Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

IN PROGRESS: The majority of the Arlington County (Va.) Free and Enslaved Records, 1788, 1801-1802, 1850-1860, are digitized and available through Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative Digital Collection on the Library of Virginia website. Please use digital images where possible.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Arlington County (Va.) Free and Enslaved Records, 1788, 1801-1802, 1850-1860. Local government records collection, Arlington County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

These records came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Arlington County (Va.) as part of an undated accession.

Arlington County (Va.) Reel No. 226 was filmed in July 1986.

Alternative Form Available

Arlington County (Va.) “Free Negro” Tax Records, 1850-1860, and the indenture of servitude, 1788, are available on microfilm, Arlington County (Va.) Reel No. 226.

Processing Information

Starting in 2023, Library of Virginia archival staff in partnership with the Virginia Untold Project Manager began efforts to describe records related to free and enslaved Black and Multiracial people in a manner that improved the historical context of the records. In doing so, in some cases material once described within the "Free and Enslaved" record group for a locality may no longer be described within this record. When this has occurred, please see the Processing Information and Related Materials section for records that have been described separately.

One Apprenticeship Indenture was removed from this record in February 2025 and is now described in Arlington County (Va.) Apprenticeship Indentures, 1797-1869.

One folder of Certificates of Importation was removed from this record in February 2025 and is now described in Arlington County (Va.) Certificates of Importation, 1792-1853.

One folder of Deeds of Emancipation was removed from this record in February 2025 and is now described in Arlington County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1794-1850.

"Free Negro" registrations and certificates and an unbound "Free Negro" register were removed from this record in February 2025 and are now described in Arlington County (Va.) Records related to the Registration of Free Persons, 1794-1861.

Petitions to Remain were removed from this record in February 2025 and are now described in Arlington County (Va.) Petitions to Remain in the Commonwealth, 1850-1856.

Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands records were removed from this record in February 2025 and are now described in Arlington County (Va.) Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands Records, 1866.

During the redescription process, Local Records staff reviewed Arlington County (Va.) Reel No. 226, which was found to include duplicates of the “Free Negro” Tax Records and the indenture of servitude.

These records were processed, scanned, and indexed by L. Neuroth and LVA staff for the purposes of digitizing them for the digital project Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative at an unknown date.

Encoded by S. Nerney: October 2005; updated by C. Collins: February 2025.

Historical Information

Context for Record Type:

Free and Enslaved Records

The Free and Enslaved Records collection is comprised of miscellaneous records related to the regulation and policing of both enslaved and free Black and Multiracial people in Arlington County. The localities/local government authorities were largely responsible for enforcing laws that restricted the movement of enslaved and free Black and Multiracial people and the resulting documentation was often filed in the circuit courts. The ways in which local authorities enacted legal measures against or on behalf of enslaved and free Black and Multiracial people varied from locality to locality; therefore, records were not necessarily standardized or filed and retained in a consistent manner. This collection is topical and a means by which to compile miscellaneous documents related to free and enslaved people that are not established local government record types.

See: the Virginia Untold Record Types on the Library of Virginia website for additional context concerning "Free Negro" Tax Records and Runaway Records.

Locality History: Arlington County was originally named Alexandria County. It was formed from a portion of Fairfax County that Virginia in 1789 ceded to the federal government for use as the site of a new national capital. In 1801 the area officially became part of the District of Columbia, although Congress named it Alexandria County. By an act of 9 July 1846, Congress returned the county to Virginia, and the General Assembly extended the commonwealth's jurisdiction over the region effective 20 March 1847. By an act of assembly passed 16 March 1920, the county's name was changed to Arlington, the name of the Custis family mansion (the home of Robert E. Lee), which is located in the county. An urban county, Arlington contains no incorporated towns or cities. The county courthouse is in the county.

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.

Arlington County (Va.) Free and Enslaved Records, 1788, 1801-1802, 1850-1860, consist of "Free Negro” Tax Records, 1851-1860; Runaway Records, 1801-1802; and additional records of various types, 1788, 1850.

“Free Negro” Tax Records, 1851-1860, include six lists of “delinquent free negroes.” The lists document the names of each individual, as well as the amount they owed. One lists notes whether the individuals listed were in possession of any clocks or horses [at the time, clocks and horses were often taxed as personal property].

Runaway Records, 1801-1802, undated, are comprised of two orders, 1801, instructing that Isaac Jones and Daphney, “having been apprehended and committed to the Goal of this County,” be hired out. Daphney was hired out to James Campbell, while Isaac Jones was hired out to David Grayham. Additionally, a report of runaway “Negroes” hired out, 1802, lists several enslaved individuals and the associated costs of apprehending, jailing, and advertising them: Jacob, hired out to John Gadsby; James, hired out to John McKinney; and Isaac, who was reclaimed by Richard Chichester, his enslaver. These records also include an order, undated, in which the court directed that Henry Johnson, who had been jailed after running away and was yet unclaimed, be sold by the Jailor of the County Jail.

Additional single items relating to the documentation of free and enslaved Black and Multiracial individuals in and around Arlington, Va., include:

A grand jury report, 1850, in which it is recommended that free Black and Multiracial individuals "emancipated prior to the Retrocession Act of 1847" be allowed to remain, while those emancipated afterwards "be constrained to leave the County unless permitted by the County Court." [As part of the Retrocession Act of 1847, the District of Columbia returned Alexandria County {now Arlington County) to Virginia.]

An indenture of servitude, 1788, wherein Bet, who was manumitted by John Potts, Jr., affirmed her intention to continue as "a Servant" in Potts’ household for a term of seven years. In return, Potts agreed to "procure for her sufficient Meat, Drink, Apparel Lodging & Washing fitting for a servant."

Arrangement

This collection is arranged

Related Material

See also: Arlington County (Va.) Apprenticeship Indentures, 1797-1869

See also: Arlington County (Va.) Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands Records, 1866

See also: Arlington County (Va.) Certificates of Importation, 1792-1853

See also: Arlington County (Va.) Deeds and Bills of Sale, 1796-1815.

See also: Arlington County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1794-1850

See also: Arlington County (Va.) Petitions to Remain in the Commonwealth, 1850-1856

See also: Arlington County (Va.) Records related to the Registration of Free Persons, 1794-1861

Records related to free and enslaved people of Arlington County (Va.) and other localities are available through the Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative Digital Collection on the Library of Virginia website.

Additional Arlington County (Va.) Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia web site. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

Adjunct Descriptive Data