Plaintiff contracted with the defendant to cure his slave of 'yaws' but claimed it did not work.

Suit references a free born girl who was sold as a slave.

Wade got Farley's daughter pregnant and Farley promised to give Wade a slave and household items if he would marry the daughter which he did, but Farley never gave Wade anything.

Irby did not want to pay Robertson 2000 pounds of tobacco that he lost to him while playing cards and drinking.

Abney called for Bennett to help a slave give birth - both the mother and child died. Bennett's answer and several depositions detail what he did; such as taking the baby's body out but leaving its head in the mother (the head was apparently cut off).

Wilson in 1776 joined the army to fight the Indians and left his estate in the hands of Loveless, who Wilson claimed converted it to his own use, refused to give it back, and tried to get Wilson arrested as an army deserter.

Separate maintenance suit. Ann Chappell accused her husband of cohabiting with a female slave, Aggy. She referred to her husband as the "Old Black Stud." There is mention in the depositions that Aggy was tried for abusing Ann and sentenced to 30 lashes. Aggy was also accused of killing her infant child supposedly fathered by John Chappell. Other children by Aggy were described as "yellow" in color.

Debt suit - an attempt to recoup money spent on a runaway slave, James, who died.

In his 1814 will, Isaac H. Coles left his two estates, Dan River estate and Bucksin property, and the slaves that worked the properties to two different heirs. Estate dispute arose over which slaves worked at which estate. Extensive list of slaves includes names, ages, occupations, and locations.

Isbell Dodson sues for support and control over her husband's property that he sold to his father before abandoning his wife and moving to Georgia. John F. Dodson claims that he was married while in a state of intoxication and that the marriage was a plot.

John Jennett and wife sue for her portion of her late father's estate. Jennett claimed that Elizabeth was denied her inheritance because she was illegitimate, having been born prior to her parent's marriage.

Mary Hittson inherited a portion of her first husband's estate after his death. Before marrying Alexander Hittson, Mary signed an agreement that she would regain ownership of her property after Alexander's death. Because of Alexander's alleged abuse, Mary left home. She sues in the chancery court for separate maintenance and to regain control of her property.

William Brandon's wife, Hannah, was once married to Jacob Thomas. The two agreed to separate and as part of the agreement, Thomas conveyed three slaves to Hannah for her use during her lifetime. Because the deed did not include trustees, it was declared void. William Brandon brought suit against his wife's sons to gain ownership of the slaves.

In the 1810 will of Matthew Rice, free African American Lidia Epperson is left the slave Isham.

Contract dispute over a group of slaves includes names, ages, descriptions, and hiring terms for individual slaves. One slave, Milly, is referred to as an "idiot" and said to "fall into the fire and otherwise incur danger without a constant guard over her."

Caty, a Free African American, purchased land from Edward Moore who promised to record the deed, which he failed to do. After Moore's death, Caty sued his heirs for ownership of the property.

Contract dispute over a partnership between Dodson and Wall to buy and sell slaves.

Suit discusses the construction of "washing machines."

Suit concerns the dissolution of a slave trading business. Purchased slaves to sell in Mississippi. Most slaves listed have forenames and surnames.

Some parties in this suit live in Scotland and portions of the estate are in Scotland. There are depositions from Scottish citizens and genealogical notes from Scottish sources.

Concerns the dissolution of slave trading business.

Documentation includes details of Walter Robertson's pre-Rev War conviction for homicide and subsequent banishment from Virginia and the United States. Discusses heirs living in Scotland.

Estate dispute suit. Four slaves were sold by the plaintiff and have proceeds distributed among participants in suit including himself. Defendants argued that the plaintiff had no interest in the slaves. Moreover, they accused the plaintiff of selling the slaves at a time of year when they would bring the lowest price to an anonymous slave trader.

Dispute over slaves. Numerous depositions related to history of slave transactions and work performed by slaves. Includes birth and death dates of slaves.

John V. Dismukes testified to the sell of a group of slaves who were carried from Virginia and sold in Georgia. He provides their names and ages. Dismukes was an agent of Samuel V. Watkins. He carried 23 slaves from Virginia to Georgia in the fall of 1847 and sold them. Suit includes a deed concerning the transfer of said slaves. Deed records family relationships.

Chambers and Co. shipped tobacco from Halifax County to New Orleans.

Plaintiff emancipated by will of Vaughn and given property for her support. She sued executor to recover her share of property. See also Halifax County Legislative Petition of Eleanor Vaughan, 1851 and Halifax County Chancery Cause 1854-048.

Marriage contract protecting bride's slave property used as exhibit.

