A Guide to the Cumberland County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1753-1865 Cumberland County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1753-1865 1156165, 1156166

A Guide to the Cumberland County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1753-1865

A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Barcode numbers: 1156165, 1156166


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Library of Virginia

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© 2009 By The Library of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.

Processed by: Sarah Nerney

Repository
The Library of Virginia
Barcode numbers
1156165, 1156166
Title
Cumberland County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1753-1865
Physical Characteristics
.56 cu. ft. (2 boxes)
Collector
Cumberland County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Location
Library of Virginia
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Cumberland County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1753-1865. Local government records collection, Cumberland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Cumberland County.

Historical Information

Cumberland County was named for William Augustus, duke of Cumberland, third son of George II. It was formed from Goochland County in 1749.

Scope and Content

Cumberland County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1753-1865, consist of free negro registrations and certificates (1789-1860); lists of free negroes (1809-1861); and miscellaneous records (1753-1865).

Free negro registrations and certificates contain the name of the free person, sometimes their age and a brief physical description, and a statement based either on another person's knowledge or on other official documentary evidence seen by the certifier that this person was either born free or was emancipated. If born free, reference is sometimes made to parents. If emancipated, emancipating owner, place and date of emancipation, and prior registration as a free negro are usually mentioned.

Lists of free negroes were compiled by the commissioner of the revenue for tax purposes. The lists give the full name, age, sex, and trade or occupation for each person on the list. Some of the lists provide a residence. Other lists included are lists of persons registered as free and a list circa 1809 of the children of Free Chloe along with their names and birth dates.

Miscellaneous records include a receipt for making a coffin for Jassea Brown, a free negro (1854); order to summon justices to consider the applications of Sam Jones and John Jones to remain in the commonwealth (1852); order to summon justices to prevent free negroes from selling agricultural products without a certificate (1846, 1855); memo of slaves belonging to the estate of Benjamin Weber (circa 1815); a certificate permitting Sam Short, a free man of color, to carry a gun (1825); memo of slaves of Mason family (circa 1790); division of Bartlett Anglea's slaves (photocopy, 1841); valuation of Bridget, now in jail (1831); certification of William, a runaway from Monroe County (1839); order for James, Albert and Peter Mayo, free negroes, to work on the road (photocopy, 1840); deposition regarding the slaves of the Walton and/or Mosby family (circa 1753); Commonwealth vs. Eliza Green who is charged with being a runaway, including documentation supporting her free status (1817); deed of emancipation of Sanderson and Brown to Thomas and Lewis (1824); deed of trust for slaves from Jacob G. Mosby to David Molloy and Willis Wilson (1824); and lists of slaves requisitioned for work on the fortifications which includes only slaveowner names and numbers sent (1862-1865).

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by record type.

Index Terms

    Corporate Names:

  • Cumberland County (Va.). Circuit Court.
  • Subjects:

  • African Americans -- Employment -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • African Americans -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Civil defense -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Confederate States of America -- Defenses.
  • Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Fugitive slaves -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Slave labor -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Slaves -- Emancipation -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Tax collection -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Geographical Names:

  • Cumberland County (Va.) -- History -- 18th century.
  • Cumberland County (Va.) -- History -- 19 century.
  • Genre and Form Terms:

  • Certificates -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Criminal court records -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Deeds -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Emancipations -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Free negro and slave records -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Free negro lists -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Free negro registrations -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Judicial records -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Local government records -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.
  • Registers (lists) -- Virginia -- Cumberland County.

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

  • Cumberland County (Va.) -- History -- 18th century.
  • Cumberland County (Va.) -- History -- 19 century.

Contents List

Barcode number 1156165: Free Negro and Slave Records, 1789-1860:

Free negro registrations and certificates

Barcode number 1156166: Free Negro and Slave Records, 1753-1865:

Lists of free negroes (1809-1861); Miscellanous records (1753-1865)