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HATCHER website: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~nhatcher/faq.htm
HATCHER DNA project: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~nhatcher/hatDNA.htm
HALL DNA project: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~nhatcher/hall/HDNAtest.htm
"If you can't stand the skeletons, stay out of the closet" - Val D Greenwood

Hi all,

Once again I am having some trouble understanding the meaning of a document.

From the Lunenburg Co, VA Vestry Book, 1746-1816 are the following entries:

"Nov 12, 1759: Ordered that Robert Hatcher take Burral Bevil the son of
Margaret Bevil who Obliges himself to Clear the Parish from any further
charge for 1000 lbs Tobacco.....Present, Matthew Mareable, Gent - 1000

******It was the Parish that previously had taken responsibilty for the boy;
doubtless because the mother was VERY poor, even destitute, or and the
father was gone or dead (or see below).  The parish paid Hatcher 1000 lbs.
of tobacco in return for his - Hatcher - assumption of all future
obligations and responsibility for the boy.  It is likely that the tobacco
would then have had a value 3 cents per pound +-, i.e., $30.00	+-, about
$1800.00 in our money of today.   Were I required to guess, I would suggest
that Hatcher needed the boy to work for/under him or act as an apprentice,
and so provide labor on the farm.  The other possibility is that Bevil and
Hatcher were kin.

Then we have:

"At a Vestry held for this Parish the 3rd day of November 1760...To Margret
Bevil to the care of Jeremiah Hatcher....400."

**************Rather unusual; the parish allowed Margaret 400 lbs of
tobacco - $12.00, about $750.00 today -  for some effort, work, care or food
and clothing that she had provided for Hatcher sometime, probably during the
previous year and following the assumption by Hatcher of the boy's care.

"October 30 1761....To Margrett Bevil to the care of Jeri Hatcher (amount
illegible)"
***********It is a year later, and she is still caring for Jeri (Jeremiah)
and is being paid whatever amount of tobacco for those efforts and keep.

I also suspect that the two relationships, both involving care, were
separate and distinct, one from the other.  If so, then I suspect that the
Vestrymen had given over the boy to Hatcher as a servant, and she had cared
for Jeri in exchange for tobacco paid to her.

Anyone else have any ideas?

 Paul
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