I wish it were an easy answer. Problem 1: the way it worked v the way it was supposed to work Problem 2: Insufficient documentation--i.e., the records we could use to study this were in large part destroyed We can make the following definitive statements. 1-Being listed as a headright for someone in a land patent did not mean that that person paid the passage. 2-There may or may not be any connection between who used the headright for a patent, where the patent was issued and who the headright was. 3-The date of the patent tells us nothing except that the headright was here a minimum of six months prior to the issuance of the patent 4-A better, though not perfect source, is the claim made in the local county court--at least here you have a statement made on oath that person a had a right to claim a headright. 5-There were abuses; authorities disagree on how widespread this was. 6-The rules changed over time. 7- Reading the following will be helpful Slatten, Richard W. “Interpreting Headrights in Colonial-Virginia Patents: Uses and Abuses,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly, 75 (September 1987): 169–179. Wilson, Ron. “Importations.” Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, 37 (May 1999): 134–6. Provides examples of individuals whose departure date from England, date of claim for headright in the county court and date of land patent purchased with the headright can be documented. 8-Following the changing laws in Hening's Statutes can be helpful. Barbara Vines Little, CG Dominion Research Services PO Box 1273 Orange, VA 22960 540-832-3473 (7-10 p.m.; all day Sunday) [log in to unmask] CG, Certified Genealogist, is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by board certified genealogists after periodic evaluation, and the board name is registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office. Sunshine49 wrote: > Perhaps someone here could clear up something for me. When a colonist > in early Virginia paid to transport new colonists (I'm not talking > about indentured servants), did the person paying the passage get the > 50 acres per transportee, did the new colonist get 50 acres, or did > they each get 50 acres? I have read sources that indicated they both > did, but then there has been a source or two that indicates only the > new arrival was given 50 acres, but the person who paid passage often > took it or was given it. But if that was the case, other than > transporting people to work for them, or bringing over family > members, I see little advantage in a settled colonists paying to > bring over other people. My own ancestor got 550 acres for > transporting 11 colonists, land that was centered in what is now Nine > Mile Road and Masonic Lane in Richmond. > > Were these transportees usually family and/or neighbors from back in > England? > > thanks, > > Nancy > ------- > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html