Lease agreement for the rental of Maria, an enslaved woman, 1853 December 27 :manuscript.

Summary: Lease agreement for the rental of Maria, an enslaved woman. The unidentified renters "bind" themselves to pay "$35 on or before the 23rd Dec 1854" to "Lehew's & McKay" for the "hire of Negro woman Maria". The renters "bind [themselves] to keep said woman well clothed during the year and return her at expiration of the year supplied with a new and complete suit of winter clothing consisting of a new homemade linsey dress, underdress shirts of good scholasticate cotton, new shoes, & stockings, bonnet and one of the largest sized blankets."

Names of enslavers leasing Maria from Schew and McKay excised from document.

"Lehew's & McKay" possibly refers to the married couple, Anna Elizabeth McKay (nee Lehew) and Thomas Buck McKay, who enslaved 7 people. Consult the 1860 U.S. Federal Census Slave Schedules.

Title devised by cataloger.

Formerly known as: Note for rental of slave woman for one year from [Schew's] McKay: Maria, including furnishing with winter clothing, shoes, stockings, bonnet, and blanket, $36, to [name excised], Front Royal area, Va.

Title on verso: Bond of hire for Maria, 1854.

Place of production based on known locations of members of the Lehew and McKay families.