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This Indenture, made this 19th day of August, in the year
Eighteen hundred & Sixty five between 1^st Lieut. Ab S Dial A.A.A. Gen’l
J. B. 7th Dist. Va. of the one part, and John F. Hawkins of the
County of Bedford of the other part, Witnesseth, That the said
Lieut Ab S Dial &c. &c. by virtue of the authority in him
vested as Military ([Commandant] [ agent] aforesaid, hath put and bound, and doth by These
Presents, put and bind Susan — a free Girl of color, of the said
County, and being of the age of Five years, to be Apprenticed to the
said John F Hawkins to learn the Business of a
house servant, and with him to dwell and remain and serve until She, the
[damaged: aid] Susan — , shall obtain the age of Eighteen
[damaged: ]ears; during all which time, she, the said Susan — ,
– — faithfully shall serve and obey, all secrets keep, and all lawful
commands willingly do and perform; and shall not absent herself from the service of
her master day or night, without his leave; but shall, in all things, as a faith-
ful Apprentice, behave herself towards her master, and all his family, during the said
term: and the said John F Hawkins doth hereby covenant, promise and
agree to, and with the said Lieut A. S. Dial &c and his successors in office,
that he the said John F Hawkins will instruct said Apprentice in the
business of a houseservant ([ which now] [ Ann] useth), shall and will
teach and instruct, or cause to be taught and instructed in the best manner that he can,
and shall and will provide and allow unto the said Apprentice, during all the said term,
competent and sufficient meat, drink, washing lodging, apparel, and all other things ne-
[damaged: ]ssary for the said Apprentice to have, and that he will well and truly pay
[damaged: ] to the said Susan — at the end of — her –
term of apprenticeship aforesaid, the sum of Twenty — dollars, lawful money of
Virginia; and that during the term aforesaid — he — will instruct,
or cause to be instructed, the said Susan, in reading, writing and
arithmetic, as far as the Rule of Three.     Witness, the following signatures and seals of the parties.