Confession of Henry Mounteere, Indentured Servant of John Stringer - Transcribed by Frank V. Walczyk Henry
Mounteere [indentured] servant of John Stringer ran away and eventually
returned and was brought into court. Below is the confession of
Mounteere and the depositions of Thomas Early another [indentured]
servant and Charles Reniger in regards to Tempus Betha who gave
Mounteere the idea how and where to run away. The interesting thing
about the confession and the depositions that follow is that John
Stringer tanned his own leather: that he (John Stringer was having a
house built in 1679; that it would take a 1 1/2 days ride to Pocomoke -
GMW
The 28th of October 1679
The confession and acknowledgment of me Henry Mounteere Servant to Col.
John Stringer saith, That had it not been for the words and advise that
Tempus Betha said in laying out the way so plain before me in the
Tanhouse I had never a runnaway for I should never a known which way to
a gone for I thought it impossible and so hard to escape. How the said
Tempus Betha said if he was a Servant and so long to serve as I had he
would not stay one hour longer then the first opertunity he had for he
said of a court day at night he would go when he thought they were
drinking and steal a bridle and saddle and hide them in the woods, then
the first good clothes he had he would wait his opertunity and take one
of his Masters best horses and he would be gone in the night when the
moon was at the full and shown bright saying he should not be asked for
before breakfest time and prehaps not untill night and by that time he
would be clear from any hue and cry hurting him for he said he would
ride all the first night and next day and next night but he would be
clear over Pocomoke and then he would call and refresh himself and his
horse and so he would proceed to the HoreKill and there he would sell
his horse and then the said Tempus said he would get a passage in a
sloop to New York and from thence to New England and there if he could
light of a ship he would go for Old England if he had not money to pay
his passage he would work for it but he would go and so through his
words knowing myself in a great error and being afraid I run away. This
is the truth and nothing but the truth.
Henry Mounteere
The 29th of October 1679, sworn in open court.
Teste - Daniel Neech Clk. Cur. Recorded - The 6th of November 1679, per Daniel Neech Clk. Cur. Co. Northampton
The deposition of Thomas Early aged 24 years or there abouts taken and
sworn in open court the 28th of October 1679. Saith, that in or about
the month of July last your depondent was tending on the Carpenters
that were building housing for my Master John Stringer it happened to
rain so that the Carpenters could not work at that time where upon we
went into the Tanhouse to pipe it being not far from the Carpenters
work, where Henry Mounteere was my Masters Tanner, we had not stayed
long but Tempus Betha came in and fell into discourse about Servants
and said some lived sad lives and that if he was a Servant he would not
stay two days in the country, your depondent asked him which way he
would get out of the country, the same question at that time Henry
Mounteere also asked him, who answered as easy as may be, for he would
go the next court day to the court and towards night when people were
drinking he would steal a saddle and bridle of one of their horses and
lay it by the way and then the first opertunity he would take one of of
his Masters best horses and when the moon was at the full or did shine
all night he would travel all night the first night and all the next
day and the next night if his horse should tire he would leave his
horse and take another horse by the way and when he came over Pocomoke
River he would stay and refresh him self and his horse and if it
happened he should be questioned in Maryland he would say he went to
take up land at the HoreKill and if he were examined there he would say
he came away for debt as some of they did afore him, and here would get
to New York and so for New England and much discourse more he had with
me and Henry Mounteere after the Carpenters were gone home which your
depondent cannot well remember.
Thomas Early
The 28th of October 1679, sworn in open court.
Teste - Daniel Neech Clk. Cur. Recorded - The 6th of November 1679, per Daniel Neech Clk. Cur. Co. Northampton
The deposition of Charles Reniger aged about thirty years taken in open
court the 28th of October 1679, Saith sometime the last Summer being at
the Tanhouse of John Stringer piping Tempus say he had served a hard
Master and if he were a Servant as many are in the country he would not
serve never a man in Virginia one knowing the country so well as he
doth and further saith not.
The 28th of October 1679, sworn in open court.
Teste - Daniel Neech Clk. Cur. Recorded - The 6th of November 1679, per Daniel Neech Clk. Cur. Co. Northampton
Source: Walczyk, Frank V. Northampton County Order Book (& Wills) 1678-1683, Book
11. Coram NY: Peter's Row, 2000; pp. 33, 34.