Division of slave property found in King and Queen County. Exhibits include wills of William Carlton recorded in King and Queen County in 1812 and Isaac Carlton recorded in King and Queen County in 1824. Suit includes reference to the capture of a runaway slave named Mary and receipts for medical care of slaves.

Plaintiff was appointed trustee for seven former slaves (a mother named Eleanor or Ellen Vaughn and her six children) emancipated by the will of Craddock Vaughan and given property for their support. The seven former slaves had moved to start a new life in Ohio. The trustee, appointed to the former slaves by an Ohio court, sued the executor to recover the former slaves' share of property in Halifax County in order to purchase land in Gallia County, Ohio. See also Halifax County Legislative Petition of Eleanor Vaughan, 1851 and Halifax County Chancery Causes 1853-030.

William B. Crawley was in debt to plaintiff due to gambling losses. Suit includes correspondence from Crawley to his uncle in which he talks about his gambling losses. The plaintiff wanted slaves owned by Crawley family sold to repay gambling losses.

Division of slave property found in King and Queen County. Exhibits includes will of William Carlton recorded in King and Queen County in 1812.

Suit contains numerous depositions concerning the sell of a slaves Maria and her children. At issue was the state of Maria's health at the time of sell. One of the deponents was a slave trader named Joseph Pointer who purchased Maria for the purpose of selling her in the South.

Suit includes correspondence and depositions that describe Hagood's religious fervor and how it may affected the soundness of his mind. In his correspondence, Hagood writes about the religious conversion of family and others in Danville. He also writes about family members who recently moved to Mississippi because of bad economic conditions in Virginia and how others in Danville area were planning to do the same.

Trustee of slaves emancipated by the will of Philip E. Vass in 1832 sued to receive the ex-slaves share of the estate given to them by Vass in his will. The funds were to be used to pay for their removal to another state or to Liberia. The slaves had successfully won their freedom in 1841 in a chancery suit filed in Halifax County (See Halifax County Chancery Cause 1841-010 Jacob, etc. vs. Exr. of Phillip E. Vass). The emancipated slaves were denied entry into North Carolina. Some of the emancipated slaves died and others had married and had children since they won their freedom. The suit alludes to some slaves wanting to remain in Virginia. If they did, could they receive their portion of Vass' estate. See also following Halifax County Legislative Petitions; Petition of Patty Daniel, 12-14-1842; Petition of Jacob, Mary, and Patsey, 12-15-1841; Petition of Philip Vass and Emily B. Haden, 02-20-1860.

Tucker and Chappell were partners in a slave trading business from 1850 to 1852. Tucker sued Chappell to recover money owed to him from the business. They provide slaves to Pulliam and Davis, a slave auction business in Richmond. They also traded slaves in Georgia and South Carolina. Depositions offer insight into slave trading business.

Infant plaintiffs resided in Missouri. They were suing to get their share of the property of their father James H. Jennett located in Halifax County. Large amount of the property were slaves. The suit includes correspondence written from Missouri by James Jennett to his brother John Jennett in Halifax County. He expresses his concern for the spiritual welfare of his brother and passed along messages from his slaves in Missouri to their slave family members in Halifax County.

Suit concerns recovering debt owed by Elisha Barksdale Jr. The case involves the 78 slaves who were sold at auction in Halifax County and taken South to be sold again. Two families of slaves were sold in Mobile, AL. Depositions describe the buying and selling of slaves.Suit includes names of slaves and their family relationships.

Suit related to repayment of a debt. At issue was the value of a slave and her children. The suit was originally filed in Franklin County in 1824. William McCormack purchased a slave named Matilda in Montgomery County circa 1820. He sold her to Henry and Joseph Showalter for repayment of a debt. Afterwards, Matilda and her children and grandchildren became the center of controversy in a legal dispute between William McCormack and his son Anderson McCormack that lasted over thirty years. Numerous depositions related to Matilda and her children. She had a eleven children for of whom died in infancy. Depositions provide names and dates of birth of Matilda's children and grandchildren. They also provide insight into the economics of slave hiring and determining the value of slaves from birth until adulthood.

Parties in the suit wagered $100 on the outcome of the 1856 sheriff's election in Halifax County. The plaintiff won the bet but the defendant refused to pay. Plaintiff sued in chancery and won the case.

