Cones in the Apprentices of Connecticut 1637-1900

Researching in the library this morning, I came across Apprentices of Connecticut 1637-1900, compiled by Kathy A. Ritter and publishing by Ancestry Publishing, Salt Lake City, Utah in 1986.  There were three listings for Cones in this volume.

Page 6. "Bab, William of Middletown, aged about 11, child of Benjamin Bab dec. of Middletown bound to William Cone of Middletown until 21 which will be on 04 Nov 1781 to learn the trade of shoemaker."

Page 35. " Cone, Lucinda, of Middletown, child of Joseph and Sarah Cone, bound to Clarissa Redfield of Middletown until age 18, which will be on 25 Dec 1809 to learn the trade of housewifery."

Page 35. "Cone, Elijah, ran away from David Townsend, Jr. of Hebron. Elijah is age 17. Reward 3 pence."

Childhood was not about fun and games. 17th century children were expected to work and learn a trade either at their own home or to be bound out to someone else until the trade was perfected. If you were unlucky enough to be orphaned, the town leaders would insure that you were bound to someone to learn a trade, in return for your support. Thereby ensuring that you would not become a ward of the community.

In the case of Lucinda Cone, I have found another source. Maria R. Miller, writing in The Needle's Eye: Women and Work in the Age of Revolution, University of Massachusetts Press, 2006,  includes the following,

                  In 1804, Middletown selectmen bound an impoverished thirteen-year-old
                  Lucinda Cone, to the widow Clarissa Redfield, who promised to "give said
                  Apprentice a Bible, and to Board her whilst learning a Trade. (page 73)

Lucinda's father died in 1804. She was the fifth and youngest daughter among Joseph and Sarah (Starr) Cone's ten children. Her three younger brothers probably remained with their mother.

Originally, I thought Elijah Cone, the runaway apprentice, might be my 5th great grandfather. His age seems to indicate that he is the son of that Elijah Cone and brother to my 4th great grandfather Ira Cone. Searching on www.genealogybank.com, I found the image of the advertisement placed in the Connecticut Courant (Hartford) Monday, January 30, 1792 transcribed below:

                Run-away from the subscriber the 5th inst. an apprentice boy named Elijah Cone,
                17 years of age; had on when he went away an orange coloured coat, knit
                vest pattern, black sattinet breeches and felt hat. Whoever will take up said
                run-away and return him to the subscriber shall have Three Pence reward
                and no charges paid. All masters of vessels and others are forbid harbouring
                or carrying off said apprentice on penalty of the law.
                                                                               DAVID TOWNSEND, jun.
               Hebron, Jan. 10, 1792.

Hebron is less than 20 miles from East Haddam.