District of Columbia

Apprenticeship Indentures and Related Documents.

Introduction: Apprentice indentures and related documents are genealogical gold mines. These important social documents provide family historians and genealogists considerable detail about the lives of ordinary people. The typical District of Columbia apprentice indenture lists the apprentice name, parents or guardian’s names if a minor, age of the apprentice, some others provide birthdates and place of birth etc. The documents also reflect the level of literacy of the apprentice, and parents. Where the individual was unable to write his or her name, the documents are marked with an X and witnessed by literate adults and the District Court Clerk.

In the District of Columbia, an apprenticeship indenture was for nearly one hundred and fifty years a legally binding enforceable contract. For an example of enforcement see the case of Archibald Fletcher and Master Boat Builder, William Easby April 27, 1841 http://www.genealogytrails.com/washdc/apprenticedocuments/appindfletchertoeasby.html

Apprenticeship Indentures, are in essence written contracts between a young apprentice seeking valuable trade or craft knowledge, and a master trade or craftsmen; who in return for a specified period of service, formally agreed to provide tutelage to the apprentice in his art or craft.. All of these indentures were notarized by the court clerk and dated. The District of Columbia court system required copies of all apprenticeships to be placed on file with the court clerk. In addition the Washington Navy Yard kept some apprentice listings and documents (WNY was the District’s largest employer of skilled craft labor) and developed its own regulations and pay scales for these apprentice workers.

In a typical District of Columbia apprentice indenture both parties signed binding promises. Each indenture stated the parties had entered into the indenture of their own free will. Each indenture further specified a start and an end date. Indentures typically lasted four to six years. Typical of the District of Columbia indentures such as the indenture between Master Blacksmith Benjamin King and Hamilton Perry dated August 4, 1807 http://www.genealogytrails.com/washdc/apprenticedocuments/appindperrytoking.html

 included language that :

• Apprentice blacksmith ,Perry will “ faithfully” serve his Master Benjamin King

• Keep the Benjamin King’s secrets and obey his commands

• Hamilton Perry is also bound to do no “Damage” to his Master or allow others to damage his Master’s property

• Apprentice Perry is not to waste the Master’s goods or lend them to others.

Both Hamilton Perry and his father Elisha Perry were unable to write their names and instead made their X which was duly witnessed by the court clerk. In return, for Perry’s service, Master Blacksmith King, promised to teach his young apprentice the skills of the blacksmith trade, provided “meat, drink, lodging, and washing.” Many (although not Perry’s) D.C. apprentice indentures provide at the end of the term, the apprentice was to receive a new suit of clothes or the equivalent amount of money. In some cases apprentices are promised a new set of trade tools. Some apprentice indentures especially for skilled trades have masters such William Easby Master Boat Builder to John P. Fardy dated May 4, 1836 http://www.genealogytrails.com/washdc/apprenticedocuments/appindmedcalf-mathews-fardy.html promising to allow his young apprentice formal schooling during the winter season when boat building work was slower.

Apprentices were typically expected to attend church services with the master’s family and abstain neither from drinking, frequenting taverns, and attending theatre or shows nor “absent” themselves day or night without the master’s permission. Most D.C. indentures prohibit the apprentice from marriage during the term of service. Once their term was completed, they could strike out on their own. Having a skill meant the ability to earn a decent wage.

Poor young women were also apprenticed, most commonly as house servants or lace makers; we have provided some transcribed examples of these documents as well see: Rachel Medcaff to Horatio Kingsbury dated October 29, 1818, as a house servant. http://www.genealogytrails.com/washdc/apprenticedocuments/appindmedcalf-mathews-fardy.html

African Americans enslaved and free were apprenticed to trades and crafts as well and we have included examples of both types:

• Free African American Thomas Dunlap to Ship Caulker Moses Liverpool dated November 16, 1835. http://www.genealogytrails.com/washdc/apprenticedocuments/appinddunloptoliverpool.html

• For example of enslaved African American’s, see Alfred Matthews apprenticed by his owner William Doughty to free African American Master Bricklayer and Plasterer Stephen Clark, dated December 6, 1845. http://www.genealogytrails.com/washdc/apprenticedocuments/appindmedcalf-mathews-fardy.html

The Apprentice Indenture at this site for the District of Columbia are arranged alphabetically and where possible we have linked them to other apprentice documents such as payrolls, letters, reward notices or court cases.

Transcription Method: In transcribing these indentures I have striven to adhere as closely as possible to the original in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and abbreviation, including the retention of dashes and underlining found in the original. Words and passages that were crossed out in the diary are transcribed either as overstrikes or in notes. When a spelling is so unusual as to be misleading or confusing, the correct spelling immediately follows the misspelled word in square brackets and italicized type or is discussed in a foot note. For the convenience of our Genealogy Trails.com readers the Apprenticeship Numbers in brackets that follow are those assigned by Dorothy S. Provine in her extremely important: District of Columbia Indentures of Apprenticeship 1801 -1893

John G. Sharp December 7, 2009

Concord, Ca.