Linda,
It may have been possible to get a head-right by simply bringing someone across
the state line, but it typically meant transported across the ocean. However,
if not transported across the ocean in 1674, he was transported across the ocean
at some point, so I don't see that it makes any difference with regard to
Peter's origin. So far, no one has found an earlier record of him elsewhere in
the U.S.
As for Peter being indentured, I'm depending here on the posts to CARRICO-L made
by Carol Mitchell. She says Peter was awarded 50 acres in 1681, seven years
after his arrival. Service contracts varied in length and could be for as long
as seven years:
http://oriole.umd.edu/~mddlmddl/791/labor/html/colonial.html#indentured
I erred in saying seven years was "standard." Fifty acres was the typical
award
made at the end of an indenture, and Peter was awarded this land seven years
after Dobson got a headright for transporting him. So it does appear he served
seven years.
Yes, we do need the document proving he was awarded the 50 acres in 1681. Carol
said she had it, and I don't think she was lying. Not that she didn't make
mistakes, she "bought" the Gerrard "CARRICO" record and even went so
far as to
call him a known son of Peter's (which mistake even I didn't make).
Based on her posts, Carol compiled a *lot* of documentation. I've tried
contacting her via email, without success, but she was posting back in 1999 and
2000 and has not posted since, which of course is ominous. She put her address
and phone in the tagline of her messages, but I haven't tried to phone or snail
mail her. It might be worth a try. You can pull up her posts to the CARRICO
list from the archives
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?path=CARRICO
by searching on her email address: carolmit(a)usaor.net
Her posts are hard to read because they consist of relentless paragraphs with no
line breaks. But if you wade through them, there's a lot of information there,
most of it with clues where to get the originals, again.
Diana
-----Original Message-----
From: carrico-bounces(a)rootsweb.com On Behalf Of Linda Boorom
Sent: Saturday, June 02, 2007 9:00 PM
To: carrico(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: Re: [CARRICO] Another Look at Origins
Diana,
Help me. I have looked for a document which states that Peter was
"indentured" so that I can obtain a copy. As of yet, I cannot locate what
reference was used for this, only reference to Samuel Dobson claiming &
being granted the land.
Back then, transporting someone into the province did not necessarily mean
from overseas, it could also have been bringing someone into the Province of
Maryland from VA, PA, DE or anywhere.
Nor was everyone who came here from overseas "indentured" & it wasn't
always
for 7 years. It sounds to me that it 1674 the "usual length of service was 4
to 5 years..."
http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/refserv/html/servant.html
If there is some record actually indicating that Peter was indentured, it
might tell us more about him, perhaps his age & I would really like to
obtain a copy of the document.
Linda