Janet, you wrote of the Robertson will: "....Item I Lend to my Daughter Susanna Shelton two Negroes Peg and Rissey and their increase during her Natural life . I also give the above mentioned Negroes and increase to such of her Children as she shall nominate in her lifetime.".... This is a very interesting bequeath. Her father here "lent" to the daughter, Susannah, for her lifetime, the two named female slaves and any kids born to those slaves (an example of the VA legal treatment at times of slaves as personal property), however at Susannah's death, he "gave" those same slaves and their kids to such of Susannah's children as SHE might select. By doing that, he very effectively thwarted the VA law of that day which held that anything a wife came to own became the property of her husband at their marriage. Thus, the slaves never belonged to her husband. (The question of who paid the annual tithes - taxes -on those slaves must have been interesting, since he was dead, she didn't own them., and neither did her husband. ?????? Can any of you VA folks speak to that question for us???? Paul