T
Delaware County, Indiana
KITH AND KIN CONNECTION

Taylor, Henry - see Thornburgh
Thomas, Peter - see Granville

Thornburgh, William, Lot, Charlotte  --------"In the Days of Bound Boys and Girls"-----
The custom which prevailed under legal sanction in Indiana in a generation now past of binding children out to service by formal indenture, a practice which perhaps sometimes resulted happily for the "bound" boy or girl, but which more often, no doubt, resulted quite to the contrary, is recalled by looking through the time-stained book of "Indentures" on file in the office of the recorder of Delaware county. The first entry in this book was made in 1838 and the last in 1892, the record carrying formal copies of numerous such indentures recorded to give them legal force and effect, these indentures binding the children thus involved to a form of servitude that happily was made so obnoxious by a recital of the evils of the system in Edward Eggleston's "Hoosier Schoolmaster"and other such tales of the period as to secure a repeal of the indenture law in this state. The first entry in this book of indentures in Delaware county is as follows: "This indenture, made this 10th day of August, 1838, between George Turner and Samuel Heaton, overseers of the poor of Monroe township, in Delaware county, Indiana, of the first part, and John Gipson, of the county and state aforesaid, of the second part, witnesseth that the said overseers of the poor doth bind out William Thornburgh, male minor of the age of five years old the 22nd day of September next, until he is twenty-one years of age; the said William Thornburgh is to serve and obey the said John Gipson in all his lawful commands, and the said John Gipson on his part doth agree to furnish the said William Thornburgh on good wholesome provision in health and in sickness and good common clothing, and is to give the said William Thornburgh two years schooling, eighteen months between the ages of eight and eighteen, and the balance of the two years after that he is eighteen; moreover, the said John Gipson doth further agree to give the said William Thornburgh a good freedom suit and a mare or gelden between the age of two and five years old, when the said William Thornburgh is of lawful age, towit, twenty-one years of old; the horse or mare is to be worth $50. In witness whereof the said George Turner and Samuel Heaton, overseers of the poor, of the first part, and John Gipson, of the second part, have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first above written. Signed, sealed in the presence of Valentine Gipson, William (his mark) Gipson." John Gipson, whose signature follows that of Turner and Heaton, also signs by mark. Patrick Justice then was recorder of Delaware county and his notation has it, "fees paid." On that same day indentures were recorded binding Charlotte Thornburgh to Henry Taylor (who also signs by mark) and Lot Thornburgh to William Brown. In the case of Charlotte, then aged thirteen years, Taylor binds himself to give her "six months schooling, also a good cow and calf and a common good bed and bedding at the time that she becomes of age, towit, eighteen years old."The boy Lot, then fifteen years of age, "is to faithfully serve and obey the said Brown in all his lawful commands." On his part Brown obligates himself to send the boy to school for nine months and "the said Brown doth bind himself to larn said Thornburgh to mold and lay up brick as far as the said Brown's own knowledge." The next indenture is dated December 11, 1838, apprenticing Charles Clemmons, "a poor boy aged six years and three months," to Abner Wolverton of Delaware township. There are two books of records of indentures, the second opening in February, 1866. Through the remainder of the '60s there are numerous indentures recorded, and quite a number during the '70s. During the '80s there are five. The last indenture bears date of February 6, 1892.
(Source: History of Delaware County, Indiana, Frank Haimbaugh, 1924, Vol I, pages 562/3)

Turner, George - see Thornburgh
Tuthill, Thaddeus - see William F. Anderson


Use browser to go back; or
Continue T
To U
or
HOME