Florence McGrath and William Wirl

A living historian demonstrates outdoor cooking.
NPS/Tim Ervin

New laws passed following the American Revolution closed the convict trade and discouraged British and Irish indentured servitude, causing indentured servitude to dwindle. Some indentured laborers already at Northampton remained there after their terms had expired, like Florence McGrath and William Wirl. Florence received 4 pounds of freedom dues in May 1792, then continued to work at Northampton for 35 shillings a month. William was described as “a good Old Servt. & Hireling,” according to company records and had all his debts to the company and its store waived in 1787 for his long and faithful service as both indentured servant and free worker.

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Indentured Servants

Indentured servants made up a significant portion of the Hampton labor force at one time. Read about their stories on the plantation.
Indentured Servants at Hampton

Indentured servants were not willing laborers and the working conditions at Northampton Furnace was grueling.
Gruesome
Working Conditions

Accounts of the working conditions of the forced labor iron works.
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People of Hampton

Hundreds of people lived, worked, and were enslaved at Hampton coinciding America's development as a nation. Explore more of their stories.
Revealing the Lives of the Enslaved

A recent Ethnographic Study uncovered major information on the lives of those enslaved at Hampton and their descendants. Read about it here.
History & Culture
History & Culture

Hampton National Historic Site today preserves the core of what was once a vast commercial, industrial, and agricultural plantation.