A Guide to the Accomack County (Va.) Enslaved and Free Records, 1744-1861 Accomack County (Va.) Enslaved and Free Records, 1744-1861 1138011, 1200487

A Guide to the Accomack County (Va.) Enslaved and Free Records, 1744-1861

A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Barcode Numbers 1138011, 1200487


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© 2005 By the Library of Virginia. All rights reserved.

Processed by: Library of Virginia Staff

Repository
Library of Virginia
Barcode number
1138011
Title
Accomack County (Va.) Enslaved and Free Records, 1744-1861
Physical Characteristics
.225 cubic feet ca.
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

For "List of Free Negroes", 1804, use microfilm copy, Accomack County, Reel 193.

Preferred Citation

Accomack County (Va.) Enslaved and Free Records, 1744-1861. Local Government Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Accomack County.

Historical Information

Accomack County was named for the Accomac Nation, who lived on the Eastern Shore at the time of the first English settlement in Virginia. The word means "on-the-other-side-of-water place" or "across the water." It was one of the original eight shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634 and spelled Accomac without the k. The county's name was changed to Northampton County in 1643. The present county was formed from Northampton about 1663. In October 1670, the General Assembly temporarily reunited Accomack and Northampton Counties as Northampton County. In November 1673, Accomack County was again separated from Northampton. In early records, the county's name was spelled many ways. In 1940 the General Assembly adopted the present spelling, Accomack. The county gained a small part of the southern end of Smith's Island from Somerset County, Maryland, in 1879, after the United States had approved boundary changes between Virginia and Maryland that had been agreed to in 1877. The county seat is Accomac.

A significant number of loose records from the 1700s suffered extreme water and pest damage. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist.

Beginning in 1778, enslavers who brought enslaved persons into Virginia were required to register the enslaved persons with the county court and sign an oath agreeing not to bring slaves into the Commonwealth with the intent of selling them. Certificates of importation, sometimes entitled certificates of nonimportation, contain information whereby an enslaver swears that (s)he has not imported the enslaved persons from Africa and that (s)he has not brought the enslaved persons into Virginia with the purpose of selling them.

In 1806, the General Assembly moved to remove free Black persons and free persons of color from Virginia with a law that stated that all emancipated enslaved people, freed after May 1, 1806, who remained in the Commonwealth more than a year, would forfeit their right to freedom and be sold by the Overseers of the Poor for the benefit of the parish. Free people wanting to stay were to petition the General Assembly through the local county court. Beginning in 1837, emancipated people could petition the local courts for permission to remain.

Scope and Content

Materials in the Library of Virginia’s collections contain historical terms, phrases, and images that are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical and mental ability; religion; sex; and sexual orientation and gender identity.

Enslaved and Free Records, 1744-1861, of Accomack County (Va.) include "Certificates of importation" (1795-1815), “Deeds of emancipation or manumission” (1783-1791, 1806, 1812-1813, 1824), "Free negroe and mulatto Tax Records" (1802, 1804, 1805, 1813, 1851-1861), "Free negro registrations" (1805, 1837, 1850-1861), "Orders to summon justices to consider petitions to remain in the county/commonwealth(1851-1854), "Petitions to remain in the commonwealth" (1846-1854),"Requisitions for Public Use" (undated), Request to bind out a child (1744),"Runaway slave advertisement" (1758),and Miscellaneous records (1793; 1799.

"Certificates of Importation," 1795-1815, contain information whereby an enslaver swears that (s)he has not imported the enslaved person(s) from Africa and that (s)he has not brought the enslaved person(s) into Virginia with the purpose of selling it. The enslaved person(s) is sometimes named but not always and occasionally information is given as to age or birth date.

“Deeds of emancipation or manumission,” 1783-1791, 1806, 1812-1813, 1824, contain the name of the enslaver, the name of the enslaved individual, the date or age at which the slave will be freed, the date the deed was written, and the date the deed was proved. The age of the enslaved individual at the time the deed was written, a surname assigned to the emancipated enslaved individual by the enslaver, and the enslaver's reason for emancipation are sometimes given.

