Looking at some genealogy stuff

and found somebody who probably isn't an ancestor (Virginia, 1646), mostly because he spelled his name "Merryman." He lived in interesting times. But, we all do.

“Whereas it appeareth to the Court by Attestacon out of Holland as ----- by the oath of John Merryman that Capt Derrickson carryed home in his shipp a maide servant by name Trinity Slough belonging to Mr. Richard Glover, the Court doy therefore order that the sd Richard Glover shall have an attachment against the estate of ye sd Capt. Derrickson for satisfacon of ye sd Maide servant & damages yereby sustained.” – November 1646.

http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/york/court/notes0001.txt

A couple of cases before, John Merryman was on the other side of the court, to wit:

“Whereas it appearey to the court by the confession of John Merryman that he stands indebted to Thomas Harrwod the sume of one thousand powndes of tob: for consideration of a man to keepe his booke & rec. tob: in ye imployment of Capt. Derrickson as alsoe twoe hundred powndes of tob: more wch he paid to Capt. Chri: Calthropp at ye request of ye sd Merryman for ye sd Derrickson's debt. The Cort doy Therefore order yat ye sd Merryman shall make payment of ye sd twelve hundred powndes of tob: to ye sd Thomas Harrwod with Courth charges within tenn dayes ells exec.”

This one flies in the face of feminist history, which has said for the last 40 years that women could not own property.

In the last will and testament of Wm. Pryor: “I give & bequeath to my eldest daughter Margareth my whole pte of the ship Honor and five hundred and ninety one powndes sterling.

“I give & bequeath to my daughter Mary five hundred pownds sterling.”
…

“I give & bequeath to my eldest daughter Margaret the whole divident of land where I now live with all the appurtenances thereto belonging as howses, orchards or the like, but for the rest and remainder of my land, I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary.”