Paul, thanks for your reply. Yes, there was one other surety named - of unknown age - but who I think might have been equally young. My thinking was that a surety for a guardianship would have to be someone who was a financially "responsible" citizen, since this - by purpose of the surety - was to keep the county "free from harm" (as they so often put it), and I would think that the county officials would have a vested interest in ensuring that any surety or sureties would be so qualified. It is indeed interesting that there would be no "qualification" requirements defined for such a transaction, and I would assume - by extension - that the same would apply to any other court case involving what we now call "bail." Lou Poole -----Original Message----- From: Paul Drake [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 2:38 PM To: JLP; [log in to unmask] Subject: RE: [VA-ROOTS] Age requirement for security Were there other sureties on that bond?? If there were, then he may have been under age and might have signed it as a gesture, even though all around him knew he was not of age. Remember, most always a minor could repudiate his execution of that (and many other documents) upon turning 21. There were exceptions to that rule, but I know of none that would apply here. In short, any one of any age could sign a bond (it was not punishable by a court), however if that signator was a minor at the signing, such bonds could not be enforced unless at his coming of age, the minor affirmed the action done when he was not yet 21. Paul -----Original Message----- From: Research and writing about Virginia genealogy and family history. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of JP Sent: Friday, April 27, 2007 11:32 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subjct: [VA-ROOTS] Age requirement for security I've run into a 1756 guardianship record where the person providing security for the guardian is thought by many to have been born 1738 or 1740, making him 16 or 18 years old. That certainly does not sound right to me. Does anyone know of an age requirement to provide security (bond) for such a court transaction? If there was a requirement, what was it? Thanks Lou Poole, Richardson, TX No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.6.1/777 - Release Date: 4/26/2007 3:23 PM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.6.1/777 - Release Date: 4/26/2007 3:23 PM