Paul, can you answer this, regarding the use of the address "gentleman"? Seems like I should know, but my mind is blank. Was "gentleman" a term used for members of the county commissioners as well as other men of distinction? Thanks, Joanne * Ms. Joanne: The term means a man who was considered to be of elevated station or class by birth, as opposed to harsh, rough, coarse, vulgar, etc. Revealing its use are the words of Johnson (1755) "a man of birth, not a nobleman" Interestingly, Shakespeare admits of the possibility that one can rise above himself to the category of a gentleman. He wrote of one "raised above the vulgar by his character or past". Bacon noted that a "gentlewoman" was "well descended." Though you did not ask, those terms were never used in reference to other than persons who were or had risen to the ranks above the common man or woman, and those entitled to even greater respect were called "Mr." (or, also, "Mrs.). Genealogy without documentation is nothing. Paul Drake JD Genealogist & Author <www.DrakesBooks.com>

So the men that came into Jamestown and were referenced on the ships log as Gentlemen were men of upperclass? noble? Marie -----Original Message----- From: Paul Drake <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 22:01:22 -0600 Subject: [VAROOTS] Re: "Gentlemen" Paul, can you answer this, regarding the use of the address "gentleman"? Seems like I should know, but my mind is blank. Was "gentleman" a term used for members of the county commissioners as well as other men of distinction? Thanks, Joanne * Ms. Joanne: The term means a man who was considered to be of elevated station or class by birth, as opposed to harsh, rough, coarse, vulgar, etc. Revealing its use are the words of Johnson (1755) "a man of birth, not a nobleman" Interestingly, Shakespeare admits of the possibility that one can rise above himself to the category of a gentleman. He wrote of one "raised above the vulgar by his character or past". Bacon noted that a "gentlewoman" was "well descended." Though you did not ask, those terms were never used in reference to other than persons who were or had risen to the ranks above the common man or woman, and those entitled to even greater respect were called "Mr." (or, also, "Mrs.). Genealogy without documentation is nothing. Paul Drake JD Genealogist & Author <www.DrakesBooks.com> ============================== Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx

NOT noble, but yes, some were gentlemen. Genealogy without documentation is nothing. Paul Drake JD Genealogist & Author <www.DrakesBooks.com> ----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 6:24 AM Subject: Re: [VAROOTS] Re: "Gentlemen" So the men that came into Jamestown and were referenced on the ships log as Gentlemen were men of upperclass? noble? Marie -----Original Message----- From: Paul Drake <[email protected]> To: VAROOTS-[email protected] Sent: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 22:01:22 -0600 Subject: [VAROOTS] Re: "Gentlemen" Paul, can you answer this, regarding the use of the address "gentleman"? Seems like I should know, but my mind is blank. Was "gentleman" a term used for members of the county commissioners as well as other men of distinction? Thanks, Joanne * Ms. Joanne: The term means a man who was considered to be of elevated station or class by birth, as opposed to harsh, rough, coarse, vulgar, etc. Revealing its use are the words of Johnson (1755) "a man of birth, not a nobleman" Interestingly, Shakespeare admits of the possibility that one can rise above himself to the category of a gentleman. He wrote of one "raised above the vulgar by his character or past". Bacon noted that a "gentlewoman" was "well descended." Though you did not ask, those terms were never used in reference to other than persons who were or had risen to the ranks above the common man or woman, and those entitled to even greater respect were called "Mr." (or, also, "Mrs.). Genealogy without documentation is nothing. Paul Drake JD Genealogist & Author <www.DrakesBooks.com> ============================== Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx ============================== New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.1/207 - Release Date: 12/19/2005

Paul, A Colonial ancestor, a land owner/justice, is listed with Esq. following his name. Was Esquire at that time a courtesy title, as opposed to the old Eng. title for a candidate for knighthood? Doris

Hello, Doris. The term "Esq." in recent centuries in the U.S. means "lawyer" or one trained in the law. In a few instances, the title was applied to justices of the peace while that person occupied that position, but only then. In the 18th century and earlier it usually meant any person entitled to that measure of dignity next below a knight. In still earlier times, it was the term by which attendants of knights were known. Genealogy without documentation is nothing. Paul Drake JD Genealogist & Author <www.DrakesBooks.com> ----- Original Message ----- From: Doris R. Ryan To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2005 7:59 AM Subject: Re: [VAROOTS] Re: "Gentlemen" Paul, A Colonial ancestor, a land owner/justice, is listed with Esq. following his name. Was Esquire at that time a courtesy title, as opposed to the old Eng. title for a candidate for knighthood? Doris Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1; reply-type=original ============================== Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. New content added every business day. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.3/209 - Release Date: 12/21/2005