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A Guide to the Arlington County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1788-1866 Arlington County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1788-1866 1138014

A Guide to the Arlington County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1788-1866

A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Barcode Number 1138014


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Library of Virginia

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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
1138014
Title
Arlington County (Va.) previous hit Free  next hit Negro and previous hit Slave  next hit previous hit Records  next hit, 1788-1866
Physical Characteristics
.45 cu. ft.
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Arlington County (Va.) previous hit Free  next hit Negro and previous hit Slave  next hit previous hit Records  next hit, 1788-1866. Local government previous hit records  next hit collection, Arlington County (Va.) Court previous hit Records  next hit. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of previous hit records  next hit from Arlington County.

Historical Information

Arlington County was formed in 1789 from Fairfax County and was at that time named Alexandria County. The county was ceded to the federal government in 1801 and was part of the District of Columbia until 1846 when it was returned to the state of Virginia. Alexandria County changed its name in 1920 to Arlington County.

A law passed in 1782 by the state legislature made it lawful to emancipate previous hit slaves  next hit, and also stipulated that liberated previous hit slaves  next hit neglecting to pay tax levies might be hired out by the sheriff long enough to raise the taxes.

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

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

The Board of Colonization was created by an act of the General Assembly on 6 April 1853. The purpose of the board was to supervise the transportation to Liberia of previous hit free  next hit blacks on a voluntary basis. To finance the operation of the act, a poll tax was levied on previous hit free  next hit male blacks. It ceased operations when the Civil War began.

Beginning in 1778, previous hit slaveholders  next hit who brought previous hit slaves  next hit into Virginia were required to register the previous hit slaves  next hit with the county court and sign an oath agreeing not to bring previous hit slaves  next hit into the commonwealth with the intent of selling them.

Scope and Content

Arlington County (Va.) previous hit Free  next hit Negro and previous hit Slave  next hit previous hit Records  next hit, 1788-1866, include bills of sale for negroes (1801, 1815), indentures of servitude (1788, 1864), list of previous hit free  next hit negroes delinquent for nonpayment of taxes (1850-1859), manumission papers (1794-1843), register of previous hit free  next hit negroes (1858), certificates and registrations of previous hit free  next hit negroes (1794-1823), certificates for the importation of previous hit slaves  next hit (1797-1845), petitions of previous hit free  next hit negroes to remain in the state (1850-1856), and miscellaneous previous hit free  next hit negro previous hit records  next hit ((1850 and 1866).

The bills of sale contain the name of the seller, the name of the purchaser, the name or sex and age of the previous hit slave  next hit being sold, and the date of the bill of sale. The 1801 bill of sale also includes a certificate of importation.

The indentures of servitude contain the name of the person or institution binding out, the person to whom bound, the name of the person being indentured, the length of the apprenticeship, and the responsibilities of the person taking on the indentured servant.

The lists of previous hit free  next hit negroes delinquent for nonpayment of taxes lists in alphabetical order by surname the names of those who have not paid the tax and the amount owed. Some lists contain notes about property that can be seized to pay the tax or whether that person has removed from the county or has died. Lists include delinquent capitation taxes, colonization taxes, and some just marked taxes.

Manumission papers state the name of the previous hit slaveowner  next hit, the name of the previous hit slave  next hit to be freed, the date the previous hit slave  next hit shall achieve freedom, the date the manumission was proved or certified, and sometimes a reason why the owner decided to emancipate the previous hit slave  next hit.

The register of previous hit free  next hit negroes indicates the full name, whether male or female, occupation for some, and age of previous hit free  next hit negroes living in the county of Alexandria, 1858.

Certificates and registrations of previous hit free  next hit negroes contain the name of the previous hit free  next hit person, sometimes their age and a brief physical description, and a statement based either on another person's knowledge or on other official documentary evidence seen by the certifier that this person was either born previous hit free  next hit or was emancipated. If born previous hit free  next hit, reference is sometimes made to parents. If emancipated, emancipating owner, place and date of emancipation, and prior registration as a previous hit free  next hit negro are usually mentioned.

Certificates of importation contain information whereby a previous hit slaveowner  next hit swears that (s)he has not imported the previous hit slave  next hit from Africa and that (s)he has not brought the previous hit slave  next hit into Virginia with the purpose of selling it. The previous hit slave  next hit is sometimes named but not always and occasionally information is given as to age or birth date.

Petitions to remain in the state are requests from an individual accompanied by statements as to his or her circumstance, character, and include signatories of citizens that attest to their belief that the person should be allowed to remain. The verdict of the court is usually recorded on the document.

Petitions to remain in the state are requests from an individual accompanied by statements as to his or her circumstance, character, and include signatories of citizens that attest to their belief that the person should be allowed to remain. The verdict of the court is usually recorded on the document.

Report of runaway previous hit slaves  next hit, 1802, previous hit records  next hit names of runaway previous hit slaves  next hit and the costs incurred from apprehending the previous hit slaves  next hit and hiring them out.

Orders to hire runaway previous hit slaves  next hit, 1802, previous hit records  next hit names of runaway previous hit slaves  next hit and orders to hire them out.

Miscellaneous previous hit free  next hit negro previous hit records  next hit include a grand jury report as to the status of previous hit free  next hit negroes in the county following the Retrocession Act of 1847 when then Alexandria County was returned by the District of Columbia to Virginia (1850); letters between the Freedmen's Bureau and the Alexandria County court regarding the provision of rations to indigent freedmen (1866); and an undated order for unclaimed runaway previous hit slave  next hit Henry Johnson to be sold.

Arrangement

Chronological by previous hit record  next hit type.

Related Material

Additional Arlington County previous hit Free  next hit Negro and previous hit Slave  next hit previous hit Records  next hit can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City previous hit Records  next hit on Microfilm"

Board of Colonization previous hit records  next hit are found in the Auditor of Public Accounts previous hit records , entry 110 (APA 110).

Index Terms

    Corporate Names:

  • Arlington County (Va.). Circuit Court.

    • Subjects:

  • African Americans -- Colonization -- Africa.
  • African Americans -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • Apprentices -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • previous hit Free  next hit African Americans -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • Fugitive previous hit slaves  next hit -- Virginia.
  • Indentured servants -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • previous hit Slave  next hit bills of sale -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • previous hit Slave  next hit trade -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • previous hit Slaveholders  next hit -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • previous hit Slaves  next hit -- Emancipation -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • Tax collection -- Virginia -- Arlington County.

    • Geographical Names:

  • Alexandria (Va.) -- History.
  • Alexandria County (Va.) -- History.
  • Arlington County (Va.) -- History.
  • Washington (D.C.) -- History.

    • Genre and Form Terms:

  • Bills of sale -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • Certificates -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • Deeds of manumission -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • previous hit Free  next hit negro and previous hit slave  next hit previous hit records  next hit -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • previous hit Free  next hit papers -- Virginia -- Arlingon County.
  • Indentures -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • Lists -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • Local government previous hit records  next hit -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • Petitions -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • Registers (lists) -- Virginia -- Arlington County.
  • Registrations -- Virginia -- Arlington County.

    • Added Entry - Corporate Name:

  • Alexandria County (Va.) Circuit Court.
  • Virginia. County Court (Alexandria County)
  • Virginia. Hustings Court (Alexandria)
  • Washington (D.C.) Circuit Court.

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

  • Alexandria (Va.) -- History.
  • Alexandria County (Va.) -- History.
  • Arlington County (Va.) -- History.
  • Washington (D.C.) -- History.
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