My original post and facts thereof has been lost. I know about the settlement right and the land grants for militia service but MY question is about the straight person-to-person purchases of land and where the cash came from Maybe an example will help. Here is Michael FLEENOR buying 108 acres for $300. The year is 1795. He buying land from his in-laws the LINDER who are moving west to TN. Michael is 39 years old. This is just one of many purchases. Where did he get $300. He had five brothers. I don't know that he got a dime from his parents. He fought at Kings Mt. at age 22. At least one brother bought a lot of land. There is no record that any owned land prior to SW VA. This is not an uncommon scenirio. Any in SW VA did it. I'm not talking about the very large land speculators. They must have had financial backing somewhere. These were simple farmers with no other income than what they could produce on the farms. -eddie Michael & Linder - Wash. Co., VA 1795 THIS INDENTURE made this fifteenth day of September in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety five between Anthony LINDER and his wife Mary of the County of Washington and State of Virginia of the one part and Michael FLEENOR of the county aforesaid of the other part, Witnesseth that the said Anthony LINDER & his wife Mary for and in consideration of the _sum of Three hundred dollars current money_ to them in hand paid the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged. Hath and by these presents doth grant bargain sell alien enfeoff and confirm unto the said Michael Fleenor his heirs and assigns forever a certain tract or parcel of land containing one hundred and eight acres be the same more or less lying and being in the county aforesaid and lieing <sic> on the north side of the North fork of Holstein River being part of a tract of Land granted to said Linder by Pattent bearing date the twentieth day of June 1785 and of the Commonwealth the ninth and bounded as followeth , to wit: BEGINNING on the North bank of the River at an Elm corner to George Linders Land and with a line of the same thence north ?seventy-five degrees West one hundred and thirty one poles crossing is ?slash to a small Ash near the foot of Clinch Mountain thence North eighty degrees East two hundred and sixteen poles along the foot of said Mountain to two poplars on a steep spur near the River bank thence __ the several courses of the same two hundred and forty five poles to the Beginning with all and singular the woods, waters, water courses, commodities __ and appurtenances whatsoever to the said tract of land belinging or appertaining and the estate right title interest, property claim and demand of kin? the said Anthony Linder and his wife Mary their heirs of in and to the same . . . . in law or equity, To Have And To hold the said one hundred and eight acres of land with the appurtenances unto the said Michael Fleenor his heairs and ... forever. And the said Anthony Linder and his wife Mary for themselves and their heirs, the aforesaid tract of land and __ss with the appurtenances unto the Michael Fleenor his heirs .. against the lawful . . . and any person or person whatsoever .. will ... by those ... Witness whereof the Anthony Linder & his wife Mary have ... name and seals the day and year ... Anthony Linder Mary Linder "Toto, I don't think we are in NH any more."