In a message dated 9/12/00 4:03:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time, tiggernut_48@yahoo.com writes: << . I theorize that he and his wife, who worked for some time for a local farmer, may have been indentured servants. Also, would hte gift have been in cash, or in land? The deed says John Smith and his wife Isabella paid $65 in cash. >> Hi Dora, Not all of them were paid in land. Some were given money instead. Then they went and bought the land they could find, and were they wanted it.But yes, usually they recieved one or the other. How long it lasted , I still don't know. I know there are Narratives on Ex-Slaves, which they told a story about their life in slavery. I will search to see if anything like this was done, reguarding the Indentured Slaves.I also know that the Federal Writers Prodject, has many narratives, taken by the slaves. I will check it out. Mary Jane, Bright Star