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 > > >To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions >at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html _________________________________________________________________ Get in the mood for Valentine's Day. View photos, recipes and more on your Live.com page. http://www.live.com/?addTemplate=ValentinesDay&ocid=T001MSN30A0701 To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html