I got the following from the VA-ROOTS list a couple of years back. I hope it helps y'all. In THE MAGAZINE OF VIRGINIA GENEALOGY Vol. 25 (August 1987), in an article entitled "Misconceptions Concerning "Legal" Ages" Edgar MacDonald wrote, in part: < < . . .While 21 was agreed on as being "of age " in the usual sense, under English Common Law a father's will, having the force of law, frequently determined when a child became of age. Virginia court records abound in instances where fathers named their children "of age" as early as 15 and 16. . . a minor could perfectly well buy land if he had ihe means or credit. At 14 a male could marry, sign contracts, choose his guardian, bequeath personal property, apprentice himself. He could even sell land as a minor but was usually required to confirm the sale upon arriving at the age of 21; however, where unchallenged, few of these confirmations found their way into the records. The general assumption by many genealogists that 21 was the universal age for civic activities is simply erroneous. . . For most of his activities concerning his personal affairs, the colonial male in Virginia, and elsewhere, was imminently qualified to affix his name to public documents at the responsible age of 14. . .>>