Hi, I am not sure about the term exonorated, but can say that release from the levy was sometimes done because of disability or advanced age. In the 1760s in Southampton Co., John Ivey requested the court to release his son Benjamin Ivey from the tax because of disability. Benjamin must have been a relatively young man, but the record does not state the specifics as to his problem. In Louisa County in the 1700s, a Johnson slave was released from the tax due to advanced age. Bonnie ----- Original Message ----- From: "nelhatch" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 11:21 PM Subject: [VA-ROOTS] A definition, please......... HATCHER website: http://hatcherfamilyassn.com HALL DNA project: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~nhatcher/hall/HDNAtest.htm "One of the tragedies of life is the murder of a beautiful theory by a brutal gang of facts" - La Rochefoucauld I was recently sent the following information: "Bedford County List of Lands Exonerated, Nov. 1814" Jere'h Hatcher, 280 ac., taxes for 1789, 1780, 1794, Ben Turner Edward Hatcher's estate, 250 ac., 1790. No. Lazenby. Jere'h Hatcher, 208 ac. [sic], taxes 1791-3, 1802, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 13 Ben Turner. I also have in my files the following: Lunenburg Co, VA July Court 1755 Hatcher Levy free On the Petition of William Hatcher and for Reasons appearing he is Exonorated from the Payment of Public & County Levies for the Future. I'm assuming "exonerated" means excused from paying taxes but certainly am not sure. Can someone explain the meaning as defined in colonial times and give reasons why someone in these individual instances would be "exonerated"? Thank you, Nel Hatcher To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html