{"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Baccess_subjects%5D%5B%5D=African+Americans+--+Virginia.\u0026f%5Brepository%5D%5B%5D=Library+of+Virginia\u0026page=2","prev":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Baccess_subjects%5D%5B%5D=African+Americans+--+Virginia.\u0026f%5Brepository%5D%5B%5D=Library+of+Virginia\u0026page=1","last":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Baccess_subjects%5D%5B%5D=African+Americans+--+Virginia.\u0026f%5Brepository%5D%5B%5D=Library+of+Virginia\u0026page=2"},"meta":{"pages":{"current_page":2,"next_page":null,"prev_page":1,"total_pages":2,"limit_value":10,"offset_value":10,"total_count":20,"first_page?":false,"last_page?":true}},"data":[{"id":"vi_vi04763","type":"collection","attributes":{"title":"Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1795-1825","creator":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04763#creator","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"Louisa County (Va.) Circuit Court\n","label":"Creator"}},"abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04763#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eLouisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1795-1825, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners. \u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04763#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"id":"vi_vi04763","ead_ssi":"vi_vi04763","_root_":"vi_vi04763","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi04763","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi04763.xml","title_ssm":["Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1795-1825"],"title_tesim":["Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1795-1825"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007532871\n"],"text":["0007532871\n","Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1795-1825","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Louisa County.",".10 cu. ft.","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Louisa County was named for Louisa, a daughter of King George II and wife of King Frederick V of Denmark. It was formed from Hanover County in 1742. The county seat is Louisa.\n","Additional Louisa County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Louisa 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 freedom suits may be found in the Louisa County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1795-1825, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Louisa County (Va.) Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007532871\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1795-1825"],"collection_title_tesim":["Louisa County (Va.) 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Circuit Court\n"],"acqinfo_ssim":["These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Louisa County.\n"],"access_subjects_ssim":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Louisa County."],"access_subjects_ssm":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Louisa County."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"physdesc_tesim":[".10 cu. ft."],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSlaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLouisa County was named for Louisa, a daughter of King George II and wife of King Frederick V of Denmark. It was formed from Hanover County in 1742. The county seat is Louisa.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Louisa County was named for Louisa, a daughter of King George II and wife of King Frederick V of Denmark. It was formed from Hanover County in 1742. The county seat is Louisa.\n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eLouisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1795-1825. Local government records collection, Louisa County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1795-1825. Local government records collection, Louisa County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Louisa County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Louisa County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA157\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Louisa County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Louisa County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Louisa 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 freedom suits may be found in the Louisa County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eLouisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1795-1825, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1795-1825, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Louisa County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Louisa County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":4,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T09:11:04.985Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vi_vi04763","ead_ssi":"vi_vi04763","_root_":"vi_vi04763","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi04763","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi04763.xml","title_ssm":["Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1795-1825"],"title_tesim":["Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1795-1825"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007532871\n"],"text":["0007532871\n","Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1795-1825","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Louisa County.",".10 cu. ft.","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Louisa County was named for Louisa, a daughter of King George II and wife of King Frederick V of Denmark. It was formed from Hanover County in 1742. The county seat is Louisa.\n","Additional Louisa County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Louisa 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 freedom suits may be found in the Louisa County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1795-1825, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Louisa County (Va.) Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007532871\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1795-1825"],"collection_title_tesim":["Louisa County (Va.) 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Circuit Court\n"],"acqinfo_ssim":["These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Louisa County.\n"],"access_subjects_ssim":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Louisa County."],"access_subjects_ssm":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Louisa County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Louisa County."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"physdesc_tesim":[".10 cu. ft."],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSlaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLouisa County was named for Louisa, a daughter of King George II and wife of King Frederick V of Denmark. It was formed from Hanover County in 1742. The county seat is Louisa.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Louisa County was named for Louisa, a daughter of King George II and wife of King Frederick V of Denmark. It was formed from Hanover County in 1742. The county seat is Louisa.\n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eLouisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1795-1825. Local government records collection, Louisa County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1795-1825. Local government records collection, Louisa County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Louisa County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Louisa County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA157\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Louisa County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Louisa County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Louisa 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 freedom suits may be found in the Louisa County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eLouisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1795-1825, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Louisa County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1795-1825, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Louisa County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Louisa County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":4,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T09:11:04.985Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04763"}},{"id":"vi_vi04766","type":"collection","attributes":{"title":"Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1723-1845","creator":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04766#creator","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"Northampton County (Va.) Circuit