Indenture
of Apprenticeship
The
Commonwealth of Kentucky
This Indenture made this _8th_ day of _February_ one
thousand eight hundred and _sixty-nine__ between _MARTHA MANION a free girl of color who was nine years old the day of April 1868____ by J.H. COLLINS,
Clerk of the county court of Allen County, in the State of Kentucky, of one
part, and __T. MANION___ of the other part;
Whereas, by an act of the General Assembly, the Judge of said
Court is empowered to bind out orphans and poor children, which parents are
incapable of bringing them up in moral courses, therefore the Court made the
following order, to-wit:
On
motion of T. MANION and on the written consent of RICHD MANION
of color filed in court. It
is ordered by the court that MARTHA MANION
who was nine years old the day of
April 1868, SIMON MANION who was seven years old the day of September 1868 and AMANDA MANION who is three years old the day of October 1868 all minor children of
color who have no relatives living who are able to raise and support them be
bound as an Apprentice to said THOMPSON MANION who was their former owner
& a suitable person the Girls MARTHA
& AMANDA until they arrive to the age of Eighteen years each to be taught
the art and business of housekeeping in all its various branches and the boy SIMON
until he arrives to the age of Twenty one years to be taught the art and mistery of Farming in all its various branches: and that
the Clerk of this court prepare & enter into suitable Indentures with said
MANION on behalf of said children conditioned according to law.
Now, therefore, this
Indenture Witnesseth, that the said J.H.
COLLINS, clerk of said Court, as above recited, hath put, place and bound, and
by these presents, doth put, place and bind the said __Martha Manion___
apprentice to and under the said _T. Manion__ with _him_ to
dwell, and __him _ to serve, in the condition, duty, and character of an
apprectice, until the said __Martha___ shall
arrive at the age of __Eighteen ___ years, fully to be completed and
ended--- that, during all the said period, the said _Martha Manion__
shall faithfully serve the said __T.Manion__
master, in all lawful business, according to the best of __her_ wit and
ability, and in all things honestly, orderly and obediently demean and behave
___herself__; and the said ___T. Manion__ doth for __himself__ heirs,
executors, and administrators, covenant and agree with the said __.J.H. Collins__
that he, the said __T. Manion__ will teach the said __Martha__
the trade, art, and business of __Housekeeping__ and will find, provide
for, and allow to the said __Martha Manion___ sufficient diet, wearing apparel, washing,
lodging, proper medical attention, and all other things usually allowed to
apprentices by good and just masters, and will treat __her__ with humanity --- that he the said __T.Manion__will__ at the end of the Apprenticeship
of said girl Martha to give her a new good suit of clothes and pay her fifty
dollars: Provided however that is said T, Manion shall teach said girl Martha
to read & wrtie then he shall not be bound to pay
said Fifty dollars
*This document is
handwritten in longhand rather than on a form.
Part of the information is continued on a second page that is sealed
behind this document but not readable as it was placed backwards*