Quite often a guardian was appointedto care for the finances of the child, not his physical being. I've seen cases where the mother dies and the money which she had inherited would then be passed to the children, and a guardian was appointed, even though the father was alive. Also, in some cases in the early court records one finds an action by a "next friend" of the child. This could be the mother. Cathy ----- Original Message ----- From: Wilma <gencon@harborside.com> To: <PACHESTE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, September 29, 2000 10:36 AM Subject: [PACHESTE] why guardian's > Forgive me, I know this is [kinda] off subject.. but I have a question > that has long bothered me... > > When a father / husband died the children were given guardian's why? > The mother doesn't seem to have control over her children... > > For example... my 10th gr grandfahter, Lawrence LITCHFIELD > > "Lawrence died 1649-50 at Scituate..on his death bed he left his > youngest son, Josiah to the care of John Allen and wife.." > > That is just one case I have found... the poor wife seem'd not to have > much to say regarding her own children... > > I could understand this if the mother was deceased, it seems so sad > to me that the children would be moved out of her home into > someone elses.. She looses her husband and then her children?? > > Thanks for helping me out with this > > Wilma Fleming Haynes > gencon@harborside.com > > > > > ==== PACHESTE Mailing List ==== > Check out other counties in PA! > http://libertynet.org/~gencap/pacounties.html > > > > >