Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Louisa County (Va.) Free   Negro and Slave   Records  , 1770-1865. Local government records   collection, Louisa County Court Records . The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Louisa County.

Historical Information

Louisa County was formed in 1742 from Hanover County.

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

Scope and Content

Louisa County (Va.) Free   Negro and Slave   Records  , 1770-1865 consists of deeds of manumission (1783-1859); lists of free   negroes (1851-1864), patrol claims (1770-1863); orders regarding patrols (1865); free   negro registrations (1809-1861), a photocopy of the register of colored persons who have been cohabiting as man and wife and who are married legally by virtue of the act of the General Assembly passed February 27th, 1865 (1865); and miscellaneous records   (1773-1865).

Deeds of manumission (1783, 1794-1798, 1800-1807, 1814, 1816, 1836, 1850, 1859) state the name of the slaveowner  , the name of the slave   to be freed, the date the slave   shall achieve freedom, the date the manumission was proved or certified, and sometimes a reason why the owner decided to emancipate the slave  .

Lists of free   negroes are both lists of free   negroes over the age of 12 and lists of free   negroes returned who have not paid their taxes. The lists of free   negroes over the age of 12 (1851-1864) give full name, age and occupation. Lists of free   negroes returned who have not paid their taxes (1852-1853) lists full name, male free   negroes between 21 and 55 years subject to tax of $1.00, male free   negroes above 16 years of age, slaves   above 16 years of age, slaves   above 12 years of age, horses mules etc., why returned insolvent, and amount of tax. Both kinds of lists were compiled by the Commissioner of Revenue for tax purposes.

Patrol claims include the names of persons appointed to serve and the amount of pay they claimed against the city for doing the patrol work. Sometimes the number of hours worked is given instead of the amount of money owed.

Registrations of free   negroes (1809, 1833, 1847-1848, 1850, 1853, 1857, 1861) contain the name of the free   person, sometimes the individual's age and a brief physical description, and a statement or affidavit based either on another person's knowledge or on other official documentary evidence seen by the certifier that this person was either born free   or was emancipated. If born free  , reference is sometimes made to parents. If emancipated, emancipating owner, place and date of emancipation, and prior registration as a free   negro are usually mentioned. Occasionally the register number is given; this number corresponds to the entry number in the register of free   negroes kept by the clerk of court at the courthouse.

Miscellaneous records   include bond for the hire of slave   Jeffery (1773); summons for William Snelson to show cause why he sold or offered for sale the children of Sarah Martin (1776); bond to keep emancipated slave   Rachel from accruing any public expense (1788); certificate of non-importation of slaves   of Benjamin Litchworth (1792); bond for hire of slave   Sarah and two children (1803); request of William Captain to clerk of court for a copy of his articles of freedom (1803); will of John Mead and some papers related to slave   hires from his estate (1808); certificate of non-importation of slaves   by Unity Turner and Thomas Turner (1813); depositions and certifications about slave   hires from Robert Thurston (1813); bond for hire of slave   Salley (1817); affidavit of freedom of Wilson Kinney (1821); certification of free   status of Franky and Indy, children of Franky (1833); slave   pass (1833); papers related to the sale of Nancy, in jail as a runaway (1840); report of jailor on Mary Ann Collins, held in jail for want of free   papers (ca. 1850s); certification of free   status of Thomas Jackson and his sister Caroline Jackson (1850); certification of free   status of Nancy White (1853); agreement between free   negro James Nelson and Burwell B. Dickinson (1855); letter from Thomas B. Brooks regarding two elderly negroes who cannot support themselves (1855); certification of slave   Fanny that she lost the free   papers of her husband Thomas Dickerson (1856); order to provide Ann Jackson another copy of her free   negro registration (n.d.); refusal to register Frederick Taylor of Goochland as a free   negro (n.d.)

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Louisa County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• African Americans -- Employment -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• African Americans -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Free   African Americans -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Fugitive slaves   -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Slave   records   -- Virginia -- Louisa County
• Slaves   -- Emancipation -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Tax collection -- Virginia -- Louisa County.

Geographical Names:

• Louisa County (Va.) -- History.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Affidavits -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Bonds (legal records  ) -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Certifications -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Deeds -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Free   negro and slave   records   -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Free   negro certifications -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Free   negro lists -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Free   negro registrations -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Local government records   -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Patrol returns -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Petitions -- Virginia -- Louisa County.
• Summons -- Virginia -- Louisa County.