From two others with questions. -----Original Message----- .... Subject: Re headrights "Dear Paul,.... ....My ancestor was used as a headright in 1705 for William Major in New Kent County, Virginia. I had originally assumed that this would have been the same year as his migration…." ********* Not all. In fact, the date he shows up as a headright was almost invariably at least 2 or 3 and sometimes even still more years after his arrival at the docks here. Why? Because after having gained the headright by paying money, by transporting a person, by having purchased, traded for, inherited, or having been given the headright to him as a gift or as payment for a debt, that "owner" of the head right had to - by visit or representation - somehow select what tract of acreage he wanted; file an application for that land, have it surveyed, file the survey with usually the Clerk of Court, wait to see if anyone else claimed the same land, gain a certification by the clerk that he was the only person claiming that tract, having that certification forwarded to Council, and then waiting as long as it took for that matter to work through govt. and to have the patent issued. But that was not the end; unless one was of affluence, trustworthiness and reputation in the area or of equally high standing in the colony, such that what he said he would do, he did, then his stated intentions were not enough. He then had to "develop" the property (build a cabin), clear a rather small tract, "break that land to the plow", and either personally settle on the property or have some one else do so in his behalf. Only then could the patent issue. Given that government, then and now, seldom acted with haste, the process was necessarily VERY long. ____________ I recently found him renting a very small amount of acreage in 1704 however, next to where I find acquiring land of his own. I have recently heard that these "master's" were allotted 20 years time to claim the headright for additional land. ***** OR, sell, give or otherwise dispose of that headright. Remember, the law as promulgated by Parliament in the 17th Century was not as precise or followed so strictly as we MIGHT today, so be careful that you don’t assume that every action was as written in the law. ,.,,, Good luck. Paul HYPERLINK www.DrakesBooks.com www.DrakesBooks.com. Sincerely, Jeff Davis A Davis and Langford Family Historian No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.1/1051 - Release Date: 10/5/2007 12:27 PM