Runaway Indentured Servants and Slaves in the York County Court Records


25 February 1645/6

Whereas wm Keaton stands bound by Indenture to serve w[m]
Hockaday the assigne of Henry Brooke the terme of five years
from february 1641 and the sd Keaton absenting himselfe [from]
his sd mr uppon ptence of being free from the sd Hock[aday]
as alsoe that he ye sd Keaton did runn away from his sd m[r]
June last to his great hinderence & damage The Court do[th]
therefore order that the sd wm Keaton shall serve ye sd wm
Hockaday till the 28th day of February next according [to]
indenture, and for his running away and peremtory answea[re]
the Cort in refuseing the performance of yere order herein
the sherr shall forthwith cause ye sd Keaton to be whippt at the
whipping post & to rec thirty lashes on his bare shoulders

Source:  York County Deeds, Orders, and Wills (2) 101.


25 September 1646

Whereas it appeareth to ye Court that Benjamin Hallyard servt.
to Thomas Curtis hath divers tymes runn away to ye num and
absented himselfe to the number of thirty dayes whereby
it appears that the sd Thomas Curtis hath ben much damaged
The Court doth therefore order that ye sd Benjamin Hallyard
shall make good the sd Damage by Double the tyme of his
[illeg] being absent in such servis as he shalbe imployed in by
his master according to Act and also shall forthwith by the hands
of the [illeg] receive twenty stripes on his bare shoulders
[illeg] whipping post

Source:  York County Deeds, Orders, and Wills (2) 169.


20 October 1646

Whereas Edmund Smith hath in Cort confessed that he hath divers
Saturdayes absented himselfe from the servis of mr John Chew
being his covenant servant It is therefore ordered with
the consent of ye sd Edmund Smith that he shall serve the sd
mr John Chew twentyes longer then by covenant hee is
bound in consideration of his neglect afforesd

Source:  York County Deeds, Orders, and Wills (2) 185.


30 November 1647

Whereas it appeareth to ye Court by sufficient proffe that James
Pinor servant to Capt willm Taylor hath severall tymes absented
himselfe from his mrs servis by runing away by wch meanes
it appeareth that ye sd Capt Taylor was damnified
by ye losse of many of his catle wch were comitted to ye Care &
keeping of ye sd Pinor This Cort doth therefore order that the 
sd James Pinor shall according to act of Assembly in [the cause]
pvided make the sd Capt willm Taylor satisfacon for his
absenting himselfe from his servis by running away by serveing ye
sd Capt Willm Taylor one Compleate yeare after he is
free by his indenture or other covenant

Source:  York County Deeds, Orders, and Wills (2) 297.