The Infortunate: The Voyage and Adventures of William Moraley, an Indentured Servant

by William Moraley, Susan E. Klepp (Editor), Billy Gordon Smith (Editor)

First published by Penn State Press in 1992, The Infortunate has become a staple for teachers and students of American history. William Moraley’s firsthand account of bound servitude provides a rare glimpse of life among the lower classes in England and the American colonies during the eighteenth century. In the decade since its original publication, Susan Klepp and Billy Smith have unearthed new information on Moraley’s life, both before his ill-fated venture as an indentured servant from England to the “American Plantations” and after his return to England. This revised edition features this additional information while presenting the autobiography in a new way, offering more explicit emphasis for students and teachers in college, university, and high school about how to read and interpret Moraley’s autobiography.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Jonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

William Moraley's account of colonial life in Jersey and Pennsylvania is exciting. After reading the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, it's refreshing to get an account of colonial life that involves the common people, servants, slaves, and an interesting account of the nature of the land. I like this text much more than Franklin's autobiography--plus, it's shorter and more accessible. If you are interesting in colonial life in Philadelphia; this is a good start. For the remaining 99 percent of you, I'm sorry to bother you.

[Benny Kjaer · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the researcher of early colonial New England

[Harrison Vetter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief but interesting account of the life of an indentured servant in 18th Century America and England.

[Tova · Rating 3 out of 5]

You've got to love the fervor in which he writes about getting "diabetes" from drinking water...and fixing that by drinking rum for three months.

[John Cline · Rating 3 out of 5]

he just like me fr

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moraley tends to exaggerate, but carefully reading offers very useful historic perspective. Moraley gives insight into the poor, indentured, slaves, Native Americans, religions and everyday life of colonial America.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting primary source on indentured servitude in America. Be warned that it reads like a travel narrative. As such, Moraley dips into fantasy and fabrication often.

[Marsha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Moraley spilled a stream of exaggerations and lies. Not a reliable primary source.

[Ron Kemp · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fairly interesting but not factual, many exaggerations despite being published originally as autobiographical.

[Alexander Asay · Rating 3 out of 5]

ISU: American History