[henkster]

At least indentured servitude had a time limit, and at the end of it the servant had an open Continent to stake a claim. All he had to do was clear land and farm it.

Sounds to me that the “spirits” did most of these people a favor.

[Tax-chick]

For each laborer brought across the Atlantic, the master was rewarded with 50 acres of land.

If the employee died or left before the end of his indenture, the master got both his own 50-acre premium and the acreage that would have gone to the employee.