The author in the introduction describes the 18th century system by which people came to the American colonies through the "indenture" or "redemptioner" process. The remainder of the book features copies of advertisements placed in publications seeking indentured servants who have run away from their masters.
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."
Record of indentures of individuals bound out as apprentices ,servants, etc, and of German and other Redemptioners in the office of the Mayor...Philadelphia, Oct. 3,1771 to Oct. 5,1773
