Another site, mostly American. Paul http://www.arrangements.com/history/ftrad/art1.htm

Have had several more questions about early funerals and attitudes toward the dead. Her is a good read in a web-site. Paul http://www.wyfda.org/basics_2.html

I have been asked on another list about early New England funeral customs. Here is a short summary of that topic. If any of you have a URL for the Southern colonies, I would appreciate it. Thanks. Paul http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ma/state/main/funeral.html

I thought I had a scatter-brained idea about DNA testing of unmarked graves for genealogical determination, but now I see their doing it with Christopher Columbus' brother. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=624&e=1&cid=624&u=/ap/20020917/ap_on_sc/spain_columbus__graves You wouldn't have to actually dig up the body, just do a small diameter sample core, after determining position of the remains with sonic or VLF radar. Same technology as the shotgun taking a picture of the buried dinosaur in the movie Jurassic Park (first). Then there are the ethical questions. How old is old enough for an archeological dig versus disturbing my relatives' remains? DNA is sometimes good for many hundred years. Sorry this is a bit off topic, but I think its a potentially important, albeit expensive, genealogical application. These lists need a little firing-up anyway. Mark Murphy in Texas Researching (currently) the predescessor lines of Simon Murphy, b. abt 1690, probably Surry Co. VA. Member: Navarro County (TX) Geneaological Society Surry County (VA) Historical Society Maury County (TN) Historical Society maybe some others, I can't remember.

The Library of Virginia (Richmond) called and said they found the will of Simon Murphy, 27 Aug 1673, Lancaster Co. VA. I had written, called, everything else to the LVA, Lancaster Co. clerk & others for a while now. It had apparently been misfiled for years. My brother went there and tried to get it for me, as it showed up in the catalog, but they couldn't find it. Now they have! Don't know if this Simon for sure ties into my line or not, but I'm excited. I'd bet a donut that he does. Abstract book by Ida Lee says it mentions John, Jr. & George Davenport, Robert Sadge. On another note... would someone who has access to Ancestry.com please give me contact information for the gentleman who has published the information on Richard Murphy, b. Surry Co. VA, being son of Richard and father of Simon Murphy (b. abt 1690). I'd like to know if this is legitimate information or part of the larger "hearsay" about Richard. I kind of think it suspicious since he says the second Richard was born in Albermarle Parish in 1677 or so, but Albermarle Parish didn't exist until the 1720s or so (going from memory here) when formed from Lawne's Creek parish (again memory of stretched brain cells). Maybe I'm rambling here. I'll post the Simon 1673 will to the list when I transcribe. Thanks Brother! Erin go braugh. Mark Murphy

140 years ago today. > In Memory of Our Ancestors > > The Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg) > (The Bloodiest Day in American History) > September 17, 1862 > > http://www.civilwarhome.com/antietamevents.htm >

> Subject:> Old English Records > From:> Mark Murphy <murphy@tiaer.tarleton.edu> > Date:> Fri, 13 Sep 2002 11:38:01 -0500 > To:> VASURRY-L@rootsweb.com> > > Greetings ye all, > Hope everyone has found many old ancestors over the summer. > > Would any of you have experience with, or know where one might locate > the following English public records? I see that they are deposited in > the Public Record Office in Kew, wherever that may be. Might the > Mormons have microfilm copies, or is there an index possibly?: > > Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Registers of > Licences to pass beyond the seas 1573-1677 > Physical description 33 volume(s) > > Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Port Books 1565-1798 > Physical description 1553 bundle(s) > > Coast Bonds etc. c1558-c1820 > Physical description 48 bundle(s) > Mark, I think Peter Wilson Coldham may have used some of these records as sources for his series of books on emigration. They are titled "The Complete Book of Emigrants." There are three volumes with that title for 1607-1660, 1661-1699 & 1700-1750. Also by Coldham, The Bristol Registers of Servants Sent to Foreign Plantations 1654-1686, The Complete Book of Emigrants in Bondage 1614-1775, More Emigrants in Bondage 1614-1775, Child Apprentices in America from Christ's Hospital, London 1617-1778, The King's Passengers to Maryland & Virginia, English Adventurers and Emigrants, 1661-1733 and More English Adventurers and Emigrants, 1625-1777. He may have written more books that I haven't seen. There are other similar books by other authors. I think Coldham is considered to be the most thorough scholar. His books review and add greatly to the earlier work by Hotten and others. Hope this is helpful, Eve -- Eve S. Gregory, Historian and Director Virginia Foundation for Archaeological Research, Inc. http://www.rootsweb.com/~vavfar/ Frances Bland Randolph Chapter, NSDAR, VIS Chairman http://www.rootsweb.com/~vabrcdar/ Visit my home page for history and genealogy links! http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~eve368g/

