Daily AncestorIndenture
An indenture is a formal written agreement between two or more parties; most old deeds open with the words this indenture.
Indenture names a formal contract between parties. The word comes from the old practice of writing copies on one sheet and cutting them apart along a wavy line, so they could later be matched.
In land records, This Indenture is the standard opening of a deed. The same word also names contracts binding a person to serve a master, such as an apprentice or indentured servant.
As seen in a recordDeed recorded in a county deed book, 1800s
This Indenture made the 4th day of May 1821 between Jacob Lutz of the one part and Henry Kurtz of the other part.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Indenture." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/indenture. Last checked 2026-10-01.