Love Harris & Ann Harris *bound??*

Question

Hello all,

In regards to the following link I am wondering what 'bound' means?

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Harris-317

Thanks so much,

Kaylee

Answer 1

H Kaylee

Came across this article - which may explain:

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~seky/folfoot/015.html

It is only a guidance note explaining why children were bound - this particular article is based on the 1900s rather than the 1700/1800s.

Comments

I wonder if this is almost the same as in England: Indentured Servant ?

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Hi John,

I'm not sure, - with Indentures, they are bound for a certain time eg trade/apprenticeship.

Unsure about American - bound to a family.

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Indentured servitude was also practices in colonial America,  which of course was part of England. The plight of indentured servants, after 1655, was worse than slaves.

Before 1655 all, black and white, were indentured servants, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Casor

Slaves were considered property, and owners were careful of their property.

Indentured servants were not property, but were to be released after serving their contracted time.

The early colonists of means, the upper class, would pay for the transportation of persons, mostly indentured servants, and thus earned a headright of 50 acres for each person so transported, when ready they petitioned the king for a patent of 50 x number of persons transported.

Incidentally there were Irish slaves, as well as indentured servants, transported to Massachussetts and Virginia. https://www.amazon.com/Irish-Slaves-indenture-Contract-Immigrants/dp/145630612X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465653878&sr=8-1&keywords=irish+slaves

In the inventory of the estate of Richard Farrar of Perry County,Ala in 1860 (a 2nd cousin 4 times removed) mentions, among other property and slaves, a white male between the ages of 21 and 50.

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Thank you so much for your commentary.  It was very informative.

Answer 2

In the 1700s and 1800s poor and/or orphaned children were often "bound out" to another individual or family. The receiving individual or family was expected to provide adequate food and clothing, a minimal education and training in a trade or profession. In return the individual or family would have the use of the child's labor until a specified age or until they reached their majority, in those days age 21

While I could not find a specific article relating to this subject, I did find what looks to be an interesting book. It is not available to read online, but the very detailed table of contents that is shown will give an idea of the status of children and their labor in this time period.

Children Bound to Labor

 

Comments

Thank you so much guys!

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Thank you for this comment.  Although I would not be able to buy the book, the link enables me to view each chapter as a PDF.  I will be saving the link and reading it.

Answer 3

Doesn't bound also apply to a couple getting married.  Banns have been posted, a promise made, hence they are bound.  Verbally, contractually and whatnot.