Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Northampton County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1728-1860. Local government records collection, Northampton County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Northampton County.

Historical Information

Northampton County probably was named for the English county, of which Obedience Robins, a prominent early resident of the Eastern Shore, was a native. The county, which originally included all of the peninsula south of Maryland and which was one of the eight shires established in 1634, was first called Accomac. The name was changed by legislative action in 1643.

In 1806, the General Assembly moved to remove the free Negro population from Virginia with a law that stated that all emancipated slaves, 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. Families wishing to stay were to petition the legislature through the local county court. Beginning in 1837, freed slaves could petition the local courts for permission to remain.

Scope and Content

Northampton County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1728-1860. These records are comprised of petitions of free negroes to remain in the commonwealth; binding out of mulattoes and free negroes;certificate of importation of slaves, 1816; miscellaneous court orders related to free negroes and slaves; and slave patrol accounts, 1804-1808. The slave patrol accounts include the names of people appointed to slave patrols, when they served, and how much they were paid.

Also included are two letters documenting the importation of Quodindo Odenda, a slave, by W. Charles in 1744; a petition to bind out a free negro orphan, and Free Negro Delinquent Tax list identifying 62 free negroes owing taxes in 1804. Also included in the list is the name, in most cases, of the person from whom the individual was emancipated.

Related Material

Additional Northampton County Free Negro and Slave Records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Northampton County (Va.) Circuit Court

Subjects:

• Free African Americans--Virginia--Northampton County.
• Indians of North America--Virginia--Northampton County.
• Racially mixed people--Virginia--Northampton County.
• Slave records--Virginia--Northampton County
• Slavery--Law and legislation--Virginia--Northampton County.
• Slaves--Emancipation--Virginia--Northampton County.

Geographical Names:

• Northampton County (Va.)-- History--18th century
• Northampton County (Va.)-- History--19th century

Genre and Form Terms:

• Free negro and slave records--Virginia--Northampton County.
• Local government records--Virginia--Northampton County.
• Petitions--Virginia--Northampton County.
• Tax and fiscal records--Virginia--Northampton County.

Adjunct Descriptive Data