Janice,

The "I get 50 acres of land for every person I transport here" was 
apparently one of the most abused and corrupt "programs" in American 
history.  It is clear that many of the SAME people were "claimed" to have 
been "transported" on more than just one occasion (and by more than just one 
"transporter").  The ability of the officials to track all of this was 
obviously very limited (if they really cared all that much anyway....the 
British Crown just wanted to see America become profitable to them at some 
point).  Each case warrants its own investigation, of course, but do not be 
too surprised if "your guy" was the same man who was mentioned in all three 
of those cases.  Also, as I understand it, people could transfer their "50 
acres per person" to someone else, and in many cases, the original 
"transporter" never even took possession of the land before he sold it to 
another man (ditto any later people who also "claimed" to have transported 
the person in question).  As such, much of this can be hard to track....but 
the good thing is that at least these records provide the name of the person 
in whom you are interested (so at least you know that he/she was truly in 
America).

My mother's ancestor Alexander Smith was "imported" to Lancaster Co., VA by 
a John Robinson in 1653, as I recall, and Alexander's neighbors Cuthbert 
Potter and a John Smith also appeared on importation records in that area in 
the 1600s.  As far as I can tell, however, it does not APPEAR that any of 
those three men were claimed "a second time around" by anyone.

Bill Davidson


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Janice Friel" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2012 11:39 AM
Subject: Re: Adventurers of Purse and Person


>I found three importation records of a man by his name. One was in 1657. He
> wand 20 other persons were transported by Wm. Presly. Also transported by
> Howell  Pryse 1687 and John Stith in 1664.
> How could that be unless they are different people and how do I find out
> which one is mine.
>
> Janice 

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