The court system had one responsibility that took care of orphan children. When a parent died, the court would "bind out" the children to some responsible citizen of the community, who would feed, clothe, house, and educate them until they reached maturity, and teach them the trade of the benefactor. Then, they would be given the tools of their trade, a suit of clothes, and sometimes, a horse. Taken from the Guilford County court records. ORPHAN BENEFACTOR TRADE John COOK William TRAINOR Carpenter John CARTER Thomas KASEE Blacksmith James HOOD William CALDWELL Sadler William DUNMAN James PORTWER Weaver Thomas George TURNER John OLYVER Tailor John CARNAHAN James BILLINGSLEY Carpenter Wlliam CALHOON Robert GULBREATH Blacksmith John BARNES Benjamin McFARLIN Blacksmith George Sears TURNEY John DONNELL Wheelwright Abner HOWLET B. HOWELL Wheelwright William MILTON John McBRIDE Cooper Thomas GUELEY John ORR Blacksmith Henry SMITH John BRADLEY Carpenter, House Joiner Obediah HOWLETT Henry WORK Carpenter Isaac GIBSON Nathaniel DOLTON Blacksmith Tabitha BURNET Robert KIMMINS Spinner John BEVEL John FINDLEY Cooper Thomas Ashford Stuart DIAMOND Shoemaker William BANKS James McADOW Shoemaker John MITCHELL John McMURRAY Wagon Wheelwright John CONNER Isaac WHITE Shoemaker Samuel SHORT Cameron MOORE Silversmith Jonathon Byrd SHORT Thomas BENBOW Blacksmith James ANDERSON William McGREADY Sadler Redmon FULLEN William DICK Planter ==== NCORANGE Mailing List ==== Larry Noah - lrnoah@bigfoot.com - Listowner - NCORANGE mailing list Orange Co, NC USGenWeb site is at http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncorange GENDEX at http://www.gendex.com/gendex/ has over 1400 databases on line