For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change my opinions, even on important subjects, which I once thought right but found to be otherwise. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many years ago I purchased  the first three volumes of Cavalier and Pioneers, by Nugent. Today that is probably not necessary with online databases popping up everywhere. Ancestry.com has a collection of records that may help you with searching some of the colonial period records. The Library of Virginia is also a great choice for colonial records. There is a charge for Ancestry, but the Library of Virginia does not charge. 

University of Virginia catalog
http://lva1.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/F/QHESQN1B9VXLP9SL2YVKSLF6FUBYGXPQVCGA99P8LXTK55YXGI-17257?func=file&file_name=find-b-lva01&local_base=LVA01

Most Family History Centers and some public libraries have subscriptions to Ancestry. They offer it free for your use, so there may be no need for you to subscribe.

Using Ancestry.com to look for Colonial Records is simple. Records of this period will not be list as such, most of the time. Looking for records that have dates for 1600 - 1750 should cover the colonial time period.

Note from Linda ... The indexers to the database leave a lot to be desired. In the index, BARBY is plainly written, but for some unknown reason was missed. So if you are a person who relies on a index and do not take your search further, you will miss the entries for BARBY. When you know that someone is there, as we do in this case, LOOK FURTHER than the index.

Yes, we spell our surname differently these days ... but then, it was spelled with the "y" and we are looking at records written THEN not NOW.  People who do family research and are serious, have to get over the assumption that the way they spell the surname is the only way. 


To see Cavalier and Pioneers on Ancestry, I am showing you the path to follow once you access the site.


Go to Search All Records
Scroll down to the Browse by Location
Select Virginia
Scroll down to Virginia Tax, Criminal, Land & Wills
   click on View all 68 Virginia Tax, Criminal, Land & Wills

No 11 is ...
Cavaliers and Pioneers. Abstract of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1666

The BARBEE Books give you good information and the researchers seem to have left no stone unturned. Using their work for the most part is acceptable, but always check the facts yourself. We all miss items, this is human nature. When you enter any information that you you may come across, ALWAYS CITE YOUR SOURCES!! No guess work and if you do assume something ... state these facts!!! That it is your assumption. It is allowed, but be sure to tell those you pass the work onto that you did assume something. And like Franklin, when we find we have been incorrect, be willing to change. 



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