A Guide to the Henry County (Va.) Commonwealth Causes, 1856-1859
A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Barcode number: 0007302236
Library of Virginia
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© 2009 By The Library of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.
Processed by: Dale Dulaney
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation
Henry County (Va.) Commonwealth Causes, 1856-1859. Local government records collection, Henry County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.
Acquisition Information
These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Henry County.
Historical Information
Henry County was named for Patrick Henry, revolutionary leader and the first governor of the commonwealth of Virginia. It was formed from Pittsylvania County in 1776.
Courts of Oyer and Terminer (hear and determine) are English in origin. In Virginia, they were convened to try slaves who committed capital offenses, persons accused of committing capital offenses at sea, and other special situations concerning capital offenses. The law establishing the oyer and terminer commission in Virginia has its origins in an act of assembly passed in April 1692 and amended several times in the decades afterwards. The law detailed the procedure for a slave brought to trial for a capital offense. A slave was denied the right to a jury trial that white men and women had.
Scope and Content
Henry County (Va.) Commonwealth Causes, 1856-1859, consist of five commonwealth causes against slaves and a free negro for crimes including assault with the intent to maim, malicious stabbing, aid and abet a poisoning, and rape. All of the suits include extensive testimony and some deponents are slaves.
Arrangement
Chronological by end date.
Related Material
Additional commonwealth causes may be located in the Henry County (Va.) Judgments located at the Library of Virginia.
Index Terms
- Henry County (Va.). Circuit Court.
- African Americans -- History.
- Crime -- Virginia -- Henry County.
- Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Henry County.
- Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Henry County.
- Slaves -- Virginia -- Henry County.
- Henry County (Va.) -- History -- 19th century.
- Criminal court records -- Virginia -- Henry County.
- Local government records -- Virginia -- Henry County.
- Henry County (Va.) Court of Oyer and Terminer.
Corporate Names:
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Added Entry - Corporate Name:
Significant Places Associated With the Collection
- Henry County (Va.) -- History -- 19th century.