Those men each were paying about 2.00 per acre for the privilege of using a
substantial tract of land for the term of the life.  That was a lot of usage
for very little money.  For the poor or nearby city dwellers, that small
acreage, if planted in tobacco, would provide a measure of income that such
people might find quite important.   

Why not try checking the grantor or lessor indices to see what each did with
his tract and when he did it. 

Paul

-----Original Message-----
Subject: [VA-ROOTS] any ideas about this?
....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..."

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