Purman Arrives in Florida

The Bureau was late in getting organized in Florida. Osborn found on his arrival that he had virtually no one available to staff the essential field positions. Out of desperation, the Bureau declared that local probate judges were to serve as civilian agents to represent the Bureau. Appointing white Southern officials holding over from the Confederacy was worse than useless. In January, Osborn finally received some VRC officers and sent them out to field positions. Hamilton was given Jackson and three adjacent counties as his territory. Almost immediately upon his arrival in Marianna in late January, Hamilton reported on the local staffing problem. When Osborn asked for recommendations to replace the local civilian agents, Hamilton suggested his friend Purman as a "suitable person for the position of Civilian Agent" for Jackson Co.

Purman arrived in Marianna, Florida in late March or early April 1866. Officially, Purman reported to Hamilton, the sub-assistant commissioner for Jackson and three adjacent counties. Hamilton reported to Osborn, the assistant commissioner for the State of Florida and Osborn, in turn, reported to the Bureau's Commissioner, Gen. O.O. Howard, in Washington.

Unlike Hamilton, who was salaried, civilian agents depended for income from their position on the fees they were entitled to charge for stamping and approving documents, primarily labor contracts. By the time Purman arrived in Florida, however, Hamilton had already nearly completed revising and approving the labor contracts for 1866, leaving Purman little opportunity to earn money from transaction fees. Consequently, Hamilton sent a request to Osborn asking as a "personal favor" that Purman be awarded a salaried position. Osborn gave his approval, and beginning June 1, Purman was paid one hundred dollars per month.