If you can help me solve this, you'll help to bring down a major brick wall! I have been told that under certain circumstances, a male under 21 could patent land in colonial VA. What do you think of the following circumstance? I have an ancestor who patented several tracts of land in the mid 1700's. His sons were also named on the patents - first the two eldest, then a younger, and so on. The father later dies intestate and witnesses later testified that he never intended on writing a will. This reminded me of the present day practice of added a relatives name to a piece of property in order that it pass directly to them in the event of one of the holder's death. I have heard of many people doing this in order to avoid probate. So - my question is: Could he of added the name of a son under 21 years of age to his own patent? Has anyone any examples of this type of practice in colonial VA? Thank you, Tammy Jones