Hi Jim:

It has been a while since we chatted, and a while since I have done any research on the Cave family. You may recall that in 2007 you, I, Jane, and others were discussing the same topics that you and Brian are now covering in this thread, i.e. DNA testing, the early Virginia Caves, Valentine Cave, etc.

You may also remember that the very unusual given name of Valentine runs in the Virginia Cave family. For example, one of Benjamin Cave the Burgess's daughters marries a Johnson and names her son Valentine Johnson. Another son of Benjamin the Burgess had a granddaughter named Bellsora Valentine Cave. Mary Cave, of this same Virginia Cave family, (assumably the aunt or sister of Benjamin), had a grandson named Valentine Murphy.

There are other early Virginia Cave – Valentine connections as well. This makes the fact that there is a perfect match between this Virginia Cave family and the Valentine Cave family in England a definite avenue to pursue.

Brian mentions that his Valentine Cave family tree goes back to 1606. I think that Jane Wayne found an earlier Valentine Cave who died about this time. It has been a while but I also think that I previously discussed Valentine Cave with Hugh Cave in England, and he may have found a connection between that family and some of the earlier Caves.

Jim, one last thing on your notes on the early Virginia records. You state that two John Caves were transported in 1663 and 1667. Actually, the applicable Virginia colony statute of the time stated that individuals had to have either died during the trip, or resided in the Virginia colony for three years before the headright could be issued. Also, there was no limit of time concerning how long the headright may have been valid. The system was full of fraud: there were actually about four times as many headrights claimed as individuals transported. Many times a captain would claim a headright, and the person paying the passage would claim the headright, all for the same passenger. Headrights were also freely bought and sold, so it is not even certain that for example John Foxhall paid for the transport of John Cave. It is also very possible that these two records refer to the same man, and perhaps the same trip.

There was also a David Cave who signed a petition of householders in St. Stephen's parish in 1683. St. Stephen's covered the area in Virginia where our early Cave family, including John Robert Mary and Benjamin came from. The name David runs through these family's descendants. I may be wrong but I also think that there is a land patent in 1669 or thereabouts using David Cave as the head right.

Michael