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Apprentice Indenture Documents
from the District of Columbia Archives

Furnished by : John Sharp ©

[Apprenticeship No. 305 (Vol. I 248-249] 248 John W. Newman} This Indenture Witnesseth, that John W. Newman of Washington } City by the advice and consent of his mother Elizabeth L. Loyd to } hath put himself and by these presents doth voluntarily John Hebron } put himself apprentice to John Hebron of the same place, to learn the art trade or mystery of a Ship Caulker, and after the manner apprentice to serve from the day of the date hereof, for and during the full term of four years, four months and twelve days , next ensuing - During all which time he the said Apprentice his said master faithfully shall serve, his secrets keep his lawful commands every where readily obey, he shall do no damage to his master, nor see it done by others, without letting or giving notice thereof to his said master, he shall not waste his said masters nor lend them unlawfully to any, he shall not commit fornication nor contract matrimony within the said term. He shall not play at cards, dice, or any others unlawful game whereby his said master may have damage. With his own goods nor the goods of others, without license from his said master service without his leave; nor haunt ale houses, taverns, or play - houses; but in all things behave himself as a faithful apprentice ought to do, during said term. And the said master shall use the utmost of his endeavors to teach or cause to be taught or instructed the said apprentice in the trade or mystery of caulker in and procure and provide for him sufficient meat, drink, and working apparel, lodging and washing, fitting for an apprentice during the said term. And to send him to a night school, three months in each year so that he may be taught to cast up accounts, also a freedom suit of clothes, and a set of tools. And for the true performance of all and singular the covenants and agreements, either of the said parties bind themselves unto the other by these presents in witness whereof they have interchangeably put their hands and seals, this Eleventh day of September, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ten. his Signed, sealed & delivered } John W. X Newman (SEAL) in the presence of , } mark Saml N. Smallwood } her Jonathan Beall } Elizabeth X L. Loyd (SEAL) } mark } John Hebron (SEAL) District of Columbia, Washington County viz We the subscribers justices of the Peace in and for the Said County, have examined the within Indenture and do approve of the same as Law directs- this eleventh day of September 1819. Samuel N, Smallwood Daniel Alpine Recorded the eleventh day of September 1810 -

Notes: John Hebron, WNY Master Caulker, employed a number of indentured apprentices; including "George Diamond" AKA George Liedman Morgan Dement who was Indentured to Hebron 20 June 1808. Secretary of the Navy Robert Smith in a letter to WNY Commandant, Commodore Thomas Tingey, agreed to raise Master Caulker John Hebron wages from $ 2.50 per day to $ 2.81 Caulking is the process by which wooden ships are made watertight. To seal the cracks between the ship's wooden planks, caulkers use a caulking iron and mallet to stuff them with oakum (pieces of old rope) soaked in pitch (a dark, sticky substance like tar). When the wood gets wet, it swells, narrowing the cracks between the planks. The oakum also swells, ensuring that absolutely no water can leak through the cracks. Caulking requires a great degree of skill and experience to be done properly. The 25 April 1808 list written by Josiah Fox for Thomas Tingey listed John Hebron as Foreman Caulker with his Assitant Foreman John Coleson. WNY caulkers were composed of both free and enslaved African Americans. At WNY men such as George Bell, Moses Liverpool and Nicholas Franklin were able to purchase their freedom, support their families and become leaders in the African American Community. WNY and other naval and commercial shipyards in the first half of the 1800s employed large numbers of black caulkers. Although blacks also worked in other maritime trades (although they were banned from the prestigious position of ship carpenter), their roles as caulkers is especially significant because they dominated this industry.

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