The following provision of the law made in 1785 would seem to fit your
question.  I cannot be sure, however, that the law wasn't changed
after this.  The following is a direct quote from Hening's Statutes:

"Every orphan who hath no estate, or not sufficient for a maintenance
our of the profits, shall, by order of the court of the county in
which he or she resides, be bound apprentice, until the age of
twenty-one years, if a boy, or of eighteen years, if a girl, to some
master or mistress, who shall covenant to teach the apprentice some
art, trade, or business, to be particularized in the indenture, as
also reading and writing, and if a boy, common arithmetic, including
the rule of three, and to pay to him or her three pounds and ten
shillings at the expiration of the time. Any guardian may, with the
approbation of that court in which his appointment shall be recorded,
and not otherwise, bind his ward apprentice to such person, for
learning such art or trade, and with such covenants on the part of the
master or mistress as the said court shall direct; and any such
apprentice, with the like approbation, or any apprentice bound by his
father, may, with the approbation of the court of that county in which
the father shall reside, after he shall be sixteen years of age, agree
to serve until he shall be twenty-four years of age, or any shorter
time, and such agreement entered on record shall bind him:..."

For more details of guardian laws at this time (1785) see Hening's
Statutes, p. 194-198, Chapter LXXXVI, "An act concerning guardians,
infants, masters, and apprentices."

Lou Poole

-----Original Message-----
From: Research and writing about Virginia genealogy and family
history. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ellenor
Flint
Sent: Friday, March 11, 2011 2:57 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VA-ROOTS] guardianship

 Question re VA Guardianship laws 1810 - Was a Guardian always
appointed/chosen for an underage male child, age 3, whose Father died
- even though there apparently was no/slim estate to manage?  The
Father died intestate and probably had no/slim estate.  Were there
county laws or an all-over VA law for such situations?  This was in
Rockbridge Co.  Thanks for any insight.  

Ellenor

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