While it is true that orphaned children without funds were often apprenticed, that is not always the case. On other occasions, male relatives stepped up and assumed responsibility. There are numerous cases of Uncles and Grandfathers becoming guardians, money or not. Mickey -----Original Message----- From: Mignon Nicholson [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004 1:52 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] guardians of orphans in VA Here's something from a cousin: I believe that it is true that all orphaned children [children with no father] were given guardians. If their father had money the guardian was supposed to handle financial affairs for the children. If the father had no money and the children were going to be wards of the state they were usually made indentured servants until they became of age. According to John P. Alcock in his article "What Genealogists should know about 18th Century Virginia Law", a wife "had no legal say over who would be the guardian of their minor children after her husband had died." and "If her husband had been too poor to assure that she and her children were not going to become a public charge, she had no power to prevent the children from being taken away from her and bound out to a strange." I believe that children were allowed to stay with their mother as long as the father left money to provide for them. Guardianship records are usually found in the COB's in Halifax County. I believe that it is true that all orphaned children [children with no father] were given guardians. If their father had money the guardian was supposed to handle financial affairs for the children. If the father had no money and the children were going to be wards of the state they were usually made indentured servants until they became of age. According to John P. Alcock in his article "What Genealogists should know about 18th Century Virginia Law", a wife "had no legal say over who would be the guardian of their minor children after her husband had died." and "If her husband had been too poor to assure that she and her children were not going to become a public charge, she had no power to prevent the children from being taken away from her and bound out to a stranger." ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== Rootsweb Acceptable Use Policy forbids posting copyrighted material which you do not own to Rootsweb Lists. ============================== Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237