- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Apprentice Indenture Documents
from the District of Columbia Archives

Furnished by : John G. Sharp ©

APPRENTICESHIP No 1619 (Vol. V, 169) William America } District of Columbia To } Washington County to wit James Tucker } We the Subscribers Justices of the Peace in and for the Said } County, by virtue of the Act of assembly entitled a "A supplement to the act for the better regulation of apprentices" have bound out and placed with the consent of his Mother William America an orphan to serve five years from the thirteenth day of June One thousand and Eight hundred and thirty eight unto James Tucker Blacksmith during which time he shall with and only behave conduct deem himself in every respect as a good and faithful apprentice ought to do toward his Said Master and the Said master James Tucker is to pay his Said Mother Jane America one half of the Said apprentices wages during his apprenticeship and also to teach him the art or trade of Blacksmith and the Mother Jane America to find him sufficient meat drink , clothes, washing, lodging mending & other necessities during his apprenticeship to cause to be taught to read write and cash up accounts, and in Consideration of the Said Mother accepting one half of the Said apprentice pay Witness our hands and Seals this 26 day of June 1838- Nath Brady {SEAL} EDHB Mattingly {SEAL} To the Register of Wills } for Washington County } Recorded June 30th 1838 -

Transcription: This transcription is from copy of the holographic original from the District of Columbia Indentures of Apprenticeship Volume V, page 169. In transcribing this document, I have retained the original spelling, punctuation use of ampersands dashes and the strikeovers found in the original. My thanks to Mr. Ali Rahmaan, District of Columbia Archivist, for his research, and for finding and graciously providing this copy of the original indenture for transcription. . John G. Sharp            July 16, 2008

Notes The supplement to District of Columbia Apprentice ship Act ( referred to above) provided the District of Columbia Orphans Court with the power to place "poor orphan children, and the children of drunkard, vagrants and paupers" out as apprentices. Consequently the signatures of parents were not always required although in this case the placing of William America appears to have been amicably settled. 1850 Census for the District of Columbia Jane America, William's mother, is enumerated the head of the household, 49 years of age, a shoemaker and born in Maryland. Was Jane America's spouse a shoe maker? If not how did she enter into the trade? If not, did Jane America enter into the trade shoemaker through her father? William America apprentice to James Tucker, is 27 years old, and his occupation is listed for 1850 as "Blacksmith". William America was born about 1822. Susanna E. America is 27 years of age and born in Virginia. The couple have two children Jane e. age 3 Daniel age 1 month. Elizabeth Wall living with them is age 24, she is a shoemaker born in Germany Susan Upton age 11 born Virginia. William America and his wife Susanna 1880 census for the District of Columbia. William America is still working as Blacksmith, together the couple appears to have had 10 children(see 1860 & 1870 census) prospering sufficiently to own their home and employ domestic help.   James Tucker Master Blacksmith: is listed on the 1819 -1820 WNY Pay Roll as Blacksmith at the rate of $ 1.80 per day. http://www.genealogytrails.com/washdc/wny_payroll1819-1820.html and is listed on the April 1829 Pay Roll for the Washington Navy Yard as Anchor Smith, [Foremen] at the rate of $ 3.00 per day http://www.genealogytrails.com/washdc/wny1829.html The same document lists Striker, William Brown, a slave, of James Tucker who Tucker leased to the Yard at 80 cents per day. John Farrar apprentice listed as James Tucker's apprentice and is paid 52 cents per day.

Return to :
Genealogy Trails - Washington D. C.

© 2008 Genealogy Trails     by Wayne Hinton