Kew is the London area, and that Public Records Office would be the equivalent of our National Archives. The London Public Records Office, on the other hand, is in North London, and is specific to the city of London only. I've been to that one back in 1994 when I picked up a copy of the 1608 marriage record of my 10th great grandparents who were married in a parish in what is now East London. Sandy Whittington Douglasville, GA

I have been asked if SAR and DAR would deny membership to a person who has an illegitimate birth of a spouse of a person through whom one would claim eligibility and seek membership in either of those fine organizations. Because many list subscribers are curious about membership rules for those organizations, here is the result of that inquiry. ****** > A short answer to the DAR questions re illegitimacy from the horse's mouth at DAR Natl. Headquarters. You will have to read it from the bottom up. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: ...xx. > To: ...xx > Sent: Friday, September 13, 2002 4:04 PM > Subject: Fw: illegitimate children >> Paul, > > I have made inquiries concerning your question about DAR eligibility. See > correspondence below. Hope this answers your question. _ ...xx State Historian and member. > _...XX > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Matthews, ...xx To: 'Joe E. ...xx ....Sent: Friday, September 13, 2002 2:58 PM > Subject: RE: illegitimate children > > > Our main concern is that we are able to prove the parentage of the people > in > > the direct line. If this can be done then there should not be a problem > in > > obtaining membership. > > > > Lakisha Matthews > > Administrative Assistant > > Genealogical Division > > NSDAR > > > > Sent: Monday, September 09, 2002 9:46 PM > > > > To: genealogy@dar.org > > > Subject: illegitimate children > > > > > > A lady has inquired about DAR and believes that she has the proof back > to > > > a Revolutionary ancestor. However, one of the spouses of a person in the direct line was > > > illegitimate. Is she eligible for membership?

I have been asked about the P.R.O. in Kew (London), England. Here is a URL for their online records and homesite. As you probably know, PRO is the Natl. Archives of Great Britain. It is truly awesome and has records running to William The Conqueror and even earlier. Plan a week to see even 1/1000th of their holdings. Paul http://www.pro.gov.uk/online/default.htm

Here is the PRO web site. http://www.pro.gov.uk/

That awesome library is in London, and is of such size that one should plan to spend no less than a week there. Even at that, you will not see 1/1000 of their materials. They publish a periodical, and if no one knows of it offhand, I will check with our library, since it is a subscriber. Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: Mark Murphy To: VASURRY-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Friday, September 13, 2002 11:38 AM Subject: Old English Records Greetings ye all, Hope everyone has found many old ancestors over the summer. Would any of you have experience with, or know where one might locate the following English public records? I see that they are deposited in the Public Record Office in Kew, wherever that may be. Might the Mormons have microfilm copies, or is there an index possibly?: Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Registers of Licences to pass beyond the seas 1573-1677 Physical description 33 volume(s) Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Port Books 1565-1798 Physical description 1553 bundle(s) Coast Bonds etc. c1558-c1820 Physical description 48 bundle(s) ==== VASURRY Mailing List ==== Don't forget to check out the Surry County, Virginia, Historical Society http://www.rootsweb.com/~vaschsm/Index.html List Mistress is Eve Gregory egregory20@earthlink.net ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

Greetings ye all, Hope everyone has found many old ancestors over the summer. Would any of you have experience with, or know where one might locate the following English public records? I see that they are deposited in the Public Record Office in Kew, wherever that may be. Might the Mormons have microfilm copies, or is there an index possibly?: Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Registers of Licences to pass beyond the seas 1573-1677 Physical description 33 volume(s) Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Port Books 1565-1798 Physical description 1553 bundle(s) Coast Bonds etc. c1558-c1820 Physical description 48 bundle(s)

