[My computer was in the hospital for several days but it seems to have recovered from its maladies. This Note will be written directly in my email program (Earthlink).]
There is a lot of misinformation about Headrights. People draw erroneous conclusions by not understanding how they worked. They were used (and misused) throughout the history of Colonial Virginia in an attempt to encourage settlers to come to Virginia. When a Headright was used, the name of the importee was stated to show that the purchaser of the land was entitled to fifty acres of land. Headrights were transferable and could be bought and sold.
Consider this hypothetical situation. John Jones patents 100 acres of paying with the importation of Fred Fredericks and Frieda Fredericks. It is not valid to say any of the following:
1. John Johns was in Virginia before the Fredericks.
2. John Johns paid the transportation costs of the Fredericks.
3. John Johns paid his own way to Virginia.
4. The transportation costs of the Fredericks was paid by someone else (other than themselves).
5. Fred Fredericks was still living.
The following could have been the actual situation (one of many). The Fredericks came in 1720 and paid their own transportation. They bought land in the Northern Neck where Headrights were not recognized. According to the laws of Virginia though they were still entitled to Headrights. Fred Fredericks died shortly after they bought their land and Frieda decided to sell the two Headrights to John Jones, who could use them outside the Northern Neck to purchase land from the Crown. John Jones had come as an indentured servant in 1722 and after his servitude was completed, he patented 100 acres of land outside the Northern Neck. He would normally have paid five shillings per fifty acres but he bought Headrights for less than that and used them.
The First Germanna Colony settled in the Northern Neck. They could not use their Headrights in the Northern Neck. Some of the people secured their Headrights and sold them for use outside the Northern Neck. John Huffman obtained his Headright and his wife's Headright when he applied, saying they came in 1714. But, they were not married until after they came. So saying that he and his wife were married when they came is erroneous. Again, using Headrights to draw any conclusion could be dangerous to the truth.
(11 Dec 06)
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.