Hi, Lillian and list, Here is my version of "processioning:" In colonial VA, immigrants moved in by the thousands. The men already there had several sons; to Will his farm to all of them would have left each with too small a portion to make economic sense. Most of the excess, immigrants and sons,moved west, looking for farmable land of their own; some sons were bound out to learn a trade. These people moved from eastern VA to central VA, to the western VA mountains, and beyond. Everywhere there were enough people, both civic and church burocracies were created, new large counties were erected, and other counties created later from them. The burocracies needed control of the land and the people; civic-wise, the county governmaent had to control land deeds, claims, and many other things. The Anglican Church, via its Parish Vestry had to control people, their ministers and churches their morals, their poor and indigent people, and collect tithes, the only form of taxation which existed until much later. To control all these things, and with more people moving into previously-unocc upied areas of the parish every year, the Vestry would appoint certain people living in certain areas, to "Procession" parts of the parish. I think this was done on a yearly basis. The state government authorized erection of new counties, from existing counties, based on the recommendations and petitions of people in the new areas. With such an authorization, a new county was erected, and its boundaries specified. At the same time, the Anglican Church established a parish in those same boundaries, and appointed men to be Vestry members. The Vestry was a church body, made up of prominent, trustworthy, and very influential members of the parish. Many of them were also commissioners of the new County Court. Civic authority was needed for civic matters. The Vestry made its church recommendations to the county court, which issued civic ORDERS, rubber-stamping those recommendations. The Vestry recommended who was to Procession what part of the parish, and the court issued orders to this effect. A man appointed by the court to Procession a certain area of the parish, knew the boundaries of the farms already there, and the boundary markers to view, replace as necessary, and confirm the names and ages of the people (including slaves) who lived on that farm. (Almost a CENSUS). He went to each farm, and physically walked its boundaries. Occasionaly, he made an entry: "No inhabitant found." He also recorded new settlers and their farm boundaries. Court records contain the appointing orders. The Vestry supervised the processioning, and saw to collecting the tithes, but again, through court orders. The above is a generalization of it all, and there were variations. Maybe I've bent your ear too far. Gordon Adams: GorAdams@aol.com