"Free Negro (and Mulatto) Tax Records", 1802-1861, compiled by the commissioner of the revenue records names of free Black persons and free persons of color (adults and children), place of abode, and trade or occupation for the adult males and females. Most lists only give the names of persons over the age of twelve. The 1802 list is of persons owing taxes for 1801 and 1802 to Saint George's and Accomack parishes who are to be hired out to pay the tax. The list includes names only. The 1813 list is a list of persons that have not paid their taxes for the years 1812-1813. The list includes names, number of tithables, and tax owed.

"Free negroes registrations", 1805, 1837, 1850-1861, recorded the free person’s name, sometimes age, a brief physical description, and the circumstances of the person’s freedom or emancipation. If born free, a reference is sometimes made to the parents. If emancipated, emancipating enslaver, place and date of emancipation, and prior registration are usually recorded. There may also be affidavits that were given by individuals affirming a free person’s status, as well as written descriptions of free persons. In addition, there are registrations that are loose papers matching information found in the bound volumes of registered “free negroes” kept in the court house.

"Orders to summon justices to consider petitions to remain in the county/commonwealth," 1851-1854, give the name of the free Black individual applying to remain in Accomack County and summonses the justices of the peace to court to consider the merit of the application and to give a decision.

"Petitions to remain in the commonwealth," 1846-1854, record the name of the petitioner, the circumstances of free status, and a request to remain in the county often with accompanying names of citizens who can testify to the free status or who support the request of the petitioner to remain. Free registrations and other supporting documents may also be included.

Request to bind child out as an apprentice, 1744, concerns the request of Sarah Aleworth, a free woman, to bind out son Joshua Aleworth, aged six years.

“Requisitions for Public Use,” undated, consists of a list of free Black persons who worked on Civil War fortifications, recording the names of free Black persons and number of days each worked on fortifications.

"Runaway slave advertisement", 1758, is a printed notice by Landon Carter of Richmond County that his enslaved man, Will, has self liberated and lists likely companions including his sister Sarah, a brief physical and personality description, and offers a reward for his return.

Miscellaneous records,1766-1799, include a lawyer's certificate and opinion of claim to freedom, 1793, are the opinion of Thomas Evans, an attorney, as to the claim to freedom of two men George and Robert or Robin. His opinion in both cases is that the men have a probable claim. Former enslavers are named. Other records include a receipt for the sale, 1799, of an enslaved man George, enslaved by the estate of Henry Garrett; accounts of persons enslaved by George Abbott which have been hired out, 1766-1774, enslaved persons may or may not be enslaved by the estate settlement of William Taylor; affidavit, undated, related to whether Agnes and Laura are enslaved or free.

Arrangement

Chronological by record type.

Related Material

Additional Accomack County Enslaved and Free Records can be found on microfilm. Consult A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm .

Accomack County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Accomack County Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the Lost Records Localities Digital Collection available at Virginia Memory.

For more information and a listing of lost records localities see Lost Records research note .

Digitial records may be found in the Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative Digitial Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative Digitial Collection Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative Digitial Collection available at Virginia Memory.

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Contents List

Barcode number 1138011: Enslaved and Free Records:

Affidavits and certificates of non-importation (1795-1815), deeds of manumission (1783-1791, 1806, 1812-1813, 1824), orders to summon justices to consider application of free negroes to remain in the county (1851-1854), lists of free negroes and mulattoes (1802-1861), registrations of free negroes (1805, 1837), a runaway slave advertisement (1758), a request to bind out a child (1744), and miscellaneous records (1766-1774; 1793; 1799).

Barcode number 1200487: Enslaved and Free Records:

Registrations of free negroes (1850-1861); List of free negroes (1804)