Suit involved settling the accounts of a slave trading partnership consisting of Eliza M. Shelton, Francis L. Royall, and William Royall. Eliza Shelton's deceased husband Abner C. Shelton was a partner with the Royall brothers in the slave trade prior to his death. Exhibits include correspondence related to slave trade activities. William Royall was a resident of Hamburg, S.C., the end point for a route used by slave traders that began in Alexandria, VA and included Fredericksburg, Richmond, and Colombia, SC. From Hamburg, slave traders crossed the Savannah River to sell slaves in Georgia. Hamburg was located across the Savannah River from Augusta, GA. This route was less travelled by slave traders as slave markets in Mississippi and Louisiana became more valuable in the 1820's and 1830's. The opening of the new slave markets probably prompted William Royall's decision to move from Hamburg to Richmond, VA as the new slave partnership's base of operations. Quote from a letter dated 1836 May 28 written by Francis Royall to his brother William: "I perceive from your letter that you are doing something in the way of speculation in negroes. You will find I fear that you have 'swapped the Devil for the Witch' in leaving Hamburg for Richmond." Hamburg being the "Devil" and Richmond being the "Witch." The partnership purchased slaves in Virginia and sold them in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Letter dated 1834 Jan 10 from Francis Royall to Abner C. Shelton: "William Royall has left Mississippi and returned to Lancaster with his family. He is now at J.B. Royall's house and intends to trade negroes from here to Mississippi and Louisiana. I suppose you have seen from the newspapers that Louisiana has repealed the laws prohibiting the introduction of slaves. That will be a fine market to trade in and I wish you to trade there with an increased capital as negroes are 30 or 40 per cent higher than they are in Georgia." References in letters to using Northern banks to finance partnership. One letter dated 3 April 1834 to a cholera outbreak in Louisiana and Mississippi "destroying a great number of negroes belonging to the (slave) traders. Several traders from this country have lost money this season and some to a large amount. Negroes are falling every day rapidly."

Parties in suit were relatives of James Murphy, an immigrant from Ireland who owned property in Halifax County. =

Parties in suit were partners in the ownership of a stallion named Prophet. Business dissolution suit. Exhibits include receipts and accounts related to care of stallion.

Suit involves debt and deals with topics of churches, institutions and societies and property. Exhibit A (agreement) with bill describes building of church at Republican Grove.

Concerns debts related to a slave trading business between the plaintiff and defendant. Slaves sold from Mississippi to Louisiana.

In his will, Philip E. Vass calls for the emancipation of several of his slaves and that 2,000 dollars of his estate be set aside to purchase land in North Carolina to allow for the settlement of emancipated slaves. Also mentions slaves in deed.

Albert L. Easley, Nathan H. Poindexter and admr of Eleanor Compton and Samuel B. Major were slave traders that took slaves to the South (specifically Georgia) and sold them for a higher price. Malvina and her child, Henry were sold to Richard Stewart in Georgia. In Poindexter's deposition, Samuel R. Edmondson was involved in slave trade. Ages for slaves John, Matt, and Sall are given-also age of unnamed infant.

Suit involves debt, property and slavery. Plaintiff is identified as secret partner of Thomas McCargo, slave trader. There is one slave identified, Nelson, with an occupation-blacksmith. See also Halifax County Chancery Cause 1856-013.

Plaintiff is in possession of an iron foundry in the town of Meadsville. Andersons had a grist mill. The Barksdales claim title and have filed an ejectment.

Cause deals with dissolution of business partnership between Pate and Moore which consisted of buying and selling slaves. Noted in the suit are slaves from North Carolina and Virginia.

Cause highlights slave trading in the southern market specifically Mississippi and Alabama. A number of slaves are identified as the younger and the suit mentions the occupation of one slave-Davy (the miller).

Plaintiff petitions court to remove slaves to North Carolina. Cites Virginia's Act of Assembly passed January 27, 1863. Ages of slaves are noted in cause's bill and report. One slave has surname.

Cause mentions that defendant lives in Charleston, Kanawha County, then Virginia, now West Virginia, "within the lines of the enemy," and "no process can be served on her by the officers of Virginia courts."

Suit for divorce and separate maintenance. Plaintiff charges that she was forced to leave defendant-that her life was in great danger. Charges that defendant was constantly carrying deadly weapons such as pistols and bowie knives. Apparently, plaintiff's husband also was in possession of all her apparel. Also charges that defendant committed adultery with one of his female slaves and also a slave owned by another individual. She fears defendant will sell off and remove slaves from commonwealth and also convert all additional real and personal property to money. Plaintiff also files various amended bills.

Plaintiff files an injunction against defendant. He enjoins and restrains defendant from removing or interfering with the one thousand bushels of wheat now in the possession of West's widow. The plaintiff is the authorized agent for Halifax County to procure sustenance for the needy families of soldiers in the Confederate States Army.

