Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Patrons are to use digital images with searchable transcription available through the Library of Virginia's Virginia Unntold: the African American Narrative website.

Preferred Citation

Floyd County (Va.) Register of Children of Colored Persons in Floyd County, State of Virginia, whose Parents ceased to cohabit on 27th February, 1866, which the Father recognizes to be his. Local Government Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

This item came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Floyd County.

Digital images were created by the Library of Virginia's Photographic and Digital Imaging Services. Photolab number 09_0945_01.

Historical Information

Floyd County was formed in 1831 from Montgomery County. Part of Franklin County was added in 1873.

The Virginia legislature passed an act on 27 February 1866 to legalize the marriages of former slaves and provided for the legitimization of children of couples no longer cohabiting as long as the father recognized the children to be his. See Virginia Acts of Assembly, 1866-1867, Chapter 18, An act to amend and re-enact the 14th section of chapter 108 of the Code of Virginia for 1860, in regard to registers of marriage; and to legalize the marriages of colored persons now cohabiting as husband and wife.

The federal Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands directed the Assistant Superintendents of the states to order the county clerks to make a registry of such children. See Circular No. 11, dated 19 March 1866, in Orders, Circulars, Circular Letters, and Letters of Instruction, vol. 2 (1866). Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, Records of the Assistant Commissioner for the State of Virginia, 1865-1869. Miscellaneous reel 3880, Library of Virginia. National Archives microfilm M1048 (reel 41), Record Group 105.

Scope and Content

Floyd County (Va.) Register of Children of Colored Persons in Floyd County, State of Virginia, whose Parents had ceased to cohabit on 27th February, 1866, which the Father recognizes to be his. This register lists the name of the child, age, place of birth, residence, last owner, residence of the last owner, residence of father, his age and last owner, residence of last owner of father, name of mother, her age, her residence if alive or noted if dead, last owner of mother, residence of last owner of mother, and the signature of the father.

Related Material

Additional Floyd County Marriage Records and Vital Statistics can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult A Guide to Virginia County and City Records On Microfilm found on the Library of Virginia web site.

Additional cohabitation registers are available digitially with searchable transcriptions through the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold: the African American Narrative website.

Access Terms

• African Americans--Virginia--Floyd County.
• Birth registers--Virginia--Floyd County.
• Floyd County (Va.)--History--19th Century.
• Floyd County (Va.). Circuit Court.
• Freedmen--Virginia--Floyd County.
• Local government records--Virginia--Floyd County.
• Slaveholders--Virginia--Floyd County.
• United States. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands.

Adjunct Descriptive Data