Family Surnames

  • *Dukes*
  • *Fultz*
  • *Haynes/Haines*
  • *Lynes*
  • *Mills*
  • *Parker*
  • *Shank*
  • *Thornley*

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Indentured Servants

There is a book entitled "White Cargo" by Don Jordan and Michael Walsh that discusses the English, Irish and Scottish people sent to the early American colonies (some against their will) as indentured servants. Tens of thousands were brought here. Some were street children in 1619, later there were beggars, gypsies, prostitutes, convicts and anyone else who displeased the upper classes. This makes me wonder how many of us with Irish/Scottish/English roots may be descended from these "indentured servants". It could explain the difficulty we have with genealogy research.
"White Cargo" is meticulously sourced and footnoted and uses quotations from letters, diaries, newspapers, and wills for authenticity.
An excerpt from the review: 'Mainstream histories refer to these laborers as indentured servants, not slaves, because many agreed to work for a set period of time in exchange for land and rights... Many early settlers died long before their indenture ended or found that no court would back them when their owners failed to deliver on promises. And many never achieved freedom or the American dream they were seeking.'
Thank you for the information Christine Wright, it is definitely a book to read for those of us interested in early Colonial America and genealogy.

1 comment:

  1. Are there any lists available for these 'white slaves'? Orphans? I found a Scots g?grandfather who was a 'leader' at the Battle of Preston (2nd one but more a siege) ... "No fighting starts until James Malcum (Malcom) says so..." A quote from a book referencing sheriffs of Scotland. Later found where he was badly wounded, thrown into prison with his son who took care of him, then both shipped to Virginia where James lived just a few years while his son remained, married and made his home in the mountains of Augusta County.
    Found another, the first of my father's line, who did not marry until he was 36 and his wife 28 - he could not purchase land, rather leased from the Custis estate. Neither had been married earlier (that I can find) and they began their family shortly after their marriage. There is no surname for her but I verified his date of birth and death with a copy of his obit at the Univ of GA - he did migrate to Georgia and was a 'man of means' by the time of his death in his '70th year'. There are NO records of Thomas before the re-lease of the Custis property for land in Lunenburg County other than a marriage for a Thomas Stark(e) with the year of his birth, which is correct according to his obit, but only a first name for his wife. I firmly believe that one or both were indentured servants. So, looking for lists of some of these people.

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