Talk:Redemptioner
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A wiktionary word, if an authentic context can be quoted. The essay entry would be fmore indable under indenture no?
- I agree with Anonymous above. If a "redemptioner" is an indentured servant, then shouldn't this be a redirect to indentured servant? Joyous 15:34, Sep 12, 2004 (UTC)
The Wiktionary definition was over general. A "redemptioner" was a specific type of indentured servant, but the terms are NOT interchangeable. Redemptioners were found mostly in 18c Pennsylvania, and they had more rights than 17c indentured servants had. The demographics of the redemptioner population differed from those of the larger indentured servant population; redemptioners tended to be older, were more likely to be married (often with children), and were often ethnically German. Drfryer 13:20, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Comment and Question
I agree that Redemptioner needs to be a separate entry for the reasons mentioned above. However, I don't think redemptioners were better off than indentured servants who negotiated their contracts in the U.K. On the contrary, redemptioners were non-British and came without the protection afforded British citizens regarding indentured servant contracts. The redemptioners were forced to negotiate their deals at the worst possible time/situation.
I read the source material cited below and found it related to early 19th century redemptioners when the phenomena had slowed to a trickle and so is not representative of the large number who came in the 18th. I've added some more source material. Also, I've written a long article, my first, and would like to run it past the group. Is there a place to post it first? WikiMensch 11:20, 10 February 2007 (UTC)
[edit] source material for redemptioner
http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/kade/adams/chap4.html
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/i/e/Harold-D-Biebel/FILE/0003text.txt
http://www.mc.cc.md.us/departments/hpolscrv/whiteser.html
http://dz-srv1.sub.uni-goettingen.de/cache/toc/D227803.html
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/awlaw3/slavery.html
[edit] Major revision
I received no answer to my question on 9 February 2007 so I replaced the "Redemptioner" stub article with my piece on 17 February 2007. The stub article lacked depth and also suggested it was an advantage to enter into indentured servitude via the redemptioner method compared to those who negotiated their indentures before leaving for America. It's my understanding that, on the contrary, it was a disadvantage to have to bargain when one's only option was to remain in the custody of the shipping company until the next interested buyer arrived. The physical and psychological stress would also have been a burden to the redemptioner at the end of his/her long and usually difficult voyage. In many cases the sea voyage was preceded by a long and tedious land/river journey and would have added to the travelor's desire to be done with the process. WikiMensch 22:32, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
