For those interested in the continuing sage concerning the relationship between William Smoot and Dorothy Durham, I offer the following text from the 1700 deed from William Smoot to Dorothy Durham. I would hope that this document would clearly show that there is no blood relationship between William Smoot and Dorothy Durham. In this deed William Smoot went through extreme efforts to exclude his own children. However, it is also noted that he was neighbors with Thomas and Dorothy Durham so there was obviously friendship between the families. I welcome anyone's comments. I'm unclear on the source of this record. It either came from Richmond County, Deeds 1695-1701 or VIRGINIA COUNTY COURT RECORDS, Will Abstracts of Lancaster County, Virginia 1690-1709 (by Ruth & Sam Sparacio, 1992). It is located on pages 101-102. TO ALL XPIAN PEOPLE to whom this present writing indented shall come in the yeare of our Lord God everlasting 1700; I WILLIAM SMOOT SENR. of the Parish of NORTH FARNHAM in the County of Richmond, Gen., send Greeting. Know yee that I the said WILLIAM SMOOT for a consideration received and for the great love that I have & beare unto DOROTHY DURHAM, Wife of THO: DURHAM of the County aforesaid & her Children, do give & make over unto the said DOROTHY DURHAM & her Childrena certaine parcell of Land lying in richmond county conteyning Sixty two acres be it more or less bounded as followeth vizt., beginning neere the head of a Branch at an Oake standing neere the Spring of THOMAS DURHAM neere the Branch that issueth out of MORATTICO CREEK running alonge the line of the said WM. SMOOT SENR. S: E: to a line of Mr. ROWLAND LAWSONs, thence alonge the said line S: S: W: to the line of Mr. GRIMES, thence along the said GRIMES line N: W: to the line of CLARE, thence alonge the said CLAREs line N: N: E: from thence up the said branch where it first began; To have & to hold the said Land from me the said WILLIAM SMOOT & my heirs to the said DOROTHY DURHAM & her Children & their heirs, And if in case the said DOROTHY DURHAM die that then the said Land shall come to THO: DURHAM, Eldest son of the said DOROTHY, & his heirs, if in case that he die without issue that then the said Land shall come to MARY DURHAM, Eldest Daughter of the said DOROTHY DURHAM & heirs; And if in case she shall happen to die without issue that then the said Land shall come to the Fourth, fifth, sixth & c. Children of the said DOROTHY & their heirs but in case of want of issue that then the said Land shall descend & come to ANN FOX, Wife of WM: FOX of the County of Lancaster & her heirs forever. In Witness whereof the said WM: SMOOT SENR. hath sett his hand & seale this 2d: day of August in the year above mentioned. Signed sealed & deliverd in presence of JNO: SIMMONS, WM: SMOOT SENR. THO: MACKEY Recognitr: in Cur Com: Richmond 7d. die Augusti Ano: Dom: 1700 et recordr: 22d die Test WM: COLSTON, Cl Cur KNOW ALL MEN by these presents that I JANE SMOOT, Wife of SM. SMOOT SENR., have appointed & nominated Mr. EDWARD JONES my tru & lawfull Attorney to acknowledge a guift made by my Husband to DOROTHY DURHAM, Wife of THOS: DURHAM, & to her Children bearing date with these presents. As Witness my hand this 2d: of August 1700 Teste: THOMAS MACKEY, JANE SMOOT, her marke EDMOND OVERTON, marke Record: Teste WM: COLSTON, Cl Cur