headright - definition
Brian L. Cole
sentence where I found it. What does it mean when it says Hickory and
Hickory were headlights of Dock for 1250 acres?
I've checked two physical dictionaries and several sources on-line but I
don't understand the sentence. Did the guarantee his purchase?
Brian L. Cole
Researching Coles from MD to OH
--
Brian L. Cole
Researching Coles from MD to OH
Paul C. Reed
whose passage was paid for (Ancient Planters--those who arrived before
1616--got 100 acres). People could accumulate them, thus 1250 acres might
represent 25 people. They were supposed to prove they paid for those
claimed by showing a receipt before being allowed the land patented.
Paul
Vickie Elam White
>A headright in Virginia was the right to 50 acres of land for
>each person whose passage was paid for (Ancient Planters--
>those who arrived before 1616--got 100 acres). People
>could accumulate them, thus 1250 acres might represent 25
>people. They were supposed to prove they paid for those
>claimed by showing a receipt before being allowed the land
>patented.
There are a few things to be aware of:
There was a lot of corruption surrounding these headrights,
which lead to their eventual abolishment. Headrights were
sold and transferred, so the person who eventually "cashed in"
the grants was not necessarily the person who actually sponsored
the transportation of the immigrants or migrants (headrights were
sometimes given for transporting someone into VA from another
colony such as MD).
The 25 people in Paul's example could include the sponsor's own
trip back and forth to England or MD or wherever, too.
And finally, be aware that the headrights could be granted many
years after the actual transportation.
Vickie Elam White
Paul C. Reed
but
I cannot remember which journal it appeared in [Virginia
Genealogist?]. He
even cited me, so it must be good. ; )
Paul
John Blythe Dobson
Currer-Briggs, _The Search for Mr. Thomas Kirbye, Gentleman_ (Chichester,
Sussex: Phillimore, 1986), especially in pp. 65-73. He says, in part:
"The indentured servant whose fare was paid by his master was obliged to
work out his term of years either for the master to whom he was indentured,
or to some other master to whom this term of service had been sold, and for
this the original master or the Virginia master received 50 acres depending
on the circumstances." (p. 65)
"The headright system was not introduced until 1622, but in 1630 Sir John
Harvey offered grants of land to anyone willing to settle in certain
specifically defined areas in accordance with his policy of establishing
strong settlements against Indian incursions." (p. 70)
"From a comparison of names in headright lists with contemporary York County
Court proceedings to determine the status of newly-arrived immigrants, it
appears that many headrights were minors without indentures. Since a parent
had to execute an indenture for a minor to make it legal, the inference
seems to be that those who had no indentures either ran away from home or
were kidnapped for the 50-acre headright." (p. 73)
John Blythe Dobson
The...@aol.com
Hello John,
The headright system was an interesting device in the colonisation of
Virginia, Maryland and (presumably) elsewhere - also a good source of
information for the genealogist * .
In connection with the work you cite, I wonder if the issue of minors
(related vs. unrelated) was closely examined in this context? One example
(I'm sure there are many more), one Henry Sewall (nephew of the historian
William Dugdale, and lst husband of Jane Lowe) emigrated to Maryland in 1661.
He obtained 300 acres for the importation of himself, his wife and 4 minor
children (his own). [Barnes, British Roots of Maryland Families - GPC, 1999]
Certainly nothing sinister here.
Good luck, and good hunting.
* I leave alone the issue of politics, etc. in this area. Otherwise, one
could hazard: By what right did Lord Baltimore, Proprietor of Maryland, make
grants of land to his colonists? He surely had a royal charter saying he
could do so;... _ Might Makes Right _
John Blythe Dobson
I would imagine the scenario Currer-Briggs describes is not to regarded as the
norm. And not having read his book cover to cover, I hope I haven't
misrepresented his views. It doesn't seem to contain further discussion of minors
in connection with the headright. As you suggest, probably is most cases there
was nothing sinister going on.
John Blythe Dobson
The...@aol.com wrote <snipped>:
> Tuesday, 27 November, 2001
>
> Hello John,
>
> The headright system was an interesting device in the colonisation of
> Virginia, Maryland and (presumably) elsewhere - also a good source of
> information for the genealogist.