United States, Freedmen's Bureau Records of Persons and Articles Hired - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of index and images of field office monthly reports of articles and persons hired by the Bureau's field office for the years 1865 to 1872. The principal name in the index is either of the person employed or the person who owned the article.

"The Receiving and Disbursing Officer of each District will make a consolidated Monthly Report [Form 2] of all employees of this Bureau in their respective Districts, giving the name of each officer employing the persons whose services are reported. These names will be entered in the column headed "By whom owned," the words "or employed" being entered in said heading. The several officers under whose direction employees are hired will make their Reports (Form 2) to the Assistant Commissioners of their respective Districts as heretofore . These reports when approved by the Assistant Commissioners, will be by them referred to the Receiving and Disbursing Office reporting to them respectively, for consolidation." Source: Officers' Manual, p. 28.

The records and roll numbers are from the field office records of the following states:


 * Quartermaster and disbursing officer, roll 7
 * Batesville, roll 6; Devall's Bluff, roll 8; Pine Bluff, Arkansas River District, roll 19
 * Washington and Georgetown, roll 17
 * Chief quartermaster and disbursing officer, rolls 21-24; Isabella, roll 65; Woodville, roll 90
 * Bowling Green, roll 91; Lexington, rolls 110-111; Louisville, roll 119; Maysville, roll 124; Paducah, roll 131
 * Chief medical officer, roll 15; Abbeville, roll 52; Alexandria, roll 54; Amite City, roll 58; Abbeville, roll 60;  Bayou Sara, roll 66;  Clinton, roll 69; Columbia, roll 71; Franklin, roll 77; Houma rolls 80, 82; Lake Providence, roll 82; Milliken Bend, roll 87; Natchitoches, roll 92; New Iberia, roll 95; New Roads, roll 97; St. Joseph, roll 99
 * roll 6
 * Macon, roll 29; Vicksburg, roll 44 and 64
 * Beaufort, roll 6; Charlotte, roll 8; Greensboro, roll 20; Oxford, roll 48
 * Medical officer, roll 13; Abbeville Courthouse, roll 33;  Aiken, roll 37; Beaufort, roll 57; Columbia, roll 70; Darlington, roll 72;  Georgetown, roll 75;  Kingstree, roll 85; Marion, roll 87
 * Quartermaster and disbursing officer rolls 7-9; Boston roll 13

The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (often called the Freedmen’s Bureau) was created in 1865 at the end of the American Civil War to supervise relief efforts including education, health care, food and clothing, refugee camps, legalization of marriages, employment, labor contracts, and securing back pay, bounty payments and pensions.

What Can This Collection Tell Me?
The information found in the records varies by document and locality. You may find any of the following:


 * Full name
 * Residence
 * Document dates
 * Age
 * Occupation
 * Names of family members
 * Relationships

Coverage Table
This collection was published as a DGS browse collection. A table listing each DGS number and its contents can be found at United States, Freedmen's Bureau Records of Persons and Articles Hired Digital Folder Number List.

The table can be sorted by DGS number, GS number (microfilm number), the state where the registration took place, the title of the collection as it appears in the FamilySearch Catalog, the FHL Catalog Title Number is a link to the catalog entry, and the Film Note describing the contents of the DGS image folder.

The search results in this collection will identify the National Archives microfilm publication that the indexed image is from along with the film, digital and image numbers. The coverage table will help you determine the specific locality and provide the film notes which should identify the record type. Additional images of bureau records for the locality identified in the table will be found by searching in the browse collection.

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate age of your ancestor
 * The place where your ancestor lived
 * The name of the former slave owner

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the information found to search for the family in census records
 * Use the information found to search for the family in church records
 * Use the information found to search for the family in land and probate records
 * Use the information found to search for the family in additional state and county records

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Look for another index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor
 * Former slaves may have had used multiple names or changed their names until they decided upon one particular name. Search all possible names along with variations or spellings of their known names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the United States.
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

General Information About Freedmen's Bureau Records
The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands was established in the War Department in March of 1865. It was commonly called the Freedman’s Bureau and was responsible for the management and supervision of matters relating to refuges, freedmen, and abandoned lands. The Bureau assisted disenfranchised Americans, primarily African Americans, with temporal, legal and financial matters, with the intent of helping people to become self-sufficient. Matters handled included the distributing of food and clothing; operating temporary medical facilities; acquiring back pay, bounty payments, and pensions; facilitating the creation of schools, including the founding of Howard University; reuniting family members; handling marriages; and providing banking services. Banking services were provided by the establishment of the Freedman’s Saving and Trust Company, or Freedman’s Bank. The Bureau functioned as an agency of the War Department from approximately June 1865 until December 1868. In 1872, the functions of the Bureau were transferred to the Freedmen’s Branch of the Adjutant General’s Office. The Bureau assisted over one million African Americans, including many of the nearly four million emancipated slaves, which was over 25% of the population of former slaves in America. The records identify those who sought help from the Bureau at the end of the Civil War. Most supplicants were freed slaves, some of which were military veterans. In addition, a few veterans who were not African Americans also sought help from the Bureau. Freedmen’s Bureau records are usually reliable, because the records were supplied through first-person correspondence or the recording of a marriage.

Related FamilySearch Historical Records Collection Articles

 * Alabama, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Arkansas, Field Offices Records of the Freedmen's Bureau - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * District of Columbia, Freedmen's Bureau Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Georgia, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Kentucky, Freedmen's Bureau Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Louisiana, Freedmen's Bureau Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Maryland and Delaware, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Mississippi, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * North Carolina, Freedmen Bureau Field Office Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * South Carolina, Freedmen Bureau Field Office Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Texas, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.