Regardless of how skilled a slave might have been or how much money they made, until they were free they were just property like a cow or a plow. Never said that it did. James Brothers, RPA [log in to unmask] On Jun 24, 2007, at 17:27, Paul Finkelman wrote: > in many places slaves were allowed (by their owners) to sell > produce and > small farm animals (pigs, chickens) they raised themselves or fish > that > they caught. Masters also sometimes gave slaves money for extra tasks > -- masters understood the notion of incentives. But, none of this > affected the reality that the slaves -- and everything they owned and > earned -- ultimately belonged to the master. > > Paul Finkelman > President William McKinley Distinguished Professor of Law > and Public Policy > Albany Law School > 80 New Scotland Avenue > Albany, New York 12208-3494 > > 518-445-3386 > [log in to unmask] >>>> [log in to unmask] 06/24/07 1:05 PM >>> > I do not have a reference, but I remember being told during a visit > to Williamsburg a few years ago that slaves provided many of the eggs > and vegetables eaten in the town. And were paid for them. In the iron > industry it was common at least in the mid 1800s for skilled slaves > (as at Buffalo Forge or Tredegar) to be assigned a quota. After they > fulfilled this quota they were paid at the same piece rate as the > White employees. > > James Brothers, RPA > [log in to unmask]