Alexander Gordon (1635 in Aberdeen Scotland – 1697), fought as a Royalist and was captured by Oliver Cromwell's army at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651 at the end of the English Civil War.
While there he formed an acquaintance with Samuel Stratton of Watertown, with whom he made a six-year contract on 25 April 1653, as an apprentice, to learn the art of husbandry.
This contract should have ended in 1659, but after a year's work without pay, Cloyes sold Alexander's indenture to Samuel Stratton in Watertown as a "husbandry apprentice."
The idea was that this label would encourage the masters not to drive their helpless servants to the point of ill treatment.
But Alexander was forced to continue working until November 1663 when he won his freedom in a landmark court case in Massachusetts.