Somewhere I have the info you seek but am abt to depart for Mississippi and my minda aflutter. You should be able to do a google-search for "freemen's Oath" Basically, they had to be accepted by the community, be a member of the local church, (Congregational was the state church til abt 1803,) own a certain amount of land (I think the requirement for a batchelor was different for a family man), work the land for a certain period of time, and take the Freeman's Oath...(an oath of allegiance).. Adds new meaning to the reference to "freemen" in the US Constitution,...yes?! Shirley in San Diego -- [email protected] wrote: Thank you for your help. In a message dated 3/15/2005 2:08:31 PM Central Standard Time, [email protected] writes: From what my ancestral grandfather did, he didn't have money to come across to America, so he was in debt to another person, for 7 years. When he worked this time period out to the one who sponsored him, he was admitted as a freeman..My grandfather back in the 1600's, was unmarried when he came across.