Martin Doyle asserts that John Bartel reneged on a contract in which they agreed to raise a crop and split the proceeds. On 19 March 1825, Doyle and Bartel entered into an agreement in which Bartel gave possession of his house, plantation, livestock, equipment, and supplies to Doyle. Additionally, Bartel gave “custody, possession & labour” of his three children and “his negro woman Nelly” to Doyle for the “purpose of making a crop.” According to the articles of agreement, Doyle agreed to “furnish the sugar & coffee requested and to pay all the necessary attention to the said children & wench and also to use his best endeavours to make a crop.” As agreed upon, Doyle planted a crop of corn and cotton on the plantation. He charges, however, that Bartel acted in “bad faith & in counteraction of said agreement.” According to Doyle, Nelly was “unusable to work & is still so or pretends to be now” and Bartel's children have left the plantation and refuse to return. Doyle asks for $500 in damages and his half of the crops.
Result: Discontinued.
Or you may view all people.
Repository: East Baton Rouge Parish, Clerk of Court Archives, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
