Indenture contracts were generally for 5 to 7 years. Therefore Margaret
Shaw's indentureship would have been completed long before the death of John
Hardyman.
In case of court ordered extensions because an indentured woman has a child,
the extensions which I have seen are for 12 to 18 months. Even such an
extension would not have extended her time of servitude beyond 1724.

With regard to what might happen to indentured servants after the death of
their land owner, it is important to remember that an indenture is a legal
contract. So much so, that if the land owner was not carrying out his part
of the bargain - providing clothing, food, education, or whatever was agreed
to - the indentured servant could take the land owner to court to enforce
the contract. As a contract, the indenture,  would have continued to the
rightful heir - in that time period, the eldest son.

William
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Date:    Sat, 9 Jul 2011 12:55:21 -0700
From:    "R. C. Solomon" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: indentureships in VA

Does anyone know what would have happened to a white indentured servant whe=
n her master dies, whose indentureship had not been completed? The man in q=
uestion John Hardyman died in Prince George county in 1737 and no will has =
ever been found for him - according to other researchers. I know that large=
 portions of PG county records were burned or lost. During her indentureshi=
p this white servant Margaret Shaw in 1715 had a mulatto child and was puni=
shed by the churchwardens of Westopher parish by the extension of her inden=
tureship. I have not found any additional information about her or her chil=
d. I have continue to search through her owner's wills, deeds, etc. for any=
 clues. =0A=A0=0AAlso would it be unusual for an indentured servant to be a=
 witness on a deed of her owners? I found a record of a Margaret Shew (it w=
as transcribed this way but I think it is the same woman)=A0as a witness to=
 a deed between John Hardyman and another person in 1712. I have not seen t=
he original record.=0A=A0=0AThanks =0ARuth Solomon

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