State of North Carolina, Wilson County }
Know all men by these presents that we A.J. Barefoot & J.D. Rountree are held & firmly bound unto Elias Barnes in the sum of five hundred Dollars for which payment we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors & administrators jointly & severally Sealed with our seals & dated April 25th 1855. Whereas, the said Elias Barnes has placed in the hands of the said A.J. Barefoot negro slaves Mary, Cherry and Henry the property of Geo. W. Barefoot which were lately levied upon & taken by the said Elias, as Sheriff of Wilson County, by virtue of original attachments in favor of Jas. D. Barnes, and J.D. & M. Rountree to the use of Wm. Barnes Jr. against the said Geo.W. Barefoot, returnable to July Term 1855 of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions of said County.
Now the condition of the above obligation is such that should the said Barefoot produce the said negro slaves at the next Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions & be held for the County of Wilson at B.H. Bardens store in the Town of Wilson there to abide the decision & judgment of the Court then this obligation to be void otherwise to remain in full force & virtue. /s/ A.J. Barefoot, J.D. Rountree
Court Cases Involving Slaves, Slave Records, Wilson County Records, North Carolina State Archives.