Administrative Information

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Use Restrictions

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Preferred Citation

Henrico County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1782-1863. Local Government Records Collection, city of Henrico County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Henrico County, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from city of Henrico County circuit court.

Historical Information

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

A law passed in 1782 by the state legislature made it lawful to emancipate enlsaved people.

Scope and Content

Henrico County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1782-1863, include deeds of emancipation and manumission record the name of enslaver, the name of the enslaved person to be freed, the date the enslaved person shall achieve freedom, the date the manumission was proved or certified, and sometimes a reason why the enslaver decided to emancipate the enslaved person. The two methods of relinquishing ownership of an individual differ only in that enslavers directly freed their enslaved property by manumission. Deeds of emancipation could be generated after the enslaver’s death by those executing a last will and testament.

Related Material

Additional Henrico County Court Records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

Additional Henrico County Deeds of Emanciaption can be found in Henrico County Enslaved and Free Records, 1789-1865, at the Library of Virginia.

Additional Henrico County Deeds are available at the Library of Virginia.

Adjunct Descriptive Data