Indentured servants revisited

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

I have been trying to find a lot of the research I lost when lightning killed my last computer. I found this very interesting book with references to the white slave trade. The title is what caught my attention: Redneck Manifesto...

http://books.google.com/books?id=YF5U4IkcFS4C&pg=PA63&lpg=PA63&dq=indentured+servant+auctions+in+south+carolina&source=bl&ots=up1P56KlSR&sig=XHTCKhFGRnQAgrCjDTm3SoUguqM&hl=en&ei=_0JKTY_bPIytgQfz84TuDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CEIQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=indentured%20servant%20auctions%20in%20south%20carolina&f=false

I have more stuff I've found too but this is a hoot, and actually provides endnotes for documentation.

A really good reference site:

http://www.pricegen.com/immigrantservants/links.htm

I'll post more after I go through the links I've saved.

One more for tonite:

http://eh.net/Clio/Publications/indentured.shtml

Bo

Edited February 3, 2011 by Capt. Bo of the WTF co.

[William Brand]

I love this particular quote...

A South Carolina bill introduced in 1717 argued that "the ownership of one white man" should be a prerequisite for State Assembly membership.

[Elena]

Thank you very much for the links. I will pass them on, because one of the members of my game is playing an indentured servant in Jamaica.

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

This is out of GAoP period, but a 1751 Indenture contract that could be used to reproduce others:

http://historical.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=87071&Lot_No=91589

Elena, you are welcome, happy to be of some use for a change.

Bo

[Zingara Carmella]

I know silly question but hey I will never know if I don't ask.

Why indenture?

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

This is from a gentleman that lives "sometimes in Spain, sometimes England" according to his ID on another forum:

by georgiangentleman » Thu Feb 03, 2011 7:03 am

"Just as an aside, an 'indenture' got its name because if a (parchment) document ran to more than one page (and a good lawyer invariably made sure that it did!) the two pages would be placed one on top of the other and a wavy line would be cut down the margin and across the top with a sharp blade, through both thicknesses of parchment. This was to prevent forgery i.e. to prevent anyone substituting a new continuation sheet. Because of this, the man writing the document indented the text so as to allow room for the margin to be cut in this way.

In my career as a lawyer I frequently came across indentures dating back to the Eighteenth Century - and occasionally one as old as the mid 1500s. Fortunately they were more of historic interest than legal significance (but could be relevant e.g in checking rights of way, which technically last forever under English law)."

This is the only explanation I have ever seen.

Bo

[Zingara Carmella]

ahhhhhhhhhhh! Thank you very oh so much Capt Bo

[wendy]

An interesting explanation. Thanks.

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

You are very welcome.

Bo

[MadL]

"This one be so lazy he'd rather die then work!"

I had done some searching a while back on indentured servants and had come across a site that listed hundereds, if not thousands of indentured servant contracts but now can not find it again...

The site was searchable by name, it would then give you a one or two page sample of the document(s) and for a fee you could purchase the whole thing (one person's contract at a time, not the whole lot). I had done a search on Madl and found one, not sure if he be a real relative but it claimed he was indentured as a carpenter upon arrival to America and a little bit more - one line you can only 'sample' the document not read the whole thing...I did another search on me mum's side for Allison, and TON came up!!

The site claimed that many were obtained through various Estate Sales and other sources.

Has anyone heard or seen such a site?