On 11/26/06 10:58 AM, "Ralph L Dugger" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> My question is this:  Would Etheldred likely have been an older child, say at
> least 10 or 12, when he was bound out in 1746?

After reading through the "Records of Indentures & Guardianships in
Shenandoah County, Va., 1772-1831" on the Shenandoah Co. VA GenWeb site, I
would not make any assumptions about a child's age based solely on the court
record that you referenced in your message, well, other than the obvious one
that the child was a minor. The Shenandoah Co. records come from 30+ years
later than your example, but the legal practices & community attitudes that
these records reflect were probably pretty much the same in both 1740's
Surry Co & 1780's Shenandoah Co..

It's well worth taking some time to read through at least the earlier
extracts of these Shenandoah Co. guardian records. Very eye opening!  There
are quite a few children under the age of 4 being bound out, & even a few
under 2 years old. There's also a helpful introduction to these records,
linked on the index page.

C. Etter

Here's a link to the on-line records -
http://www.rootsweb.com/~vashenan/bly_index.html

And a brief excerpt from the 1774-1780 Minute Book, note the wide range of
ages just in these few records -

"1779
Mar 25
-The Churchwarden of the Parish is to bind Ben Cross to John Jackman. He is
3 yrs old next May.
-Same is to bind John Hier, age 11 years 15 Sept. next to John Stout.
-Same is to bind Rurabecker Phillip, age 4 Feb. 15 last to Josiah Leath.

July 29
-The Churchwarden of the Parish is to bind Isaac Weaver, a base born child
of Hannah Smith to George Keller to teach him the trade of a weaver. He is
nine years old Mar. 4 last."

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