Zero documentation here, but two thoughts jump to mind. 

My Kelly line came to Virginia very early, (before 1755) but we have found nothing on paper about them in King and Queen County. Ultimately they moved on to settle land in Burke County, North Carolina. 

1. Many convicts according to various ships lists were shipped to Virginia. Some of those had to serve out a sentence of servitude ( seven years often mentioned) before they were free to settle land.

2. Also possible is that Free Irish took jobs and waited for land to become available.

3. Not to the direct thread, but for Catholics, settlement in Virginia was initially prohibited as references occasionally refer to the militia escorting them through Virginia to settle instead in Maryland across the bay. Unknown is when that policy was reversed, but likely at the time when Virginia was no longer a Crown Colony.

Lots of possibilities here..........makes me crazy.

donkelly 
 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Cindy McCachern <[log in to unmask]>
> I have a question concerning the importation of people to Virginia.  Did an
> importer ever wait for an extended time--possibly 10 years or more--to claim
> his 50 acres of land for each person that he imported?  Was the some type of
> law in Virginia that would prevent this from happening?
> 
> In researching my Cornwell family in Virginia, we find a listing from
> Cavaliers and Pioneers from 1695 that Richard Taylor claimed land for the
> importation of Dennis Cornell.  Here is the entry:
> 
> Richard Tayloer.  293 acs., Nansemond Co; on head brs. of Kingsale Sw; adj.
> Robert Brewer; & John Gatling; 20 Apr. 1694, P. 344.  Imp. of 6 pers:
> Nicholas Rochester, Thomas Dewrent, Dennis Cornell, Arthur King, Rebecca
> Lawfull, Jane Lawfull.
> 
> 
> We have proof that our John Dennis Cornhill/Cornwell was in Virginia at
> lease by 1685--possibly earlier.  We are trying to determine if he could
> possibly be the immigrant ancestor and the land was just not claimed until
> years later.  Is this possible?
> 
> Cindy Cornwell McCachern

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