On Thu, 19 Aug 1999 16:22:18 -0400 "R.J.Marjoribanks" <Rogmarj@compuserve.com> writes: >James, > >Yes, your interpretation of Testaments dative is >near enough right - Remind me what dative means. I do not even know what the "dative case" means in English, French or German grammar. And, why is a Testament called dative? >but again tended only to be drawn up when there >was fairly substantial property involved. I am guessing that any freeholder of land would have a will unless death or senility slipped up & nailed him before he had a chance? You could also tell us the various levels of land tenure for the 1600s & 1700s, e.g. freehold, copyhold. Does primogeniture only affect the intestate? That is, is it only an intestate law. I heard it was abolished in the USA in 1790. Has it been abolished in the UK? I bet inheritance laws are not national in America so the abolition of primogeniture may not be as simple as a single date in the USA. Bill, Jerry, others, comments? >There was a testament dative for the widow of John >Marjoribanks of Marchbank in the 1660s which may >(only may) give a clue to the origins of the Sam >branch - I believe I mentioned it in my account. Well I guess this explains why I never filed this letter & it is still in my inbox to be answered. Methinks it would be right Jim Dandy to have that on the web. Can you help with that? The rest of you Sams need to get on the band wagon & respond when Roger offers us a pearl. I cannot pick up all the pearls he shows us. Admittedly Roger only indicates he has an oyster & it may have a pearl inside, so I will rephrase & ask your help in opening & processing the oysters we are offered. This means encouraging Roger to open the oyster to see if it is a pearl for Sam. Our list's archives has oysters strewn along its beaches & they will have deteriorated to nothing when Roger is gone since only Roger knows what he was talking about so only he can open the oysters he finds & mentions. >Roger. -- James W. Green III/285 Agnew Rd/Winnsboro SC 29180 CSA home: 803-635-9236 http://members.FortuneCity.Com/jgreen working on: http://freepages.genealogy.RootsWeb.Com/~jwg3 ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.