A Guide to the Rockbridge County (Va.) Register of Free Negroes, 1805-1831
A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
LVA Reel Number Rockbridge County Reel 157
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia800 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000
USA
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Fax: (804) 692-3556 (Archives Reference)
Email: archdesk@lva.virginia.gov(Archives)
URL: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/
© 2006 By the Library of Virginia. All rights reserved.
Processed by: Library of Virginia Staff
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
Collection is open to research.
Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation
Rockbridge County (Va.) Register of Free Negroes, 1805-1831. Rockbridge County Reel 157, Local Government Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
Acquisition Information
The original volume is housed at the College of William and Mary Earl Gregg Swem Library (Collection Number Mss. MsV Lev13) and lent to the Library of Virginia for microfilming. The volume was microfilmed in 2005 by OCLC Preservation Service Centers for the Library of Virginia.
Historical Information
Rockbridge County was formed in 1778 from Augusta and Botetourt Counties. An additional part of Botetourt was added in 1785.
An act passed by the Virginia legislature in 1803 required every free negro or mulatto to be registered and numbered in a book to be kept by the county clerk.
Scope and Content
Rockbridge County (Va.) Register of Free Negroes, 1805-1831, lists the age, name, color, stature, marks or scars in what court the person was emancipated or whether the person was born free. Some clerks recorded additional information not required by law. If a free person was emancipated, the name of the emancipator is given and in what county and court this took place. If a person was born free, occasionally the mother's name is given. There is no index.
At the back of the volume is a Register of Boats, 1811-1828, kept as required by an act of the General Assembly of Virginia entitled "An act regulating the navigation of James River above the falls of said river." The register records the date registered, the proprietor of the boat, the residence of the proprietor, and the number (of boats?).
Arrangement
Chronological.
Related Material
Additional Rockbridge County Free Negro and Slave Records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."
Access Terms
- African Americans--Virginia--Rockbridge County.
- Boats and boating--Virginia--Rockbridge County.
- Free African Americans--Virginia--Rockbridge County.
- Local government records--Virginia--Rockbridge County.
- Registers (lists)--Virginia--Rockbridge County.
- Rockbridge County (Va.)--History--19th century.
- Rockbridge County (Va.). Circuit Court
- Slaveholders--Virginia--Rockbridge County.
Significant Places Associated With the Collection
- Rockbridge County (Va.)--History--19th century.