In 1654 the Bristol City Council passed an ordinance requiring that a register of servants destined for the colonies be kept, the purpose being to prevent the practice of dumping innocent youths into servitude. The registers, covering the period 1654 to 1686, are the largest body of indenture records known, and they also are a unique record of English emigration to the American colonies.Of the total of 10,000 servants in these registers, almost all came from the West Country, the West Midlands, or from Wales. Most entries give the name of the servant, his place of origin (until 1661), length of service, destination (usually Virginia, Maryland, or the West Indies), name of master, and, after 1670, the name of the ship. Four indexes have been included, one each for servants, masters, places of origin, and ships. [from Ancestry.com]
This article discusses the practice of sending children from Britain to America to be indentured servants. It cites court records in the late 17th century that document the indenture process required of the persons who purchased the children in America. " It was a common practice to ship young children to America where servants were in demand. Overseers of orphanages and workhouses and poor parents were thus relieved of the expense of a child's maintenance. Some children were simply kidnapped....Procuring or stealing children to sell as servants seems Dickensian to us now, but it was an acceptable and prevalent practice for many centuries."
Transfer of indenture for Fanny from John Ewing to John H. Baker in Philadelphia. 28 January 1814. Transfer of indenture from John H. Baker to Anthony Gale of Southwark. 4 February 1814. Transfer of indenture from Anthony Gale via B. Graves to Edward Hudson of Philadelphia. 23 July 1814.
Black History Collection (MG0240) https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/2b3d42c6-a313-4ebc-966f-516114048136
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Black History Collection (MG0240), Series 2, Object ID, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL. Date accessed (day, month, year).
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, this document reflects the racial prejudices and actions of the era. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.
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Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-240, Series 2
Other Number
MG-240, Series 2, Folder 9, Item 3
Classification
MG0240
Description Level
Item
Custodial History
Transferred from Document Collection, Case 1 and cataloged June 2007. Added to database on 26 January 2022.
The items in Folder 9 are all attached at the corner with sealing wax.
Digitization of this document was funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, PHMC Appl ID # 202010016624, 2020-2023.
Transfer of indenture of Fanny from Edward Hudson to Mrs. Frances Evans of Lancaster. 15 April 1815. Transfer of indenture from Mrs. Frances Evans to Christian Leman of Strasburg Twp. 2 April 1818.
Black History Collection (MG0240) https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/2b3d42c6-a313-4ebc-966f-516114048136
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Black History Collection (MG0240), Series 2, Object ID, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL. Date accessed (day, month, year).
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, this document reflects the racial prejudices and actions of the era. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment--contact research@lancasterhistory.org prior to visit.
Copyright
Images have been provided for research purposes only. Please contact research@lancasterhistory.org for a high-resolution image and permission to publish.
LancasterHistory retains the rights to the digital images and content presented. The doctrine of fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder. Fair use includes comment, criticism, teaching, and private scholarship. Any images and data downloaded, printed or photocopied for these purposes should provide a citation. All other uses beyond those allowed by fair use require written permission.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-240, Series 2
Other Number
MG-240, Series 2, Folder 9, Item 3
Classification
MG0240
Description Level
Item
Custodial History
Transferred from Document Collection, Case 1 and cataloged June 2007. Added to database on 26 January 2022.
The items in Folder 9 are all attached at the corner with sealing wax.
Digitization of this document was funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, PHMC Appl ID # 202010016624, 2020-2023.
"In the record office of the City of London is a register containing the names of 3,398 servants bound out for service in the American colonies and the West Indies. Details concerning nearly 2,000 of these indentured servants, taken from the original indenture forms, were published over twenty years ago. Yet information on 1,544 additional servants, whose names appear in the register but for whom no indentures survive, had never been published. With this present work, however, we now have a published list of these missing servants as well as a digest of associated data. In addition to the servant's name and the name of the transporting agent, the tabulation includes the name of the colony to which the servant was shipped and the date--either the date of the indenture form itself or the Assize at which it was registered. The majority of these servants were destined for Maryland, Pennsylvania, or the West Indies." [from GoogleBooks]
