Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

Use microfilm copy, Dinwiddie County (Va.) Reel 62.

Preferred Citation

Dinwiddie County (Va.) Reel 62, Local government records collection, Dinwiddie County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

The microfilm copy of these records was generated by The Library of Virginia's Imaging Services Branch.

Historical Information

Dinwiddie County was formed in 1752 from Prince George County.

An act passed by the Virginia legislature in 1803 required every free negro or mulatto to be registered and numbered in a book to be kept by the county clerk.

The bulk of court records prior to 1865 were stolen, mutilated, and/or destroyed by Union troops who ransacked the courthouse during the last months of the Civil War. Post-1830 volumes such as deed books, will books, chancery order books, and marriage registers exist.

Scope and Content

Register of Free Negroes, 1850-64, of Dinwiddie County lists the registration number, age, name, color, stature, marks or scars, in what court the person was emancipated or whether the person was born free. Some clerks recorded additional information not required by law. There is an index at the beginning of the register that lists in alphabetical order by surname the names of registered free persons and the page number where their registration information can be found.

Arrangement

Chronological by registration date.

Related Material

See 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 .

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Dinwiddie County (Va.). Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• African Americans--Virginia--Dinwiddie County
• African Americans--Virginia.
• Free African Americans--Virginia--Dinwiddie County.

Geographical Names:

• Dinwiddie County--History--19th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records--Virginia--Dinwiddie County.
• Registers (lists)--Virginia--Dinwiddie County.

Adjunct Descriptive Data