Wow. Now THAT is a convoluted tale! Hooray for DNA!  I am convinced that a lot of the DNA misfires are actually the result of "adopted" children--children who simply got picked up along the way for whatever reason with no formal adoption or acknowledgement. They often got treated just like the biological children in wills, deeds, etc. I suppose people at the time knew the "facts" but then they got buried for generations--until, lo, along comes the 21st century and DNA. 

Interesting stuff: re: the original deed: I've got a deed to a sixteen year old in GA--she got 100 acres for a dollar from a non-relative, but based on events and one bible record that sort of told the truth, it looks like the son born that year (and passed off as her parents' child) belonged to her--and the 100 acres was apparently from the father--or perhaps his father. There's no male issue from that son, so I don't have DNA to help me solve the puzzle. I would use it if it were there!  A great tool--even when it gives us surprises. 

Karen Dale
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bill Davidson<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
  To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
  Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 3:34 PM
  Subject: Re: [VA-ROOTS] Dower & Coverture


  Thanks Paul (and to the others who answered),

  It appears that it was a RELATIVE who deeded young Mary Bennett this land in 
  Middlesex Co., VA in 1802 (a Garrett), so MAYBE it was one of those "one 
  dollar deals."  I have seen only the handwritten deed INDEX book (on 
  microfilm) at the Library of VA on this transaction, so I certainly need to 
  read the actual deed itself, the next time that I visit there.

  Mrs. Mary (Bennett) Brown's husband John Brown died about 1827 in Middlesex, 
  and Mary was still alive at that time (per some estate documents).  I could 
  not find a will for this John Brown, but maybe if I look again, I can at 
  least find what happened to the land.  There were no Browns at all on the 
  1830 Middlesex census, so Mrs. Mary (Bennett) Brown could have died by 1830, 
  or she could have remarried (and hence, had a different last name in 1830) 
  or she could have been living in the home of a relative or close 
  friend....ditto some of her children.  By the 1840s, however, several Browns 
  appeared on the tax lists in Middlesex Co., VA, including my maternal 
  gg-grandfather, Smith W. Brown (born 1817-1818).  John Brown had been the 
  ONLY Brown shown on the Middlesex census by name in 1810 and 1820.

  By the way, through DNA testing and a LOT of "conventional research," Smith 
  W. Brown was actually a "blood Smith" versus a "blood Brown," and it seems 
  almost certain that I have traced my "biological Smith family" back to the 
  John Smith who married Margaret Unknown and who died in Middlesex Co., VA in 
  1669.  It seems that John and Mary (Bennett) Brown adopted an infant boy 
  named Washington Smith (a son of a James Smith and his second wife Elizabeth 
  Bowie of Caroline Co., VA) around 1819, and John and Mary changed this 
  infant's name to Smith W. Brown.  I am about 99% confident of this.....but 
  my research continues, as does my "hunt" for a male Smith DNA donor who 
  definitely "traces back" to the family of the above-referenced John Smith. 
  The DNA of my male "Brown" cousin currently matches two "Smith donors" who 
  "trace back" to Alexander Smith (died 1696) of Middlesex Co., VA, and 
  Alexander Smith was the next-door neighbor of the above John Smith who died 
  in Middlesex in 1669.  Several researchers claim that this Alexander Smith 
  and this John Smith were brothers....and maybe the referenced DNA tests and 
  my own research are confirming that.

  I trust that it is apparent to all that little to none of the above 
  information concerning my "Brown/Smith connection" would have been remotely 
  possible without DNA testing.  As such, I just don't understand those who 
  see little or no value in this science, as it pertains to genealogy (and 
  whatever else might be said about it, DNA is extemely reliable at proving to 
  whom a donor is NOT related).  I sometimes wonder if the biggest objection 
  for some comes from the fear that many years of their research could be put 
  into question.

  Thanks again,

  Bill Davidson 

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