Court\n","label":"Creator"}},"abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04766#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eNorthampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1723-1845, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners. \u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04766#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"id":"vi_vi04766","ead_ssi":"vi_vi04766","_root_":"vi_vi04766","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi04766","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi04766.xml","title_ssm":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1723-1845"],"title_tesim":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1723-1845"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007532874\n"],"text":["0007532874\n","Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1723-1845","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Northampton County.",".25 cu. ft.","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Northampton County was named probably for the English county, of which Obedience Robins, a prominent early resident of the Eastern Shore, was a native. The county, which originally included all of the peninsula south of Maryland and which was one of the eight shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634, was first called Accomack. The General Assembly changed the name to Northampton County in 1643. Accomack County was created from Northampton County about 1663, but in October 1670, the General Assembly temporarily reunited the two counties as Northampton County. In November 1673, Accomack County was again separated from Northampton. The county seat is Eastville. \n","Additional Northampton County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Northampton 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 freedom suits may be found in the Northampton County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1723-1845, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Northampton County (Va.) Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007532874\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1723-1845"],"collection_title_tesim":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1723-1845"],"collection_ssim":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1723-1845"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Northampton County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"creator_ssim":["Northampton County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"acqinfo_ssim":["These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Northampton County.\n"],"access_subjects_ssim":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Northampton County."],"access_subjects_ssm":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Northampton County."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"physdesc_tesim":[".25 cu. ft."],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSlaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNorthampton County was named probably for the English county, of which Obedience Robins, a prominent early resident of the Eastern Shore, was a native. The county, which originally included all of the peninsula south of Maryland and which was one of the eight shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634, was first called Accomack. The General Assembly changed the name to Northampton County in 1643. Accomack County was created from Northampton County about 1663, but in October 1670, the General Assembly temporarily reunited the two counties as Northampton County. In November 1673, Accomack County was again separated from Northampton. The county seat is Eastville. \n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Northampton County was named probably for the English county, of which Obedience Robins, a prominent early resident of the Eastern Shore, was a native. The county, which originally included all of the peninsula south of Maryland and which was one of the eight shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634, was first called Accomack. The General Assembly changed the name to Northampton County in 1643. Accomack County was created from Northampton County about 1663, but in October 1670, the General Assembly temporarily reunited the two counties as Northampton County. In November 1673, Accomack County was again separated from Northampton. The county seat is Eastville. \n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNorthampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1723-1845. Local government records collection, Northampton County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1723-1845. Local government records collection, Northampton County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Northampton County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Northampton County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA197\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Northampton County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Northampton County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Northampton 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 freedom suits may be found in the Northampton County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNorthampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1723-1845, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1723-1845, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Northampton County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Northampton County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":0,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T10:33:48.010Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vi_vi04766","ead_ssi":"vi_vi04766","_root_":"vi_vi04766","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi04766","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi04766.xml","title_ssm":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1723-1845"],"title_tesim":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1723-1845"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007532874\n"],"text":["0007532874\n","Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1723-1845","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Northampton County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Northampton County.",".25 cu. ft.","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Northampton County was named probably for the English county, of which Obedience Robins, a prominent early resident of the Eastern Shore, was a native. The county, which originally included all of the peninsula south of Maryland and which was one of the eight shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634, was first called Accomack. The General Assembly changed the name to Northampton County in 1643. Accomack County was created from Northampton County about 1663, but in October 1670, the General Assembly temporarily reunited the two counties as Northampton County. In November 1673, Accomack County was again separated from Northampton. The county seat is Eastville. \n","Additional Northampton County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Northampton 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 freedom suits may be found in the Northampton County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1723-1845, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Northampton County (Va.) Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007532874\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1723-1845"],"collection_title_tesim":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1723-1845"],"collection_ssim":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1723-1845"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Northampton County (Va.) 