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Archiver > GERMANNA_COLONIES > 2002-10 > 1033751562


From: Craig Kilby <>
Subject: Re: [GERMANNA] FEE/LIFE/LIVES
Date: Fri, 04 Oct 2002 12:13:45 -0500
In-Reply-To: <a6.2d6e7392.2aceea52@aol.com>


on 10/04/02 7:57 AM, at wrote:

> On the same page, the term "life" and "lives" can appear by different
> landowners. What is the difference between these two terms?

Perhaps a life estate in the names of more than one person, or perhaps a
lease-hold interest on the lives of certain people (this was the custom in
England but I've not seen it in Virginia).

>What would be the
> history of how the landowner acquired the property?

Land is obtained by grant, purchase/gift or inheritance. Each category is
usually a separate type of record. Not allways did these transfers get
recorded, which is why tax lists are helpful to see when ownership changed
hands.

When the landowner died
> what would then happen to the ownership of the property if he did not own the
> property out right?

That would depend on the conditions by which he obtained it in the first
place. Those rights may terminate and revert to the original owner, or to
some other party. You'd have to see the deed, lease, contract or will by
which he came into it.

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