The servitude was thirty years for female, and twenty years for males. This
Servitude was applied to Mulatto children, because they were considered
Bastards. If the court found them to be mulatto, the foregone conclusion was
that they were bastards. The records go so far as to identify the mulattoes
as bastards. Once that determintation was made, they were sentenced to
serve for thirty years. George Washingtons' father and brother received
indentures for two of my ancestors (Mary and Patty Bowden), who were mother
and daughter. Mary Bowden served almost forty years for her frequent
attempts to run away. Patty was set free on her thirty first birthday, since
she was a, "Model", servant. Patty was a personal servant to George
Washington's Neice, Elizabeth Washington Spotswood. Alexander Spotswood
wrote a letter of reference for Patty, in which he stated that he was
awarding her, her child Delphia. He was awarding her the child because of
her faithful service to his wife. He also stated that he did not want a
child who would be free (something to that effect), around his slaves.
Patty was born in 1750, and died in 1830; Mary was born in 1730 and died
after 1810. So they lived quite a few years after completing their
indentures. Both moved to Fredericksburg after their indentures were served,
and raised families there.
Anita
>From: Clara Callahan <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
> <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: search for Gov. Spotswood's wife
>Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 01:58:58 -0800
>
>Thirty YEARS? Was it voluntary or were there years added to the original
>term for misdeeds? How many free years did she have before she died?
>
>Anita Wills <[log in to unmask]> wrote: My ancestor, Patty Bowden, was
>an Indentured Servant to Elizabeth
>Washington, the wife of Alexander Spotswood. When her Indenture was
>complete, Spotswood wrote her freedom papers, stating that she had
>successfully completed her thirty year indenture.
>
>Anita
>
>
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