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The county, which originally included all of the peninsula south of Maryland and which was one of the eight shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634, was first called Accomack. The General Assembly changed the name to Northampton County in 1643. Accomack County was created from Northampton County about 1663, but in October 1670, the General Assembly temporarily reunited the two counties as Northampton County. In November 1673, Accomack County was again separated from Northampton. The county seat is Eastville. \n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Northampton County was named probably for the English county, of which Obedience Robins, a prominent early resident of the Eastern Shore, was a native. The county, which originally included all of the peninsula south of Maryland and which was one of the eight shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634, was first called Accomack. The General Assembly changed the name to Northampton County in 1643. Accomack County was created from Northampton County about 1663, but in October 1670, the General Assembly temporarily reunited the two counties as Northampton County. In November 1673, Accomack County was again separated from Northampton. The county seat is Eastville. \n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNorthampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1723-1845. Local government records collection, Northampton County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1723-1845. Local government records collection, Northampton County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Northampton County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Northampton County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA197\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Northampton County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Northampton County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Northampton 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 freedom suits may be found in the Northampton County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNorthampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1723-1845, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Northampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1723-1845, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Northampton County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Northampton County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":0,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T10:33:48.010Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04766"}},{"id":"vi_vi04765","type":"collection","attributes":{"title":"Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1799, 1816","creator":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04765#creator","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"Northumberland County (Va.) Circuit Court\n","label":"Creator"}},"abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04765#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eNorthumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1799, 1816, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners. \u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04765#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"id":"vi_vi04765","ead_ssi":"vi_vi04765","_root_":"vi_vi04765","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi04765","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi04765.xml","title_ssm":["Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1799, 1816"],"title_tesim":["Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1799, 1816"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007532873\n"],"text":["0007532873\n","Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1799, 1816","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.",".10 cu. ft.","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Northumberland County was named probably for the English county. It was formed about 1645 from the district of Chickacoan, the early-seventeenth-century name for the region between the Potomac and the Rappahannock Rivers. The date of the county's formation is conjectural because the act of assembly creating it is no longer extant, but internal evidence shows that the county was functioning in 1645. The county seat is Heathsville. \n","Additional Northumberland County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Northumberland 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 freedom suits may be found in the Northumberland County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1799, 1816, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Northumberland County (Va.) Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007532873\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1799, 1816"],"collection_title_tesim":["Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1799, 1816"],"collection_ssim":["Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1799, 1816"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Northumberland County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"creator_ssim":["Northumberland County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"acqinfo_ssim":["These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Northumberland County.\n"],"access_subjects_ssim":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Northumberland County."],"access_subjects_ssm":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Northumberland County."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"physdesc_tesim":[".10 cu. ft."],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSlaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNorthumberland County was named probably for the English county. It was formed about 1645 from the district of Chickacoan, the early-seventeenth-century name for the region between the Potomac and the Rappahannock Rivers. The date of the county's formation is conjectural because the act of assembly creating it is no longer extant, but internal evidence shows that the county was functioning in 1645. The county seat is Heathsville. \n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Northumberland County was named probably for the English county. It was formed about 1645 from the district of Chickacoan, the early-seventeenth-century name for the region between the Potomac and the Rappahannock Rivers. The date of the county's formation is conjectural because the act of assembly creating it is no longer extant, but internal evidence shows that the county was functioning in 1645. The county seat is Heathsville. \n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNorthumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1799, 1816. Local government records collection, Northumberland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1799, 1816. Local government records collection, Northumberland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Northumberland County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Northumberland County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA199\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Northumberland County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Northumberland County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Northumberland 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 freedom suits may be found in the Northumberland County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNorthumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1799, 1816, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. 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Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Northumberland County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Northumberland County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":2,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T08:56:50.963Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vi_vi04765","ead_ssi":"vi_vi04765","_root_":"vi_vi04765","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi04765","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi04765.xml","title_ssm":["Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1799, 1816"],"title_tesim":["Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1799, 1816"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007532873\n"],"text":["0007532873\n","Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1799, 1816","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Northumberland County.",".10 cu. ft.","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Northumberland County was named probably for the English county. It was formed about 1645 from the district of Chickacoan, the early-seventeenth-century name for the region between the Potomac and the Rappahannock Rivers. The date of the county's formation is conjectural because the act of assembly creating it is no longer extant, but internal evidence shows that the county was functioning in 1645. The county seat is Heathsville. \n","Additional Northumberland County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Northumberland 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 freedom suits may be found in the Northumberland County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1799, 1816, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Northumberland County (Va.) Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007532873\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1799, 1816"],"collection_title_tesim":["Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1799, 1816"],"collection_ssim":["Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1799, 1816"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Northumberland County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"creator_ssim":["Northumberland County (Va.) 