Guide to the Cordelia Jones free papers issued by the Loudoun County, Virginia court C0379
Cordelia Jones free papers issued by the Loudoun County, Virginia court
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George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center
Fenwick Library, MS2FL4400 University Dr.
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Business Number: 703-993-2220
Fax Number: 703-993-8911
speccoll@gmu.edu
URL: https://scrc.gmu.edu
Elizabeth Beckman
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Use
Public domain. There are no known restrictions.
Conditions Governing Access
There are no access restrictions.
Preferred Citation
Cordelia Jones free papers issued by the Loudoun County, Virginia, court, C0379, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University
Acquisition Information
Purchased by Lynn Eaton from Jerry Showalter in August 2019.
Processing Information
Processed by Liz Beckman in December 2020. EAD markup by Liz Beckman in December 2020.
Historical Information
Before the emancipation of enslaved people in the 1860s, Loudoun County, Virginia (like many parts of the United States, particularly states where slavery was legal) forced free Black residents to prove that they were not enslaved with documents provided by the county court. As noted by Bronwen Souders of the Loudoun County Heritage Commission, "Each individual was required to carry a 'freedom paper' as legal proof of his or her status at any time they were away from home" ("Enslavement, Freedom, and the Courthouse (1757-1861)," 19). Without these papers, white slavecatchers or government officials could have abducted Cordelia Jones and enslaved her (see Robert Hill, "Explore the Newly Discovered Papers"). In 1830, the year after the Loudoun County Court issued Cordelia Jones these free papers, there were 1079 free Black residents in Loudoun County, 5% of the population (Souders, 15).
Scope and Content
Free papers for Cordelia Jones, a free Black woman, in Loudoun County, Virginia. The paper declares that she is "free born" and the daughter of Mary Jones, register no. 548. The paper gives a detailed physical description of Cordelia, including her height and scars. The papers are signed and sealed by Charles Binns, the Clerk of the Court.
Arrangement
This is a single item collection.
Related Material
The Loudoun County Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains indexes of records naming free Black people before 1865, as well as indexes of records indexes of records associated with enslaved people before 1865.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- African Americans -- Virginia
- Free African Americans
- Jones, Cordelia
- Loudoun County (Va.)
- Virginia. Circuit Court (Loudoun County)
Bibliography
Hill, Robert. "Explore the Newly Discovered Papers." In "The Freedom Papers," part of "Free at Last? Slavery in Pittsburgh in the 18th and 19th Centuries." University Library System, University of Pittsburgh, 2009. http://exhibit.library.pitt.edu/freeatlast/papers_listing.html Souders, Bronwen, "Enslavement, Freedom, and the Courthouse(1757-1861)." In "The History of the Loudoun County Courthouse and Its Role in the Path to Freedom, Justice, and Racial Equality in Loudoun County," 14-21. Loudoun County Heritage Commission, March 1, 2019. https://www.loudoun.gov/DocumentCenter/View/151802/Heritage-Commission-Report-Final?bidId=
Significant Persons Associated With the Collection
- Binns, Charles, 1763-1837
- Jones, Cordelia