Randy Jones wrote:
headrights and dates of passage


>From Hening's Virginia Statutes at Large, vol. 3, p.
304, October, 1705 states: "....all and every person
male or female imported and coming into this colony
dominion free, has a right to fifty acres of land; and
every Christian servant, male or female imported after
he or she becomes free, or time of servitude is
expired, has a right to fifty acres of land for his or
her importation; and every person coming into this
colony, and importing a wife or children under age,
hath a right to fifty acres of land for himself, his
wife and every such child so imported...."
****

Randy has set forth Hening's extract of one of the statutes that
gave rise to the extra-legal results of the practice of indentured
servitiude.  A reading of this Statute will reveal that, by
omission, it does NOT provide that the headright earned by
transporting may not be transferred to another person.  Thus,
headrights became legally viewed as were any other assets, and could
be sold, traded, bargained, pledged for debt, taken in execution of
judgements, willed, and surrendered back to the Colony.  Paul

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