An Act of Queen Elizabeth I providing for the punishment of rogues, vagabonds and beggars, by transporting them overseas to expiate their offences by hard labor seemed to supply the American colonies with labor for the tobacco plantations. In 1606 Virginia was recommended as a suitable place to send vagrants. By the time America made the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the prisons of England had transferred over 40,000 inmates to the colonies. Many who were transported were illiterate and have left few records.
Any of these immigrants coming into the colonies and not paying their own passages were made to serve, if adults, four years. At their expiration of servitude they were given a year's provision in corn, wearing apparel, tools and sometimes land.
Any person over the age of fifteen could bind [indenture] himself over to a shipping merchant who, in return for giving him a free passage to America, could sell him into servitude in the plantations. The term "servant" made no distinction between convict and freeman.
An outward cargo of laborers to be exchanged for a return cargo of tobacco was the trading pattern with the colonies and Britian for a century or more.
The King's Passengers to MD and Virginia by Peter Coldham
1738 William Moreland from Middlesex, England to Virginia
1742 Thomas Molland from Worcestershire, England to Prince George's Co., MD.
1752 William Moulding age 26 from England to AA Co., MD, so born 1726.
1768 John Moreland from Middlesex, England to Virginia.
1774 Eleanor Morland from London, England to Virginia. From the Proceedings of Old Bailey [London's central criminal court] Eleanor stole linens from her master Thomas Robinson and was sentenced to a penalty of transportation on July 6, 1774.
Emigrants from England 1773-1776 by Gerald Fothergill
1774 James Molan age 17, tailor, from London to Maryland, indentured for 4-5 years, so born 1757.
1774 William Moland, age 21, tin plate worker, from London to MD, indentured for 4-5 years, so born 1753.
Bonded Passengers to America, Vol. II by Peter Coldham
1738 William Moreland from Middlesex, England to MD or VA [transported for stealing a brass knocker].
1768 John Moreland from Middlesex, England to America, sentenced to transportation.
Bonded Passengers to America Vol. III by Peter Coldham
1774 Eleanor Morland from London to America.
Bonded Passengers to America Vol. V by Peter Coldham
1727 William Molland from Devon, England to America, reprieved on the condition of transportation for 14 years.
1730 Edward Morland from Durham, England to American reprieved for 14 years for stealing a mare.
1749 William Molding from Bedfordshire, England to America, sentenced.
1754 John Murland of Norfolk, England to America, sentenced.
Emigrants to Pennsylvania 1641-1819 by Michael Tepper
1746 George Wakely assigns Susannah Sanders, a servant from Ireland, to John Moland of Philadelphia county for 4 years.
Passengers to America by Michael Tepper
1635 John Molin age 30 England to Virginia, so born 1605.
1774 William Molling age 19, laborer, from London to Virginia, indentured servant, so born 1755.
Passenger and Immigration Lists Index
Comment: I went through all volumes through 2004. When looking at the source that they used, it wasn't really ship's passenger lists. Most of the sources were books containing land grants and patents, muster rolls, etc. I am not sure how accurate it is to use these lists in determining when an ancestor came to the colonies. It would be more accurate to use these volumes as a guide to when the first written document about them was found. Many are, also, duplications of the above records. In the essence of being thorough, I am adding the findings on the Moreland family.
1621 Thomas Moreland, VA.
1650 Thomas Morland, VA.
1652 Dormett Moreland, VA.
1653 Rich. Moreland, VA.
1663 Edward Moreland, VA.
1673 Rich. Morland, VA.
1702 Barlet Moreland, VA.
1705 Jacob Moreland, Maryland.
1730 Edward Morland, America.
1738 Christopher Moreland, age 20, Maryland.
1738 William Morland, Maryland or VA.
1762 William Morland, Boston.
1762 Henry Morland, New York.
1762 Thomas Moreland, age 17, Lancaster, PA.
1768 John Moreland, America.
1774 James Molan, age 17, Maryland.
1774 William Moland age 21, Maryland.
1774 Eleanor Morland, America.
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