Stories of the Indentured Servants

The labor of indentured servants was critical to the development of the Hampton estate. Although the use of indentured labor was short lived in the history of Hampton, their stories of hard labor and suffering are critical to understanding early life on the Hampton plantation and estate. Due to the short-term use of indentured labor, many of their stories remain unknown, however historians who have worked in cooperation with Hampton staff, such as Dr. Kent Lancaster, Dr. Robert T. Chase and Elizabeth Comer, provide a clearer picture of the life of the indentured. Their studies: “Almost Chattel: The Lives of Indentured Servants at Hampton-Northampton, Baltimore County” and “On the Border of Freedom and Slavery: The Hampton Plantation, the Northampton Ironworks, and the Transformation of Labor, 1740-1984” highlight the stories of individuals on Hampton's estate.

Learn more about the history of Indentured Servants at Hampton

Individuals

Florence McGrath and William Wirl

The story of two indentured servants who remained on the Hampton estate.
John and Sarah Willis

Two indentured servants who provided clothing making services at Hampton.
The Poltis Family

A blacksmith and his family in indentured service.
Indentured Servants Seeking Freedom

Two indentured servants who attempted to seek their freedom from Hampton.
Indenture Appeals

How two indenture appeals turned out differently at Hampton.
Daniel Barber

The story of how an indentured servant became a tenant farmer.
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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.

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Indentured Servants at Hampton

Indentured servants were not willing laborers and the working conditions at Northampton Furnace was grueling.
Freedom Seekers

Learn all about people that would seek their freedom from Hampton.
Gruesome
Working Conditions

Accounts of the working conditions of the forced labor iron works.
Forms of Control

From physical to mental abuse for the youngest ages to the oldest. Learn about the harsh truths and forms of control.
Post Contract Life

From leaving Hampton to becoming paid labors, learn about life after contract.
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 was once a 25,000-acre commercial, industrial, and agricultural plantation. Discover its history here.
Language Guide

Words matter. The language we use matters. Please read through our Language Guide and Non-Negotiable Statements.