In a message dated 5/5/2007 3:37:55 PM Eastern Standard Time, Nrtennis on@aol.com writes: Sometimes the male head of the household, fathered children to a female servant or slave and they were kept with the family as children of their own if the mother of the "Beans" child passed away, or was sold? the slave-owner kept the offspring. Remember, this was 1819. Nelson --- Just because there are Orphans Court procedings for these children of a deceased father doesn't necessarily indicate that the mother of the children is deceased. In those days, if the father died, a "financial" guardian would have been appointed for the minor children and the mother would have retained custodial guardianship. So I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that the mother is deceased. Joan ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.