How many lives

  Yesterday I posted a portion of an Indentured servant agreement. That agreement has been in my family for 184 years now, 185 in February. It's unfortunate that the lower left hand section is missing. The rest of the document is in pieces, the paper separating at the fold lines. Still the text is legible and I find it quite interesting. It was a huge help in determining a portion of my ancestry. Beyond the genealogical information it also gives some insight to the times. My third great grandfather was the person being indentured. He was 15 years old at that time. His indentured was for a period of five years. A gentleman named John Reeves was to be his master. A term I found interesting. Now all parties involved had to sign that legal document, that included Caleb Terry (my fourth great grandfather), Phineas Terry(my third great grandfather),  and John Reeves, the master. The agreement in its' simplest form binds Phineas to John reeves for a five year period. The document goes on to explain what is expected of Phineas and what the obligation of John Reeves is to be. I can't help but wonder how much choice Phineas had in this. His father did receive a sum for providing his son for indenture, although that isn't the way it would have been viewed during that time. It was more like a parent sending their child off to college or a technical school. Phineas was to learn a trade in exchange for his labor. The trade in this instance was listed as cordwainer. 

 I had to look up the term cordwainer. A cordwainer is a person that makes shoes and boots from raw leather. It is a distinction from a cobbler. In 1836 when this agreement was signed a cordwainer was the man. He was the guy that could make your footwear, from scratch. A cobbler however was only capable of making repairs to that footwear. It wasn't a law but rather a tradition observed in Britain. A cordwainer was the top dog! We have to remember in 1836 many British traditions were still being observed. Today the term cordwainer is obsolete. It is an archaic term still used in naming a guild, ie: the cordwainers guild, but cobbler has replaced it in general usage. So, I learned that my third great grandfather was a cordwainer. Some of his tools and equipment were still in my great grandfathers home when I was a small child. I'm certain you have seen those little iron "feet" that were used. They are called a "last." They are in various sizes of course for men, women and children. I have one I found at a junk shop. I keep it on a shelf to remember Great, Great, Great Grandfather Phineas with. 

 The life of the apprentice was surely a strict one. I have read a little about that. I'm certain a great deal depended upon the boss, the master. He could be a cruel one or a compassionate one. In this instance it was a man named John Reeves. I know nothing about him other than he did business in Morristown New Jersey. Was John Reeves a reasonable and rational man? I do wonder about that. The stipulations in the agreement were quite harsh reading it today but apparently the standard agreement at the time. In the upper left hand corner it says, Printed by S.F. Hull-Morris Town. The names, the occupation, and other information was simply inserted in the blank spots. All three parties signing that document had to affix their seal. The seals are long gone but I can see three square areas off to the right where they must have been. I'm not certain what they were, wax perhaps? But I did learn that having a seal attached meant that the parties had agreed to and exchanged whatever considerations are specified in that document. That is to say, you could not dispute that later on. I expect that is why the document was saved all these years. Being in possession of that document was proof positive that you were released from that indenture. I'm quite certain that is was a joyous day when that happened. And now almost 185 years later I am excited to have that document.

 I have to say beyond all the historical stuff I feel fortunate to have that paper. I'm thinking I am one of just a few that would have the actual signatures of their fourth and third great grandfather. Those signatures have no value other than to a descendant. Caleb and Phineas are not famous people. Phineas would go on to marry and have a son he named James. James would serve in the civil war. I don't have his signature but I have his belt and buckle from the war. James would marry and have a daughter named Lucy. Great Grandmother Lucy as I knew her. I have her signature, her Bibles, and several photographs of her. It was her daughter, Clara that gave birth to my father. Clara would pass shortly after my Dad's birth and Lucy go on to raise him. All of that is connected by those signature on a document in 1836. Isn't that amazing? How many lives have been lived?