Library of Virginia
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Westmoreland County (Va.) Register of Slaves Held for Life, 1859, 1861, Local government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
This item came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Westmoreland County.
Westmoreland County was formed from Northumberland County in 1653. Part of King George County was added in 1777.
An act passed by the Virginia legislature required that a register be kept by the clerk of court for every enslaved person held by any person for his or her life only. See Revised Code of Virginia 1819, volume 1, p. 439, section 70; Code of Virginia 1849, chapter 103, section 8; and Code of Virginia 1860, chapter 103, section 14.
Register of Slaves Held for Life, 1859, 1861, of Westmoreland County contains only three entries for the years 1859 and 1861. Each entry lists the name of the person who holds the enslaved person(s) for life, the names and ages of the enslaved person(s), and the former owner of the enslaved person(s) or to whom the enslaved person(s) would descend upon the death of the tenant.
Chronological.