I was going through records in Culpeper today and came across a deed  
that is of a type I have never seen before. Dating to 25 October  
1849,  "have given, granted, bargained, and sold" to each of 56 named  
men, for "the sum paid of $10 in hand" from each man, "being 235  
acres of land" "To have and to hold the said tract or parcel of land  
to them severally for and during the terms of their natural lives"  
and that "I the said Thomas Hill Jr. shall and will warrant and  
defend the said tract or parcel of land during the natural life of  
each one of them free from the claims of all persons whatsoever by  
testimony whereof I have hereto affixed my hand and seal this 25th  
day of October 1849..."

Why in the world were 56 men paying for use [or whatever] of this  
land, just for their "natural lives"? It doesn't say they were using  
it to erect a gristmill, or log the timber, or keep cattle, not a  
word of what it was for. Was this some way for landless men to get  
the right to vote, perhaps? I know at least two of the men had roots  
in nearby counties, but I don't know if they were moving to Culpeper;  
there was no other mention of them in the Culpeper records that I  
could find. It sure seems like some kind of "tweaking the system" was  
going on, but what?

thanks for any suggestions,

Nancy


-------
I was never lost, but I was bewildered once for three days.

--Daniel Boone

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