CHAPTER III. Domestic Service During the Colonial Period

DOMESTIC SERVICE DURING THE COLONIAL PERIOD

Domestic service has a history 16 Three periods of this history 16 The colonial period 16 Classes of servants during this period 17 Early reasons for colonizing America 17 Advantage to England of disposing of her undesirable population 17 Protests against this method of settlement 18 The freewillers 19 Proportion of redemptioners 20 Place of birth of redemptioners 20 Social condition of redemptioners 21 Methods of securing redemptioners 22 Form of indenture 22 Servants without indenture 22 Virginia law in regard to servants without indenture 23 Early condition of redemptioners 25 Subsequent improvement in condition 27 Wages of redemptioners 28 Legal regulation of wages 30 Character of service rendered by redemptioners 31 Service in Virginia 32 Service in Maine 33 Service in Massachusetts 34 Colonial legislation in regard to masters and servants 37 Laws for the protection of servants 38 Physical protection 39 Laws for the protection of masters 40 Laws in regard to runaways 40 Harboring runaways 41 Inducements to return runaways 43 Corporal punishment 44 Trading or bartering with servants 45 Miscellaneous laws protecting masters 46 Obligation of masters to community 47 Redemptioners after expiration of service 48 Indian servants 49 Negro slavery 51 General summary of character of service during the colonial period 52