Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Amelia County (Va.) Enslaved   and Free   Records  , 1781-1866, undated, Local Government Records   Collection, Amelia County Court Records  , The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Amelia County under the accession numbers 37990, 37993, 37995, and 41507.

Historical Information

Amelia County was formed in 1734 from Brunswick and Prince George counties.

The General Assembly passed a law as early as July 1, 1861, calling for the enrollment of free   Black persons to work in the public service. From 1862 to 1863, at the request of the president of the Confederate States, the General Assembly passed three more laws that requisitioned enslaved   persons to work on fortifications and other works of the public defense. Each county and city were alloted a certain number of enslaved   persons that had to be provided to the government under the requisition.

In 1806, the General Assembly moved to remove the free   Black population from Virginia with a law that stated that any emancipated enslaved   persons, freed after May 1, 1806, who remained in the Commonwealth more than a year, would forfeit the 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, emancipated enslaved   persons could petition the local courts for permission to remain.

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.

Amelia County (Va.) Enslaved   and Free   Records   include " Free   Negro Certificates and Registrations" ((1794, 1801, 1806, 1809, 1816, 1820, 1823, 1829-1833, 1835, 1837, 1843, 1847, 1847, 1849-1852, 1854-1856, 1863, 1866, and undated)," Free   Negro Tax Records  " (1801-1803, 1851-1853, 1855-1856, 1858-1859), "List of slaves   belonging to Lyman Hall" (1781), "List of slaves   belonging to Frances Tabb" (1804), “Requisitions for Public Use” (1860-1865, and undated), "Petitions to remain in the Commonwealth" (1816), and a " Slave   Schedule" (1850).

" Free   Negro Certificates and Registrations," 1794, 1801, 1806, 1809, 1816, 1820, 1823, 1829-1833, 1835, 1837, 1843, 1847, 1847, 1849-1852, 1854-1856, 1863, 1866, and undated, record   the free   person’s name, sometimes age, a brief physical description, and the circumstances of the person’s freedom or emancipation. If born free  , a reference is sometimes made to the parents. If emancipated, emancipating enslaver  , place and date of emancipation, and prior registration are usually recorded. There may also be affidavits that were given by individuals affirming a free   person’s status, as well as written descriptions of free   persons. In addition, there are registrations that are loose papers matching information found in the bound volumes of registered “ free   negroes” kept in the court house. The 1863 affidavit contains a list of names and birthdates of about twenty people.

" Free   Negro Tax Records  ," 1801-1803, 1851-1853, 1855-1856, 1858-1859, were compiled by the commissioner of the revenue for tax purposes, and records   the names of free   adult Black persons and persons of color within a district, as well as children, place of abode, and trade or occupation for the adult males and females.

"List of slaves   belonging to Lyman Hall of South Carolina," 1781, contains names, ages, and whether the enslaved   person is a man, woman or child. The list was compiled to comply with an Act of Assembly entited "An Act to authorize the Citizens of South Carolina and Georgia to remove their slaves   into this state."

"List of slaves   belonging to Frances Tabb," 1804, contains the names of persons enslaved   by Tabb, however, no surnames are given. The reverse of the document states that these enslaved   persons were enlaved by the dower of Frances Tabb.

“Requisitions for Public Use,” 1860-1865, and undated, include requisition lists filed in local courts and payroll records   of the Virginia Engineer. Information found in these records   include names of free   persons of color and enslaved   people, locality of origin, occupation, location of fortification, names of enslavers  , and monetary value of enslaved   people. Other records   in this group include orders, letters, and reports to the Amelia County court and clerk of court from the Amelia County committee appointed to apportion slaves  , the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the Confederate Engineering Department, the General Assembly, and individuals.(Accession 37990, 37993, 37995).

"Petition to remain in the Commonwealth," 1816, filed by Tinsley and other enslaved   persons emancipated by the will of Ann Hughes record   the name of the petitioner, the circumstances of free   status, and a request to remain in the county. May include accompanying names of citizens who can testify to the free   status or who support the request of the petitioner to remain. Free   registrations and other supporting documents may also be included.

" Slave   Schedule," 1850, contains two pages from the 1850 census of enslaved   inhabitants. This is not a complete copy. It records   the name of the enslaver   and then enumerates but does not name individual enslaved   persons. A column exists to record   a number of enslaved   persons manumitted if any. Information is recorded about the unnamed enslaved   persons including age, sex, color, whether a fugitive from the state, and whether "deaf, dumb, blind, insane or idiotic."

Arrangement

Chronological by record   type.

Related Material

See also: Amelia County (Va.) Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands Records  , 1868

Additional Amelia County Enslaved   and Free   Records   can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records   on Microfilm" found on the Library of Virginia web site.

Records   related to free   and enslaved   people of Amelia County and other localities are available on Virginia Untold

Adjunct Descriptive Data