Series I: Indentures (1718-1902)
Scope and Contents note
The series includes indentures of colonial and post-Revolutionary New York City. Only one volume in this series contains colonial indentures; the rest are post-revolutionary indentures that were kept separate in volumes for male and female apprentices. If a child or a master or mistress was black, it is noted by "B", only sometimes by "Colored." The residence of the master or mistress in New York City is given by street and number and in New Jersey by name of town and country and distance from the nearest post office. The indentures sometimes reveal the name of a parent or family member of the apprentice.
Many of the indentures indicate the cancellation of the agreement and the reason for its abrogation. Some of the indentures function as adoption papers with the terms master and apprentice crossed out to read parent and child. Although the apprenticed children were from New York City, many of their masters resided outside of the city.
Subseries 1: Colonial Indentures (1718-1727)
Scope and Contents note
This volume contains indentures of apprentices from colonial New York. It includes indentures for both male and female apprentices with little or no information on the ages of the apprentices. It includes an index to the indentures by the name of the master. The indentures were overseen by the Mayor, an Alderman and /or a Justice of the Peace.
This volume of indentures, originally known as "Liber 29 of Conveyances" is partly transcribed in the Collections of the New-York Historical Society for the Year 1909.
Colonial Indentures, 1718-1727, inclusive
Photos and Negatives taken of pages from volume of Colonial Indentures, undated
Subseries 2: Indentures, Boys (1792-1902)
Scope and Contents note
The post-revolution indentures include the boys' ages and their term of indenture, which was generally until they became 21 years old. The apprentices' training includes a range of trades such as barber, wigmaker, hatter, carpenter, cordwainer (shoemaker), shipwright, blacksmith, confectioner, farmer, rope making, druggist, etc. Many times male apprentices were sent to do rural work.
The folder of loose indentures dated 1801-1811, do not appear to be the indentures of orphans because the indentures were performed under the consent of the Special Justices for preserving the Peace and not the Commissioners of the Alms-House and Bridewell.
Boys' Indentures, (includes handwritten index including boy's name, date of indenture, and name and occupation of master), 1792-1794, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1815-1828, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1816-1820, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1823-1826, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1828-1830, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1830-1832, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1832-1834, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1834-1837, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1837-1840, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1840-1842, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1842-1844, inclusive
Boys' Indentures (with index by name of apprentice), 1844-1847, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1847-1849, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1850-1853, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1851-1859, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1853-1860, inclusive
Boys' Indentures (with index by name of apprentice), 1859-1875, inclusive
Boys' Indentures (with index by name of apprentice), 1860-1899, inclusive
Boys' Indentures, 1900-1902, inclusive
Boys' Indentures (Not bound), 1801-1811, inclusive
Boys' Indentures (Not bound), 1820-1849, inclusive
Boys' Indentures (Not bound), 1850-1891, inclusive
Subseries 3: Indentures, Girls (1807-1902)
Scope and Contents note
The post-revolution female indentured servants were apprenticed to be servants and perform housekeeping, and sometimes sewing. The girls were apprenticed until they became 18 years old. A loose indenture dated 1807 appears to be the only indenture created in exchange for passage to America.