Suit involves debt. Plaintiff charges that slave, Lucy, is "very ungovernable and is strongly suspected of burning plaintiff's dwelling." Also see chancery cause 1871-013 for the continuing saga.

According to Carr's affidavit, various slaved in mid-1850s were hired to work for railroad contractors. One slave, Caroline, had a nickname, Tuck. Other slaves had surnames and slaves Jack and Ned were identified as blacksmiths.

James Murphy was from Ireland and died in Halifax County. He and the plaintiff"s mother were accused of adultery and he was married to another woman at the time. Plaintiff is claiming that she is entitled to James Murphy's estate because she is a blood relative - in an act passed by the General Assembly on 22 March 1851. See also related chancery causes, 1851-004, 1855-030 and 1859-021.

Debt suit. Plaintiff seeks injunction against defendant regarding gambling debts as the result of placing bets on the U.S. presidential election of 1868.

During the Civil War, plaintiff served in the Confederate Army and defendant committed adultery. See related chancery cause 1869-050, in which defendant petitions court and gives a different account of the circumstances surrounding her child, William C.

Decedent, Charles T. Harris, separates from this wife in Virginia and moves to Mississippi where he dies. He owned 32 slaves in Mississippi and 16 slaves in Virginia. His widow makes claims to his estates in both states. Decedent was a Justice of the Peace for Halifax County. Amended suit deals with injunction filed against decedent's administrator. Two slaves named Mary mentioned in record indicate one is yellow and the other black. Slave Cynda had an unsound mind. Slave Dave is identified as an idiot. Decedent sold slaves Charles, and wife Hanner and children, Caroline, Eliza, and Hanner Pernettee, also slave Affa to other to pay bonds to slave traders, Easley, Logan and Company and James Young and Company.

Jesse Ballow died in Cumberland County and was of unsound mind. Cause contends that his will was obtained by fraudulent means. One of plaintiffs in suit, Hudson, was originally a resident of North Carolina. Other defendants in suit resided in Cumberland and Buckingham counties. Cause includes a sale of slaves and a very detailed genealogical chart.

Cause involves topics of debt, migration, property and slaves. Sally (Sallie) Hart, nee Lawson, died in state of Texas. James Lawson resided in North Carolina. Sally Hart's family moved from Virginia to Missouri and then to Texas. Her oldest son, William Hart, moved to California.

Deceased died in Charlotte County. Plaintiff notes that receipt was destroyed by U.S. soldiers who occupied his home in large numbers during the Civil War. They destroyed his library and some of his papers. A defendant in the suit resides in North Carolina.

A large, involved estate dispute involving slavery as a central theme. Plaintiff Thomas H. Walthall, according to Josephus Chaffin's deposition, was a cruel overseer. Defendant, Nelson H. Pruden, had been on trial for the murder of slave Serena. Chaffin's deposition outlines in no uncertain terms the cruelties of slavery. See also chancery cause 1875-059.

Plaintiff files injunction against school board trustees and township tax collector to enjoin and restrain them from selling his property for the collection of a tax "to provide school houses, school books and for current school expenses." Plaintiff claims tax is illegal and void due to boundary dispute between townships and have now levied his saddle for sale.

Cause deals with contract dispute. Suit involves War of 1812 and Mexican War land warrants amounting to 1920 acres. 880 acres were in Iowa and 1040 acres were in Minnesota. See Administrator of Alexander Yuille's answer for details of land warrants. Suit also contains agreement and list of land warrants.

Suit involves estate dispute. Some of the defendants reside in City of Richmond and Mecklenburg County. Plaintiffs were formerly the slaves of the deceased, Elizabeth Sallie of Mecklenburg County and were emancipated by her last will and testament. See document "A.S.", filed with amended bill, for additional relationship information and also information on emancipated slaves. See also Mecklenburg Chancery Cause 1860-037.

Deals with Divorce/Separate Maintenance. Plaintiff fears her life is in danger. Defendant is beyond cruel to both her and their daughter. He resides with a freed woman, Mary Jennings, and is guilty of adultery. A warrant was issued for his arrest in July 1866 but he has fled the county to "parts unknown." Plaintiff files injunction against defendant so as not to dispose of any of his property which he inherited from the plaintiff when they married. In a deposition from 1872, a witnees stated that the defendant was living in Isle of Wight County. See also chancery cause 1870-032.

"Some years before the war, Alexander Yuille removed from the county of Halifax, Va. to the state of Mississippi-leaving in Virginia his evidences of debt and considerable estate of different kinds." He had a cotton plantation with his brother-in-law. Yuille bought a plantation in Mississippi. His market was in New Orleans. He furnished large means in his lifetime to his brother-in-law to speculated in northwestern lands (which belonged to their partnership) located in 45 counties in the states of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota. Most of Yuille's slaves were in Mississippi. Slaves were returned to Virginia. The main defendant resides in the City of Richmond. See also chancery cause 1878-068.

