Letter from William McBurney in Charleston to Thomas B. Ferguson at Dean Hall Plantation concerning the hiring of freedmen. McBurney writes that after a survey of other Cooper River plantation owners he finds that most are offering a share of the crop instead of monthly pay "whether from a want of ability to pay wages or because they believed an interest in the crop would secure a more steady course of labor and prevent stealage." McBurney informs Ferguson that he has written up a contract and submitted it to General Scott at the Freedmen's Bureau for acceptance. He fears the general will alter his submitted contract in favor of the former slaves and writes that officials in the bureau think the "freedman and the white northern laborer" are the same. 2p. February 1, 1866.
Notice of a bill sent to James B. Heyward from C.W. [Enecks?] at Wolfe Hill. Enecks mentions threshing wheat for Heyward and asks him where he should send it. 1p. June 11, 1868.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson concerning supplies and carpenters for Dean Hall and a load of lumber received from the plantation. 2p. April 11, 1866.
Letter from James B. Heyward to William C. Bee seeking a partner in planting Myrtle Grove Plantation. Heyward alludes to an 1854 hurricane that has damaged the long term rice yield at Myrtle Grove but hopes with sufficient capital and his one year of "experience in management under the present system" that a profitable crop of rice could be realized. 4p. November 11, 1866.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson. McBurney acknowledges Ferguson's letter regarding the theft of a mule from Dean Hall and sends Ferguson supplies and laborers. 2p. June 12, 1866.
Second letter of June 12, 1866, from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson. McBurney writes that Ferguson's brother thinks the mule thief will cross the river at "Bacon Bridge" and head towards Adams Run and suggests that Ferguson go to "the neighborhood of the 18-mile" house to offer "John Donnelly" a reward if he can capture the thief. 1p.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson at Dean Hall. McBurney alludes to problems Ferguson is having with the lack of good labor and discusses cotton and rice options for the next planting seasons. 6p.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson repeating the contractual terms for the hired hands McBurney is sending to Dean Hall Plantation. 4p. December 13, 1865.
Notice affirming the charges made by Thomas B. Ferguson against freedmen at Dean Hall Plantation. The military command in Charleston agrees that the freedmen have forfeited their contract with Ferguson and gives them ten days to leave the plantation. 1p. July 13, 1866
Article of agreement between James B. Heyward, William Henry Heyward and John Chadwick to replant Fife Plantation. John Chadwick, from New York, agrees to provide $15,500 in capital for two-thirds share in the resulting rice crop. 4p. March 14, 1866.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson concerning Dean Hall Plantation, including news that one of Ferguson's newly purchased mules has lost its tongue. 2p. March 14, 1866.
Letter from James B. Heyward to William Henry Heyward about their business agreement with John Chadwick at Fife Plantation. James dislikes the terms of the agreement and doesn't want it extended beyond the one year. He would rather sell Fife "than go into these extortionate bargains for cultivating it." 2p. March 16, 1866.
Letter from William Henry Heyward at Savannah to James B. Heyward at Combahee. William Heyward has come to the conclusion that the destruction of slave labor will prevent them from ever turning a profit again on the scale seen in the past. He claims that the bargaining power exercised by the freedmen "makes the Planter a slave, far worse than his slave used to be." Because of the scarcity and high price of labor he believes that he and James should sell most of their properties and concentrate all their efforts on a few. 4p. April 17, 1866.
Letter to James Heyward from J.H. Trapier concerning ideas about crops and livestock for their various properties. Trapier suggests giving the newly freed laborers a stake in the crops grown, noting that he got the idea from a book on "European Agriculture" and that the practice had worked well in Germany. He mentions the difference in labor required for field crops versus the "special cultivation" skills needed for rice propagation. Finally, he asks James for a copy of a blank "Petition for pardon" claiming the hand crafted one he had sent earlier might be rejected because of his refusal "to surrender my ideas in reference to State Sovereignty." 4p. August 18, 1865.
