Davis Responds to Baker's Plea

John Henry Davis responded to Edmund Baker's letter. Baker was requesting Davis return his children and pay him for their one year service on Davis' farm.

Gallatin April 23rd 1868

Dear Sir

Yours of the 22nd inst. has been duly received. And I now hasten to respond. You wish me to state whether I have in my service the minor children (Elijah, Wilson and Julia) of Edmund Baker, freedman, and if so to explain by what authority I hold them and why their father is not permitted to remove them and receive pay for their services. I will simply state that Wilson is not in my possession or employment but has contracted and lives with Dan Brown. That he does not prevent Julia's father from having her. But deserves her to go. And told her to go. And that the father took her twice and she would not remain with him. That Elijah is over twenty one years of age and so swore in a trial between me and his father before the Probate Judge of this County. And also swore that he did not wish to remain with his father. But preferred staying with me.

Your respectfully,
J. H. Davis

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SOURCES:
1860 Copiah County Federal Census
Mississippi, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-45832-30948-30?cc=2333768&wc=9L3S-92S:1078469102,1078468007 : accessed 14 Nov 2014), Brookhaven (subassistant commissioner) > Roll 11, Registered letters received, Nov 1867-Aug 1868 > image 121 of 265; citing NARA microfilm publication M1907, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.