The fact of the matter is that there was no legal age for obtaining a
patent in Virginia.  An infant could be the recipient of a patent if
someone went through the process for him/her.

I can point you to at least two cases I know of where a patent was
issued to (very) minor children, and I know of others where the father
obtained a re-patent in the name of his children (in lieu of providing
the same for them in a will?).

Lou Poole

-----Original Message-----
From: Research and writing about Virginia genealogy and family
history. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of pamarkey
Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2010 10:16 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [VA-ROOTS] Minimum Age for Patenting Land in 17th Cent. Va.

I would to have a primary reference for the statement in Robt. Baird's
Genfile on "Legal Age," and also in "William Mylam in Virginia" that
attainment of a majority was required to patent land in Colonial
Virginia.  Holly Brewer does not cover this subject, and Minor
Weisiger does not mention an age requirement in his Research Notes No.
20, "The Virginia Land Office."  Thanks, Marcus Key in the Northern
Neck.

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