| Name | Age | Color or Race | Sex | Role in document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Hedrick | Male | grantor | ||
| Polly Bower | Female | grantee | ||
| """negro woman""" | """woman""" | Black ("negro") | Female | enslaved |
“Articles of Agreement”, also called an “Instrument”. This is a marriage contract, but the reverse of what usually was specified in such documents at this time and place. Peter Hedrick and Polly Bower, “alias McCrary” intend to marry. In this document, Hedrick specifies that after marriage he will keep for his own possession and use “all his property both Real and Personal and all monies notes, bonds, dues and demands whatsoever with the exception of one hundred acres of good land one negro woman one bed and furniture and one cow…”. If Peter dies before Polly, the un-named “negro woman”, the land, bed, furniture and cow will become Polly’s property, and she is to get nothing further from his estate unless it’s specified in his Will. No further information about the “negro woman”, and it’s probably the case that Hedrick didn’t have anyone specific in mind—just one of his enslaved women. The document continues: “It is understood and agreed that if the said Polly shall conduct herself as a good faithful and obedient wife as she ought to do…”, Hedrick might make further designations of property or money “as he thinks proper.” Peter Hedrick signed and Polly McCrary made her mark on July
