Excellent subject for genealogy. In regards to early Tidewater, Virginia or more specifically Surry County, VA, directly across the James (river) to Jamestown, it was a mixed bag to whether an indentured servant came into a home who were kind and supportive or abusive. One of my direct ancestors Col. John Flood looked over the welfare of the indentured servants in Surry County as a judge. He wrote of quite a few incidents in the County records. One being a boy of 12 years of age on a ferry with his master who had gotten the boy drunk as the ferry was going to Jamestown and had him dance around to amuse the other ferry goers. Somehow the master ended up catching him on fire during this bizarre scenario and John Flood ended up taking him into his home, listed as I believe maimed or non useful with the former master being heavily fined. Several incidents of indentured servants running away to his home with grievances and in one case, taking the servant in because of evidence to having been abused. What appears to be acts of suicide didn't seem too uncommon for indentured servants with several cases of female servants that took their own lives. One case being a female servant getting up from her dinner in a friendly mood based on her master's statement to then going out to wade into a river and drown herself. Some would succumb to the cold and while it seems questionable, it can get pretty cold in Virginia during September. In one report A criminal going to two indentured servants telling them they will have their freedom by being taken further South but they must get the keys to their master's chests with possessions and wealth. If they didn't comply they were threatened with death. In this case the indentured servants went to the authorities. Another is the occasional escape involving indentured servants. In every case they were eventually discovered, usually squatting on someone's land in nearby woods. The person finding escapee's in one case received a barrel of Indian corn for his troubles by the county. The life of the indentured servants in Surry was difficult. There was one man of prominence that didn't want to see the indentured servants walking freely around on Sundays but that seemed to be ignored. Also, indentured servants wearing finer articles of clothing which was looked down upon by some planters with this practice eventually being banned. Also questionable deaths with young indentured servants, one case a deceased young boy having bruises around his neck, face and ears but not one case that I could find which lead to a declaration of murder. At least for Surry County, there were symbols in place communicating to the indentured servants their place in society. For those who attempted to kill or harm their masters, the punishment would be hanging to then being beheaded and having their heads put on spikes at a major forked road that ran near the courthouse for Surry County, to remind others of the consequences. Thought I would share what genealogical research I had done and the little treasures of surviving accounts within early county records.
This is so interesting! I have never noticed any of my ancestors as being indentured.. hard to imagine they were not as some of them were teenagers when they came in the early 1700’s! I feel I’m getting a history lesson by looking into my ancestry and I love it!
I’m so sorry I missed this. I put it on calendar, but not at right time. Thanks for all you do. Your statistics and the way you contextualize them, were really impactful. Brava!
Hello! Thank you for working on this project Ms. Carol! It is very interesting indeed but also a story of our early history that should be told. I haven’t researched my ancestors back far enough to discover their terms of entering the states except for my Ransom line and my Perkins line has already been proven to descend from Plymouth John Howland (my 9th G-Grandfather). Would you consider John Howland an “indentured” servant? We know he was able to become a free man from his servitude and have a wife and family and own land. Q: Charles McAnally from Stokes County whom you have wrote about, has a family story of his ancestor being forced on a departing ship from Scotland where he was stolen as a boy (of age 8 I believe). Have you heard this before? I have the McAnally book which relays the story.
I am wondering if our family is descended from Benjamin "the Immigrant" Rogers; he being the father of William and Thomas Rogers who came over on the ship Caesar.
A tragic story, well documented, is that of Margaret "Peggy" Lawrence, a convict bound to Tobias Phillips on his tobacco farm in the Northern Neck. Another reason my Southern in-laws don't like me poking around.
To learn more about the Colonial Indentured Servants Project visit our website at piedmonttrails.com/
Enjoy Your Journey to the Past!!
