The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-12-16
COLONIAL SERVANTS.
The Kind OF Help They Had In
Early New England.
Meninls Were In some Cases Trans.
ported Convicts and Mnlefnc-
tors Who Sold Themselves
Into Servitude.

passed through three distinct phases.
The first extends from the early col
oniDation to the time of the revolution:
the second from the revolution TO about
1850; the third from 1850 to the present
time.
During the colonial period service of
every kind was performed by trans
ported convicts, indentured white
servants or "redcmptioners," free will
ers." negroes and Indians. The first
three classes-convicts, redemptioners
and free willers-were OF European. at
first generally English, birth.
Protests were often made against
this method OF settlement, both by the
colonists themselves and by English
men. but it was long before the English
government abandoned the practice OF
transporting criminals to the Ameri-
can colonies.
OF the three classes OF whites, or
Christian servants, as they were called
to distinguish them from the Indians
and negroes, the free willers were
evidently found only in Maryland. They
were received under the condition that
they be allowed certain number of
days in which to dispose of themselves
to the greatest advantage.
1t is impossible to state the pro"
portion of servants belonging to the two
classes of transported convicts and re-
demptioners, but the statement Is APP
parently fair that the redemptioners
who sold themselves into service to pay
for the cost of their passage constituted
by far the larger portion. These were
found in all the colonies, though more
numerous in the southern and middle
colonies than in New England. In
Virginia and Maryland they outnum-
bered the negro slaves until the latter
part of the seventeenth century. In
Massachusetts apprenticed servants.
bound for a term OF years, were sold
from ships in Boston as late as 1890,
while the general trade in bound white
servants lasted until the time Of the
revolution, and in Pennsylvania even
until this century.
The first redemtiouers were natural.
ly of English birth. but after time they
were supplanted by those Of other
nationalities, particularly by Germans
aud Irish. AS early as 17lS there was a
complaint Of the Irish immigrants in
Massachusetts,.
1t has been said that great majority
Of the redemptioners belonged at first
On, t<,. al, .t,I
siderable number. however, both men
and women. belonged to the re.
spectacle. even TO the so-called upper
class Of society. They were sent over
to prevent Instantaneous marriages
to secure inheritanccs TO other members
Of family or to further some criminal
scheme.
Many OF these bond servants sold
themselves into scrvitude, others were
disposed of through emigration brok-
ers and still others were kidnapped, be.
ing entced on shipboard by persons
called spirits" The evil OF "spiriting
away" both children and adults. be.
came 80 great that in 1864 the commit
tee for foreign plantations interposed
and the council created the Office OF
register, charged with the duty of keep
ing record Of all persons going tc
America as servants, and the Statement,
that they had voluntarily left England
This act was soon followed by another
/. fixing the penalty Of death, withou,
; benefit of clergy. in every case where
! persons were found guilty OF kidnap.
ing children or adults. But even these
extreme measures did not put an end
, to the evil; and it is stated that 10000
persons were annually kidnapped after
the passage of the act.
!, The wages paid were, as rule, small
though some complaints are found
: especially in New England, OF high
!, wages and poor service. More often the
= wages were mere pittance. Elizabeth
; Evans came from Ireland to serve John
Wheelwright for three years. Hel
wages were to be three pounds q year
t and passage paid. Margery Batman
:. after five years of service in Charles.
town. was to receive she goat to helI
i her in starting life. Mary Polly. accord
0 ing to the terms Of her indenture, wal
to serve ten years and then receive
/" "three barrels of corn and one suit OF
I penistone and one suit shirts Of dowlas
= and one black hood, two hits OF dowlas
/ and shoes and hose convenient
VI - c.,