Louisa-Hanover County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Court.....Statham, Love April 18, 1750
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Donna Newman centavo@lserv.com February 20, 2011, 8:58 pm

Source: Copy Of Indenture From Louisa Co, Va, Deed Book A, P. 374-375
Written: April 18, 1750
Recorded: April 20, 1750

THIS INDENTURE made this xviiith [18th] day of April in the year of our Lord 
Christ one thousand seven hundred and fifty between John Henry of Hanover 
County, Gent., and Sarah his wife Exx of the last will and testament of John 
Syme late of the aforesd county Gent. deceased and Love Statham and of the 
Legatees of the said John Syme of the one part and Edward Stringer of Louisa 
County planter of the other part witnesseth that whereas the said Jno. Syme by 
his last will and testament proved in Hanover County court the fifth day of 
April MDCCXXXI [1731] did bequeath to the said Love Statham six hundred acres 
of land in these words ITEM I give to my son John four thousand and fifty acres 
of land on Goldmine Creek in Hanover County on both sides of the said creek 
which runs into the North River to him and his heirs on this condition that he 
as soon as he comes of age or my executors hereafter named do make Love Statham 
a good Title to Six hundred acres at the South West corner out of the aforesd 
Tract. AND whereas Love Statham for the consideration of Twenty pounds curr 
(currency?) money of Virginia to him in hand paid by the said Edward Stringer 
at and before(?) the ensealing(?) and delivery of those presents, and hereof 
and of every part and parcell of the Same doth clearly acquit and discharge the 
said Edward Stringer his executors and administrators and every of them by 
those presents HATH together with the said John Henry and Sarah his wife 
Granted Aliened(?) Released Envoked(?) and confirmed and by those presents for 
the consideration above set down do grant Alien(?) Release Envoke(?) and 
confirm unto the said Edward Stringer and to his heirs and assigns forever IM(? 
Item?) that two hundred acres of land lying and being on the branches of gold 
mine Creek in the parish of Fredericksville and County of Louisa and is bounded 
as followeth /to wit/ Beginning at Richard Palmers corner white Oaks and red 
Oak Sapling on the side of a hill running thence north Ninety Two poles to a 
White oak Sapling, North Seventy nine degrees East three hundred and ninety 
poles to Pointers(?) of Two pines and a red Oaks Sapling, thence South thirty 
four degrees West(?) One hundred Twenty eight poles to Richard Palmer's corner 
stake by a pine Sapling in the head of a Slash(?), and thence along his Line 
South Seventy nine degrees West, three hundred and twenty poles to the 
Beginning AND all the estate right Title Interest Use property and claim of the 
heirs or assigns of the said John Syme decd or of us the said John Henry, Sarah 
Henry and Love Statham of in or unto the promissors and the Reversion and 
Reversions Remainder and Remainders yearly and other Rents and profitts of the 
promissors & of every part and parcell thereof.  TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said 
Two hundred acres of Land above Grounded(?) and all and singular others, the 
promissors herein before mentioned and intended ____ hereby granted with theirs 
& every of their appurtenances unto the said Edward Stringer and his heirs to 
the only use and ________ of the said Stringer and of his heirs and assigns 
forever.  IM(? Item?) the said John Henry, Sarah Henry and Love Statham for our 
Selves and heirs Ecr [Executor] and advisors the aforesaid Granted Promissors 
with their appurtenances unto the said Edward Stringer and his heirs against us 
the said John Henry, Sarah Henry, and Love Statham and our heirs and all 
claiming _____ ____ Claim right in by from us, them or any of them or in By(?) 
from or under the said deceased John Syme his heirs or assignors, as farr as 
the said Will, will protect us, shall and will Warrant and forever defend by 
the presents In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and affixed our 
seals the day and year first above written.

Sealed and delivered in the presence of...

David Rock (?)
Edward Stringer 
Nicholas (N "his mark") Gentry


John Henry (Seal)
Sarah Henry (Seal)
Love Statham (Seal

Memorandum That peaceable and quiet possession of the within promissors was had 
and taken by the within named John Henry, Sarah Henry and Love Statham and by 
those Given to the within named Edward Stringer to be by him held according to 
this within written Indenture _____
In presence of
David Rock
Edward Stringer
Nicholas (N "his mark") Gentry

John Henry
Sarah Henry
Love Statham

COURT ____ for LOUISA County on Tuesday the 20th day of April MDCCL (1750).  
This Indenture and Memorandum of _______ of _______ were this day in open Court 
proved to be the Act and deed of John Henry and Sarah his wife and Love 
Statham, by the Oaths of all the witnesses thereby and By the Court admitted to 
record and is Recorded.  ____ Littlepage Cl.Court(?)

This day also Martha the wife of the said Love Statham being first privily 
examined as the Law directs did in open Court relinquish unto Edward Stringer 
the right of Dower which she hath in the Land conveyed by this Indenture, and 
the Same day the Court was admitted to record & is Recorded.

Additional Comments:
In left margin: "Henry & wife & Statham, Love, deed to ---- Stringer". Items in 
brackets [ ] I added for clarification.

Even in 1750, it seems, legal types went around their derrieres to get to their 
elbows, if you'll pardon my French.  According to a reference found here 
(http://www.whitakergiftfoundation.com/jlaref/jlarefixs.htm) this document was 
said to show that Love Statham was the son of the deceased John Syme (seen 
sometimes as Symes).  The document is hard to read (though the elegant script 
and flourishes make it a work of art almost) and it's especially hard to 
decipher all the legalese but I found nothing to indicate that Love was John 
Syme's son.  This indenture concerns land that John Syme bequeathed to Love 
Statham in 1731 as a condition of his bequest to his own son, John.  Sarah 
(Winston) Syme, John Syme's widow, married Colonel John Henry around 1732-33 
(John and Sarah are Patrick Henry's parents).  Love, as a legatee, and John and 
Sarah, as holders of the property, are relinquishing their interests in 200 
acres of the total 600 acres bequeathed to Love Statham.

The large bequest to Love Statham does suggest some kind of familial 
relationship with John Syme and needs further research.  The fact that Love's 
wife, Martha, had to relinquish her dower rights to the property might have 
been standard for land transactions dealing with bequests, I don't know.  I 
can't think of any other reason she would have dower rights in John Syme's 
property - Sarah Henry was obviously the widow of John Syme, Sr., and she left 
a bequest to her son John Syme when she died in 1785.

From my understanding, an indenture is a form of legal contract that was  
sometimes used for land transactions where the deed was executed by more than 
one party.  According to some old notes I found, a pole measures 16 1/2 feet.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/louisa/court/statham55nwl.txt

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