hide?] dont want theirs to go there

S. [Pife?]

Mrs Paul C. Cameron

Graham

Kindness of Mr Curtis

Mr Ce a-