Excellent subject for genealogy. In regards to early Tidewater, Virginia or more specifically Surry County, VA, directly across the James (river) to Jamestown, it was a mixed bag to whether an indentured servant came into a home who were kind and supportive or abusive. One of my direct ancestors Col. John Flood looked over the welfare of the indentured servants in Surry County as a judge. He wrote of quite a few incidents in the County records. One being a boy of 12 years of age on a ferry with his master who had gotten the boy drunk as the ferry was going to Jamestown and had him dance around to amuse the other ferry goers. Somehow the master ended up catching him on fire during this bizarre scenario and John Flood ended up taking him into his home, listed as I believe maimed or non useful with the former master being heavily fined. Several incidents of indentured servants running away to his home with grievances and in one case, taking the servant in because of evidence to having been abused.
What appears to be acts of suicide didn't seem too uncommon for indentured servants with several cases of female servants that took their own lives. One case being a female servant getting up from her dinner in a friendly mood based on her master's statement to then going out to wade into a river and drown herself. Some would succumb to the cold and while it seems questionable, it can get pretty cold in Virginia during September. In one report A criminal going to two indentured servants telling them they will have their freedom by being taken further South but they must get the keys to their master's chests with possessions and wealth. If they didn't comply they were threatened with death. In this case the indentured servants went to the authorities.
Another is the occasional escape involving indentured servants. In every case they were eventually discovered, usually squatting on someone's land in nearby woods. The person finding escapee's in one case received a barrel of Indian corn for his troubles by the county. The life of the indentured servants in Surry was difficult. There was one man of prominence that didn't want to see the indentured servants walking freely around on Sundays but that seemed to be ignored. Also, indentured servants wearing finer articles of clothing which was looked down upon by some planters with this practice eventually being banned. Also questionable deaths with young indentured servants, one case a deceased young boy having bruises around his neck, face and ears but not one case that I could find which lead to a declaration of murder.
At least for Surry County, there were symbols in place communicating to the indentured servants their place in society. For those who attempted to kill or harm their masters, the punishment would be hanging to then being beheaded and having their heads put on spikes at a major forked road that ran near the courthouse for Surry County, to remind others of the consequences.
Thought I would share what genealogical research I had done and the little treasures of surviving accounts within early county records.
Wow!
Seventeenth century was brutal. Interesting and educational as always. Thank you for this.
This is so interesting! I have never noticed any of my ancestors as being indentured.. hard to imagine they were not as some of them were teenagers when they came in the early 1700’s! I feel I’m getting a history lesson by looking into my ancestry and I love it!
Bringing us more light and it is bright
I have started to find an indentured servant here and there in our family trees. It is so thought provoking
I’m so sorry I missed this. I put it on calendar, but not at right time. Thanks for all you do. Your statistics and the way you contextualize them, were really impactful. Brava!
Excellent!
A real eye opener!
How can I find out if we're related to Ben "the Immigrant" Rogers?
I forgot to introduce myself, sorry. Patricia (Rogers) Slocum.
My grandfather, paternal, was William Thomas Rogers. That was the reason I asked about the Rogers family, and Ben the Immigrant.
An excellent read- Wandering in Strange Lands by Morgan Jenkins
My indentured servant ancestor from early Jamestown went on to become one kof the richest landowners in Maryland after his time was up
Hello! Thank you for working on this project Ms. Carol! It is very interesting indeed but also a story of our early history that should be told. I haven’t researched my ancestors back far enough to discover their terms of entering the states except for my Ransom line and my Perkins line has already been proven to descend from Plymouth John Howland (my 9th G-Grandfather). Would you consider John Howland an “indentured” servant? We know he was able to become a free man from his servitude and have a wife and family and own land.
Q: Charles McAnally from Stokes County whom you have wrote about, has a family story of his ancestor being forced on a departing ship from Scotland where he was stolen as a boy (of age 8 I believe). Have you heard this before? I have the McAnally book which relays the story.
Thank you so much for your kind words. Regarding McAnally, I've heard of the story but have not confirmed with proof.
I am wondering if our family is descended from Benjamin "the Immigrant" Rogers; he being the father of William and Thomas Rogers who came over on the ship Caesar.
Hi, running late but still made it
A tragic story, well documented, is that of Margaret "Peggy" Lawrence, a convict bound to Tobias Phillips on his tobacco farm in the Northern Neck. Another reason my Southern in-laws don't like me poking around.
Rita here.
My ancestors who were Snelling were indentured slaves.
Thank you so much for sharing!