Plaintiff describes the personal effects of the late Civil War in running a large plantation - in particular, the emancipation of its slaves. She references the importance of her children's education and her own health (requiring the constant attention of a physician.) Also, plans to rent out her plantations and move to Richmond. See also chancery cause 1881-028 which includes wills of plaintiff's husband and deceased defendant.

Suit involves estate dispute dealing with migration, property and slavery. Elijah D. Hundley also had property in Mississsippi. Mary J. Henderson (formerly Hundley) owned one slave. Dr. William H. Henderson, her husband, was not a resident of Virginia. Heirs of Mary Jane Henderson reside in North Carolina. One of the plaintiffs was the superintendent of his father's cotton plantation in Mississippi. Slaves Israel and Sylvanus worked on the plantation. Also, small corn crop was grown and used on plantation. Excellent insight into running a plantation during the Civil War. See also chancery cause 1877-039.

Includes a letter dated 12 June 1860 written by Alexander Overby to his mother Synthy Overby. At the time, Alexander was living in Marshall County, Alabama. He informs his mother of his experience in Alabama.

Application to change the name of Fanny Mills to Fanny Mills Ould.

Plaintiffs were businessmen located in Clarksville, Virginia who were reliant on transportation on the on the Dan, Barrister, Staunton, and Roanoke Rivers for their business. They accused the defendants of doing a poor job of maintaining locks and dams and keeping the rivers clear of debris and stones that made navigation difficult and in some place impassable. Yet, the defendants continued to demand the collection of tolls from the plaintiffs. The suit references the increasing use of railroads to transport goods.

Estate dispute case. Numerous references to slaves. Questions in depositions focused on the average price for hiring slaves between 1840 and 1860. Detailed genealogical information concerning the Faulkner, Jones, Redd, Macon, and Halliburton families.

Estate dispute case. Division of slaves and slave hire accounts used as exhibits. The suit includes a letter that details the ages and health conditions of slaves.

Estate dispute that was originally filed in the 1850's. Exhibits and depositions related to slaves used as exhibits. They describe the sell, value, physical condition, and family relationships of slaves. Individuals in the suit resided in North Carolina. Depositions reference two free African Americans named Stanfield Byrd, a ditcher, and Thomas Day of Milton, NC who was a cabinet maker and undertaker.

Suit details the impact of the Civil War and its aftermath on the local economy and property values. Depositions related to the value of Confederate money. One deposition includes an exhibit showing the price of gold as compared with Confederate money from May 1861 to April 1865. Deponents spoke of fears felt by local citizens that the Federal Government would confiscate their property (real and personal) during and after the Civil War. Deponents also gave the names of individuals who served in the Confederate army.

Lucy Boxley died in 1851. The suit involved the distribution of her estate which included slaves. Depositions and exhibits record the names, ages, family relationships, and value of slaves. One deponent, Isaac Banks, was a slave of Colonel W.L. Fourqurean. He was asked questions about the sale and value of slaves.

Suit includes extensive list of slave names, including family groupings and ages.

cDivorce case, the husband cites his wife "malformed" female organs as the grounds for his right to request a divorce. His wife's medical condition made it impossible for them to have normal marital relations.

Divorce suit. Wife Laura Canada seeks divorce from her husband who lived with another woman and left his wife to move to Rhode Island. Court documentation supports her assertion that he left for Rhode Island because there is a grand jury indictment in Rhode Island for James E. Canada. The indictment accuses Canada of fraud charges and minting and distributing counterfeiting coins.

A disabled couple that could not hear or speak entered into a sales agreement with the defendants to sale land thought to be rich in copper and mineral rights. The couple claims the defendants mined the land without authority and pretended to want to buy the land for farming purposes. The attorney memo states the purpose of the suit is to rescind and set aside and annulled the deed of bargain and sale from Pearl and husband Frank to B.P. Atkins and Z.L. Kay. There are additional charges that Kay attempted to commit fraud in an effort to obtain the mineral rich land at a cheap price.

Divorce case. James H. Powell moves to West Virginia to begin a new job leaving his young wife Pauline Powell in Virginia. Powell sends money to his wife for her to move with him to West Virginia, she does not respond to his request. Three years later Powell returns to Halifax and finds his wife has married another man one Killis Thaxton. Pauline's marriage certificate states she married Killis Thaxton in January 1898 and declares her marital status as widowed.