Daily AncestorFreedom dues
Freedom dues were the goods, money or land a master owed an indentured servant at the end of the agreed term of service.
Indentured servants worked without wages for a set number of years, while the master provided housing, food and clothes. When the term was over they became free and received freedom dues, often clothing and tools and sometimes land. In 1675 John Fenwick offered servants in West New Jersey clothing, tools and one hundred acres after four years.
Look for freedom dues in the indenture itself. A record of dues paid marks the year a servant's term ended, which helps date when an ancestor began life as a free settler.
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Daily Ancestor. "Freedom dues." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/poor-relief/freedom-dues. Last checked 2026-10-03.