My grandmother came from Scotland to Canada in the 1800's as an indentured servant at around the age of 12 or 13. She was expected to work for the family that paid for her passage by ship until the debt was cleared. It was a fairly common practice at that time.

I don't know if she fully cleared her debt prior to becoming pregnant and marrying my grandfather, but her poverty and servitude didn't end with her marriage. It continued unabated for most of her life.