Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Lunenburg County (Va.) Oyer and Terminer Commissions, 1752-1762. Local government records collection, Lunenburg County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a shipment of court records from Lunenburg County.

Historical Information

Lunenburg County was named for George II, duke of Brunswick-Luneburg, a German possession of the Hanoverian kings of England. It was formed from Brunswick County in 1745. Its area is 443 square miles, and the county seat is Lunenburg.

In 1723 and 1748, the General Assembly passed acts directing the trial of slaves accused of committing capital crimes and for the more effectual punishing of conspiracies and insurrections.

Scope and Content

Lunenburg County (Va.) Oyer and Terminer Commissions, 1752-1762, records the appointment of individuals to a court of oyer and terminer whose purpose was to try slaves accused of committing capital offenses. Information found in the commissions include the names of individuals appointed to the court, names of slaves to be tried, names of slaveowners, crimes committed by slaves, and trial dates.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Lunenburg County (Va.) Circuit Court.
• Lunenburg County (Va.) Court of Oyer and Terminer.

Subjects:

• African Americans -- Virginia -- Lunenburg County.
• Crime -- Virginia -- Lunenburg County.
• Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Lunenburg County.
• Slavery -- Law and legislation -- Virginia -- Lunenburg County.
• Slavery -- Virginia -- Lunenburg County.

Geographical Names:

• Lunenburg County (Va.) -- History -- 18th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Commissions -- Virginia -- Lunenburg County.
• Judicial records -- Virginia -- Lunenburg County.
• Local government records -- Virginia -- Lunenburg County.