Indentured Servant Signs Indenture with Mark to Learn the "Trade or Mystery" of Housewifery

By this indenture, Marey Ross, with the consent of her parents, indentured herself to Joseph and Ann Larkin in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, for a term of nearly eight years. The Larkins were Quakers who lived in Bethel Township on the border with Delaware.

[INDENTURED SERVANTS.] Marey Ross, Partially Printed Document Signed with a Mark, Indenture to Joseph Larkin and Mary Larkin, February 8, 1808, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Includes certification on verso, signed by Justice of the Peace Isaac Eyre. 1 p., 8" x 13.25". Central tear on fold, with loss affecting portions of four lines of text; edge tears; irregular top edge as was common with indentures; general toning.

Excerpts
"This Indenture / Witnesseth, That Marey Ross by the Consent of Her father and mother James Ross & Marey Ross Hath put himself, and by these Presents, doth voluntarily, and of his own free Will and Accord, put Himself an Apprentice to Joseph Larkin and Ann his Wife of the Township of [Bethel?] and after the Manner of an Apprentice to serve him his Heirs and Assigns...."

"She shall not play at Cards, Dice, or any other unlawful Game, whereby her said Master may have Damage. With her own Goods, nor the Goods of others, without License from her said Master [she sh]all neither buy nor sell. She shall not absent herself Day nor Night from her said Master's Service without his leave; nor haunt Ale-Houses, Taverns, or Play-Houses, but in all Things behave herself as a faithful Apprentice ought to do, during the said Term. And he the said Master shall use the utmost of his Endeavour to teach, or cause to be taught or instructed, the said Apprentice in the Trade or Mystery of housewifrey and procure and provide for her sufficient Meat, Drink, Clothing Lodging and Washing, fitting for an Apprentice, during the said term of seven years eleventh months and 2 days and to hive her when free two suites of apparell one of them to be new and to give her one yiears schooling within the Term."

Historical Background
Indentured servitude was generally a method of paying an apprentice to work for free for a master tradesman in exchange for education in that trade. It was also used in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as a way for immigrants to gain transportation to the American colonies. Over half of all European immigrants to the American colonies between the 1630s and the 1770s came under indentures.

The practice of indentured servitude continued into the nineteenth century. In this case, it seems to have been made on economic grounds. Mary Ross's parents likely could not support her and indentured her to the Larkins as a method of securing her support. She likely worked as a servant in the Larkin household, while she learned the "Trade or Mystery," as this preprinted form declared of "Housewifery," which was filled in. When the indenture was finalized, two copies were made and cut irregularly along the top edge as a method of authenticating the contract or indenture. Ross's parents likely kept one copy, while Larkin kept the other, and the details were entered in the county court records.

The passage of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution after the Civil War ended the practice of indentured servitude.

Mary Ross may be:
Mary Ross (1796-1843) was born in Hickory, Pennsylvania, to James Ross (1763-1841) and Mary White Ross (1771-1817) as the fifth of their twelve children born between 1784 and 1812. She also died in Hickory, which is in western Pennsylvania.

Joseph Larkin (1739-1826) was born in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and was a Quaker. He married Ann Salkeld (1747-1835) in 1765, and they had at least eight children between 1766 and 1780. In 1798, he owned a two-story stone house with a separate kitchen and well-house on a one-acre lot. He was a member of the Concord Monthly Meeting of Quakers.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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