Craven County NcArchives Court.....Roach, Charles April 9, 1761
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Sara Whitford sarawhitford@gmail.com August 15, 2007, 10:39 am

Source: Apprentice Bond For Charles Roach
Written: April 9, 1761

Apprentice Bond for Charles Roach, 9 April 1761

This Indenture, made the 9th Day of April in the Year of our Lord One Thousand 
Seven Hundred and Sixty One Witnesseth , That John Williams Esq, Presiding 
Chairman of the Inferior Court of Craven County have put and placed Charles 
Roach —, an Orphan, of James Roach — deceased, aged Fifteen Years, an 
Apprentice to Thomas Swafford — of the Said County with him to dwell, reside 
and serve until he the said Apprentice shall arrive at the Age of Twenty one 
Years, according to the Act of Assembly in the Case made and provided; during 
all which Time the said Apprentice his said Master shall faithfully serve in 
all lawful Business, and orderly and obediently in all Things behave himself 
towards his said Master, for and during the said Term, as an Apprentice ought 
to do. And the said Thomas Swafford doth covenant, promise and agree, to and 
with John Williams Esq and his successors, that he the said Thomas Swafford 
will provide and allow his said Apprentice convenient and sufficient Meat, 
Drink, Lodging and Apparrel, and use his best Endeavours to instruct him in 
the Art and Calling of a Cordwinder and also teach him to read and write 
before the Expiration of his Apprenticeship. IN WITNESS whereof, the said John 
Williams and the said Thomas Swafford have hereunto Interchangeably set their 
Hands and Seals, the Day and Year first above written.

Signed, Sealed, and Delivered }			Thomas Swafford {Seal}
in the Presence of            }                 John Williams {Seal}

P. N. Conway, CC						 


Additional Comments:
My research makes it appear that Charles Roach's mother was still living when 
he was placed with Thomas Swafford. It also appears that his mother may have 
eventually ended up marrying Swafford. (I'll post this information later in 
another file.) It was not unusual in those days for a child of humble origin 
to be considered an orphan-- even if his mother was still living-- if his 
father had died and not specified in a will that the mother be the guardian. 
These orphan children would be placed into an apprenticeship, sometimes at the 
encouragement of the mother, sometimes against the mother's wishes. (For more 
on this topic, Karen Zipf has written a book entitled LABOR OF INNOCENTS: 
FORCED APPRENTICESHIP IN NORTH CAROLINA, 1715-1919. On the other hand, 
children whose parents had generous estates were typically appointed a 
guardian.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/craven/court/roach352gwl.txt

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