Hello My reading of the entry is thus: Elizabeth Gummerson died with out a will (i. e. died intestate) thus "Administrator". If Ms. Gummerson had died with a will her estate would have been "testate" (i. e. "with testimony" meaning written instructions) with an Executor, who would execute her instructions. EDMUND BUTLER is being appointed administrator of Ms. Gummerson's estate. The wording makes it clear that Mary Davis is Ms. Gummerson's daughter, but does not make any effort to state married versus maiden names. As to the relationship between Mr. Butler and Mary Davis we have no way of knowing if there is one unless the court goes out of its way to state the relationship which was not necessary for appointment as administrator. The word "descendant" referred to the deceased Elizabeth Guttersnipe. The phase "in right of MARY DAVIS" referred to the fact that Mary Davis is the rightful heir of Ms. Guttersnipe by being her daughter by blood, thus the wording "in right of". I hope all of this helps you. I used to read these kind of documents all the time when I was a title abstractor in Charlottesville Va. I discovered very early on that lawyers don't use english, they have their own lingo, which can be a bit confusing at first, but with a little practice and thought you can get the hand of it. Good Luck John >My Questions: > >In your opinion, would Edmund Butler as listed below in the court record, be >a previous husband of Elizabeth Gummerson or a court-appointed >representative (does word descendant refer to Elizabeth or Edmund)? > >According to the wording in the record, did Mary Davis, give Administrator >rights to Edmund Butler (is this what "in right of" means)? > >If Edmund Butler is not Elizabeth Gummerson's husband (ex), does anyone know >who her husband was? I am trying to determine whether my Mary's maiden name >(2nd husband was John Davis) is BUTLER or GUMMERSON! Mary Davis was still >living and approximately 40 years of age at the time of Elizabeth >Gummerson's will. > >Thank you in advance for any help you can provide. > >Court records on Mary Davis from Northern Neck records in Frederick County, >VA - 1749: > > Administration of the Estate of ELIZABETH GUMMERSON deceased is granted > EDMUND BUTLER in right of MARY DAVIS, the descendants Daughter, he having >taken the > Oath of an Administrator and Entered into and Executed a Bond according to >Law. > 39/17 Gummerson Admin. granted Ordered that JOHN SUMMERS, WILLIAM BOLING, >WILLIAM DULING, and WILLIAM JEWELL or and three of them being Sword >Inventory and appraise the Estate of >ELIZABETH GUMMERSON IN Current Money and the Administrator do return the >same to the >next Court. 39/18 Appraisers ********************************************** Searching the following families: Catlett, Irons, Fetters, Christensen, Metcalf, LaRue, Eck & Davenport. John C. E. Christensen mailto:paws22@earthlink.net http://home.earthlink.net/~paws22/