I have been asked for the difference between a deed and a quit-claim. The words are NOT synonymous, and to say "quit-claim deed" is legally quite inaccurate ! A "deed" represents to the person to whom it is made (the grantee/buyer) that the person making the deed (the grantor/seller) owns a specific interest in that property and is thereby conveying/transferring it. On the other hand, a "quit-claim" says, instead, that the person making it PERHAPS owns an interest, however he/she is not swearing that he/she actually owns anything atall. So, as the most frequent example, heirs of land from an estate find quit-claims to be convenient methods to transfer their interests in that estate to their brothers or sisters. In doing so, they are legally saying, "I am not saying that I know for sure what interest Dad and Mom owned, but whatever it was, I am conveying my part of it to you." So, notice that I can make a perfectly legal "quit-claim" of the Brooklyn Bridge to you, but I would be cheating you if, instead, I made a "deed" to you for that same interest, since I really own nothing atall in that bridge.

Oh no! I'm 44. Mark Paul Drake wrote: > > I have been asked what men did in Colonial and even later times about impotence. The answer is: They could do NOTHING! Though there were hundreds of potions, patent medicines (advertised in virtually every paper after 1840), and "secret" Indian recipes, and though every "granny woman" felt she knew how to assist her women friends with the problem, nearly all "remedies" contained alcohol, and NONE - ZERO - were effective, except insofar as there might now and then be some placebo effect. Some - perhaps a majority - of men over 45 have suffered from the physical inability to have intercourse for all of recorded time. Paul > > ==== VASURRY Mailing List ==== > Don't forget to check out the Surry County VAGenWeb site at > http://www.rootsweb.com/~vasurry/ > List Mistress is Eve Gregory egregory20@earthlink.net > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

I have been asked what men did in Colonial and even later times about impotence. The answer is: They could do NOTHING! Though there were hundreds of potions, patent medicines (advertised in virtually every paper after 1840), and "secret" Indian recipes, and though every "granny woman" felt she knew how to assist her women friends with the problem, nearly all "remedies" contained alcohol, and NONE - ZERO - were effective, except insofar as there might now and then be some placebo effect. Some - perhaps a majority - of men over 45 have suffered from the physical inability to have intercourse for all of recorded time. Paul

Here is a great cookbook from a once wealthy VA lady of 1810. I have tried many of the recipes, and some are GREAT, truly GREAT. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/102-4944091-7477716

Please note that Peggy A. Givens' email address has changed to gpg@icok.net.

I've made such great connections thru my last query, that I've decided to ask for help again. My 3rd great grandfather was Willis Thompson, son of Joel Thompson and Sally Hunnicutt.. He married Catherine Holt in March of 1808. I know that HOLT is a pretty common name in the area of Surry Co. , but I know nothing about Catherine's family. Does anyone have any info about her or any suggestions where I should start looking ? I have many Holts on census records, but nothing to tell me even who her father was. If any of you can give me a lead, it would be a big help. Thanks again for the help given so far. Nancy Rubé

SURRY COUNTY, VIRGINIA, WILLS, ESTATE ACCOUNTS AND INVENTORIES, 1730-1800. by Lyndon H. Hart, III. ISBN 0-89308-325-9. Bk. p. 96. Surry Will Book 10a. p. 284. NICHOLAS THOMPSON of Surry. Will. Date: 2 Nov. 1771. Rec: 23 Mar 1773. Joel Thompson, Executor. Daughter: Lucy Holloway. Granddaughters: Lucy, Charity and Sally Thompson. Son: Joel. Friend: Samuel Warren. Witnesses: Lazarus Holloway, Jesse Holloway and Elizabeth Inman. Joel Thompson was Exector or witness to many wills. Bk. p. 153. Surry Co. Will Book 1. p.455. Willis Thompson was a witness of the will of James Barlow. Will date: 8 Feb 1796. REc.23 Sept. 1800. ************************************************************* MARRIAGES of SURRY COUNTY VIRGINIA, 1768 - 1825 Compiled and Published by Catherine L. Knorr. 1960. Bk. p. 83. 12 March 1808.Willis Thompson and Catherine Holt. Sur. Joseph Berriman. Married 15 March by Rev. Nathaniel Berriman, Methodist. p. 76. ************************************************************** I believe Willis' birthdate should be 1811 - not 1911. Good Luck, Mrs Betty Ellis 129 South First Street Knoxville PA 16928-9792 814-326-4117 bcellis@penn.com