President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free.
Slavery was an active part of Southern American life, and Alamance County was typical of most counties in the South. In 1860, out of 883 farms in the area, 520 held slaves, most of them holding between 1 and 5 slaves. About 33% of the county's population was enslaved. The Shoffner family owned lots of land and was well known politically.
Our story begins with Pleasant. Pleasant was born into slavery but would have been ten years old when all slaves were legally free. Unfortunately, being freed through the emancipation didn't mean much for slaves in most southern states.
On March 3, 1865, The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands was formed. Its job was to assist freedmen and women in the South. They were to provide temporary shelter, food, and clothing to destitute and suffering freedmen, their wives, and children. Instead most times they confinced the freed slave to enlist into endentured slavery. There was very little difference between free and enslaved.
This is where we pick up on the life of Pleasant. On February 13, 1866, Pleasant Shoffner was binded by law to enter into indentured slavery contract with Michael Shoffner in Alamance County. Pleasant was 13 years old when he became the property of Michael Shoffner and the Shoffner Family. He was documented as an orphan. His parents could have been killed, or they may have all been separated after the Civil War.
Traditionally, young people have been bound to a master as an apprentice to learn a trade from him. The Master would feed, clothe and instruct the apprentice in the trade, and the apprentice would provide free labor. At the end of his apprenticeship, the young person received clothes and tools and became a journeyman who could work for himself.
This is precisely the path that Pleasant was on. We don't know how long his indentured servitude lasted. Typically the Master would hold them between 7-10 years. Pleasant's Bounty was $100.00. He would have had to pay this amount to be freed.
We know he was able to accomplish this, and it is truly something to be proud of. We know he was able to learn a trade and work as a carpenter in the Mills. What strength and determination he must have had. For a slave being able to pay $100 was like paying 1 million dollars in those days.
We know that he was able to buy his freedom, but he did in fact remain in Alamance County. He was a farmer and skilled carpenter. We also know that he married Mariah Wharton on May 3, 1875. We believe the couple did very well for themselves and their children considering the hardships they endured. We believe they were the parents of 13 Children. We find most of their children’s names on the Federal census but some are not there because they were older and believed to have left for Buffalo New York and Brooklyn New York.
Pleasant Shoffners Indenture Service Papers.
The Shoffner Plantation
Pleasant Shoffner Gravesite:
Named spelled Shaffner,
* Dont think this was an error but rather the families way of seperating themselves from their white counterparts. It was very common amoung freed slaves.
* Pleaasant also adopted the name Green as a middle name. This could have been because
he lived in Green Township and his father Ceasar was also believed to use the name Green as well. These would be hints for any family member that may have been attempting to find him. We are still unsure if he had any additional siblings or if he ever reunited with his parents. His use of the name Green lets us know that he died trying.
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