To Doris: The term "Loose Papers" is an all encompassing expression meaning simply those papers, courts' orders, documentary case exhibits, lawyers' work products, written jurys' paperwork and findings, sherriffs' returns, documents, wills, deeds, liens, and any other of the zillion paper materials once needed and then abandoned by the courts or not picked up by those who had ownership or once owned the same. The too, there are those papers of the courts, sherriffs or other public officials whioch had no further use, and were simply kept by the centuries of clerks and officials' assistants. As an e.g., in Sussex Courthouse, thanks so much to Clerk Gary M. Williams, there is a gold mine of old promissory notes, lawsuit papers, and evidence annexed to lawsuits, petitions, executions, on and on; those, a true thrill to view and see preserved. He has numbered, indexed and placed all in alphbetical order, and by appointment those are open to genealogists, historians and others of sincerity and integrity. I have found MUCH that pertained directly to several ancestors, a number of which were signed in hand by my people 250 years ago. Wonderful. ----- Original Message ----- > > ....Paul, could you give me a brief description about these loose Surry papers- > I've lost track of exactly what those might contain if we can get our sweaty > little hands on them!!!!!!!! > Thanks- > D