There seem to be a number of researchers who have misinterpreted early Virginia birth records in the way Mr. Grant has. A few published abstracts have done that. I would say unless he has additional evidence to the contrary, the record is only showing that Richard Jordan Wright is the owner of those slaves, NOT their father. The headings for the Virginia birth registers (beginning in 1853) are (with an example from Prince William): Date of birth: June 1853. Name of child: Louisa, White / Colored: If colored whether Free or Slave: S[lave] Male or Female: Female. Born alive or dead: A[live] Place of birth: Prince William County. Father's name (if child be free and born in wedlock) or name of owner (if child be born a slave): Wm. J. Weir. Father's occupation: [blank] Father's residence: [blank] Mother: Lucy Fields (slave). [Note: Since the mother has a surname, her status is included so there is no doubt she is a slave] How many at a birth? 1. Informant: Wm. J. Weir, owner. Notice that the register does not ask for the father's name if the child is a slave or is born out of wedlock. Donald L. Wilson, Virginiana Librarian, Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center for Genealogy and Local History (RELIC), Prince William Public Library System, Bull Run Regional Library, 8051 Ashton Avenue, Manassas, VA 20110-2892 703-792-4540 www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/library/RELIC ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2012 17:20:22 -0700 From: "Robert N. Grant" <rngrant@grantandgordon.com> Subject: Re: [VA-NORTHERN-NECK] Come On Now... To: va-northern-neck@rootsweb.com Craig, Ihope this is responsive to your question. I have not tried to do this on the Northern Neck tree on Ancestry.com, but I had one of the problems of presentation that you refer to in one Wright family in Rockbridge County. 1858 (year of death) Richard Jordan Wright of Rockbridge County, VA, (place of death) was the son of 1804 Jordan Wright of Amherst County, VA, and grandson of 1814/17 Parmenos Wright of Nelson County, VA. 1858 Richard Jordan Wright had a number of female slaves by whom he had children. The birth records list him as the father and the female slave as the mother. In the presentation for 1858 Richard's family in the descendants chart, I listed each female slave as if she were a wife, indicated her slave status, and then listed the children under that wife's name. Since there were no marriage dates, I listed the slaves in order based on who had the earliest child. The concept was to treat the slave mother as if she were a spouse, even thoughno marriage occurred, and to treat the children as descendants, even though held by the father as slaves. The presentation appeared as set forth below (and hopefully the tabbling will work properly): In any event, that was my approach in this case. Best wishes, Robert N. Grant Descendants Chart for 1858 Richard Jordan Wright of Rockbridge County, VA: Richard Jordan Wright B c. 1801 or 1803 & before Nov 21, 1804 @ Virginia Res Apr 28, 1825 & Nov 21, 1825 & Feb 20, 1828 & Apr 9, 1829 & Mar 27, 1830 @ Amherst County, Virginia Res 1830 & 1840 & 1850 @ Rockbridge County, Virginia M None D Apr 10, 1858 @ Greenlee's Ferry, Rockbridge County, Virginia (Farmer in 1850) 1st Vina B M None D (A slave in 1853) ..........(1 child in 4th generation) ..........(1) William Wright .......... B Mar 1853 @ Rockbridge County, Virginia .......... M .......... D ..........( A slave in 1853) 2nd Cansander or Casandra B M None D (A slave in 1853 & 1857) ..........(3 children in 4th generation) ..........(1) Simon Wright .......... B Oct 1853 @ Rockbridge County, Virginia .......... M .......... D ..........(A slave in 1853) ..........(2) Romulus Wright .......... B Sep 1857 @ Rockbridge County, Virginia .......... M .......... D ..........(Twin; a slave in 1857) ..........(3) Remus Wright .......... B Sep 1857 @ Rockbridge County, Virginia .......... M .......... D ..........(Twin; a slave in 1857) 3rd Hannah B M None D (A slave in 1853 & 1856) ..........(2 children in 4th generation) ..........(1) Susan Wright .......... B Dec 1853 @ Rockbridge County, Virginia .......... M .......... D ..........( A slave in 1853) ..........(2)_____ Wright .......... B Oct 1856 @ Rockbridge County, Virginia .......... M .......... D ..........(A slave in 1856) 4th Lucy B M None D (A slave in 1857) ..........(1 child in 4th generation) ..........(1) Jesse Wright .......... B Jan 1857 @ Rockbridge County, Virginia .......... M .......... D ..........(A slave in 1857) On 10/26/2012 4:33 PM, Craig Kilby wrote: > Boy, I'm disappointed that I have not received one single word on how others are handling divorces, unmarried couple having children, interracial marriages, slave masters begetting children on slave women on the ancestry tree? Am I alone here in dealing with these things? > > Is this just a taboo topic? Surely out of this group there must be some experience with how they treat these things on the ancestry trees. Isn't this what this list all about? You don't have to be SPECIFIC as in NAMES, but how you work around it on the tree(s) would be useful for to know. Well, it would sure be useful for me to know. I'm kind of walking into new territory here. Could use some help. > > Craig > -- Robert N. Grant Grant & Gordon, LLP 525 University Avenue Suite 1325 Palo Alto, CA 94301 Phone Number: 650-614-3800 Fax Number: 650-614-3810 Email: rngrant@grantandgordon.com