Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Arlington County (Va.) Apprenticeship Indentures, 1797-1869. Local government records collection, Arlington County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court records from Arlington County.

Historical Information

Arlington County was originally named Alexandria County. It was formed from a portion of Fairfax County that Virginia in 1789 ceded to the federal government for use as the site of a new national capital. In 1801 the area officially became part of the District of Columbia, although Congress named it Alexandria County. By an act of 9 July 1846, Congress returned the county to Virginia, and the General Assembly extended the commonwealth's jurisdiction over the region effective 20 March 1847. By an act of assembly passed 16 March 1920, the county's name was changed to Arlington, the name of the Custis family mansion (the home of Robert E. Lee), which is located in the county. An urban county, Arlington contains no incorporated towns or cities. The county courthouse is in the county.

Alexandria County was named for the town of Alexandria, which in turn was named for John Alexander, an early owner of the tract in Fairfax County on which the town was located. It was formed from a portion of Fairfax County that Virginia in 1789 ceded to the federal government for use as the site of a new national capital. In 1801 the area officially became part of the District of Columbia, although Congress named it Alexandria County. By an act of 9 July 1846, Congress returned the county to Virginia, and the General Assembly extended the commonwealth's jurisdiction over the region effective 20 March 1847. By an act of assembly of 16 March 1920 the county's name was changed to Arlington County.

Scope and Content

Arlington County (Va.) Apprenticeship Indentures, 1797-1869, are bonds and contracts of apprenticeship, showing the names of master and apprentice, the trade to be taught, details of the contract, the amount of the bond and the names of sureties. Many of the apprentices bound out prior to 1866 were "free Blacks" and "free persons of color."

Related Material

Additional Arlington County Records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm" found on the Library of Virginia's web site.

Arlington County (Va.) Apprenticeship Indentures, 1797-1869, of "free Blacks" and "free persons of color" are available at Virginia Untold: the African American Narrative digital collection .

Adjunct Descriptive Data