Indentured Servants – The UncommonWealth

A sketch drawing of a ship with sails raised, and flags on the front and back and each most of the ship. A label reads “Potomack River” in cursive underneath the ship.

Finding People Who Don’t Want to be Found: Students and the Chesapeake’s Unfree People

In 1673, a Black woman named Pendall escaped with her son from the Accomack County plantation of Tabitha Browne, where they were enslaved. They stole…

Guest ContributorJune 17, 2026

Archives

18th Century Multifactor Authentication

In today’s society, we are all familiar with the concept of multifactor authentication to enhance security and to protect against fraud. Historically, this was also…

Dawn TinnellSeptember 18, 2023

Archives

The Apprenticeship Indenture of Ah Man, Princess Anne County, 1860

Circa 1844-1845, Ah Man was born in China to Adock Arman and Elanhoi Arman. Around 1857, he made his way to the United States, eventually…

Cara GriggsMay 29, 2020

Archives

The Farmer’s Apprentice: African American Indentures of Apprenticeship in Virginia

Three years old. This was the age of Charles Bell, a free African American boy living in Frederick County, on 31 July 1857, when James…

Mary Ann Mason, They/ThemMay 27, 2020

Archives

Buying and Selling Servants

Two types of immigrants came to America without paying their own passage—indentured servants and redemptioners. Indentured servants would sign a contract, called an indenture, before…

Louise JonesSeptember 11, 2013