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It was formed about 1645 from the district of Chickacoan, the early-seventeenth-century name for the region between the Potomac and the Rappahannock Rivers. The date of the county's formation is conjectural because the act of assembly creating it is no longer extant, but internal evidence shows that the county was functioning in 1645. The county seat is Heathsville. \n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Northumberland County was named probably for the English county. It was formed about 1645 from the district of Chickacoan, the early-seventeenth-century name for the region between the Potomac and the Rappahannock Rivers. The date of the county's formation is conjectural because the act of assembly creating it is no longer extant, but internal evidence shows that the county was functioning in 1645. The county seat is Heathsville. \n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNorthumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1799, 1816. Local government records collection, Northumberland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1799, 1816. Local government records collection, Northumberland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Northumberland County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Northumberland County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA199\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Northumberland County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Northumberland County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Northumberland 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 freedom suits may be found in the Northumberland County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNorthumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1799, 1816, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Northumberland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1799, 1816, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. 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Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners. \u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04757#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"id":"vi_vi04757","ead_ssi":"vi_vi04757","_root_":"vi_vi04757","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi04757","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi04757.xml","title_ssm":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1824-1852"],"title_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1824-1852"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007520827\n"],"text":["0007520827\n","Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1824-1852","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Wills -- Virginia -- Petersburg.",".15 cu. ft.","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Petersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield Counties. A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established there in 1645 on the site of the Indian town Appamattuck. The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd (1674-1744), honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry. Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784. In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg. It was incorporated as a city in 1850.\n","Additional city of Petersburg Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Petersburg Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  See  A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm","Additional freedom suits may be found in the Petersburg Chancery Causes. Consult  \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"","Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1824-1852, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007520827\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1824-1852"],"collection_title_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1824-1852"],"collection_ssim":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1824-1852"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"creator_ssim":["Petersburg (Va.) 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A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established there in 1645 on the site of the Indian town Appamattuck. The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd (1674-1744), honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry. Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784. In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg. It was incorporated as a city in 1850.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Petersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield Counties. A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established there in 1645 on the site of the Indian town Appamattuck. The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd (1674-1744), honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry. Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784. In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg. It was incorporated as a city in 1850.\n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePetersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1824-1852. Local government records collection, Petersburg (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1824-1852. Local government records collection, Petersburg (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional city of Petersburg Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Petersburg Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  See \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/local_rec/index.htm\"\u003eA Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Petersburg Chancery Causes. Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA730\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional city of Petersburg Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Petersburg Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  See  A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm","Additional freedom suits may be found in the Petersburg Chancery Causes. Consult  \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\""],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePetersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1824-1852, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1824-1852, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":4,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T10:39:24.719Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vi_vi04757","ead_ssi":"vi_vi04757","_root_":"vi_vi04757","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi04757","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi04757.xml","title_ssm":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1824-1852"],"title_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1824-1852"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007520827\n"],"text":["0007520827\n","Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1824-1852","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Wills -- Virginia -- Petersburg.",".15 cu. ft.","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Petersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield Counties. A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established there in 1645 on the site of the Indian town Appamattuck. The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd (1674-1744), honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry. Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784. In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg. It was incorporated as a city in 1850.\n","Additional city of Petersburg Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Petersburg Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  See  A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm","Additional freedom suits may be found in the Petersburg Chancery Causes. Consult  \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"","Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1824-1852, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007520827\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1824-1852"],"collection_title_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1824-1852"],"collection_ssim":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1824-1852"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"creator_ssim":["Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"acqinfo_ssim":["These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from the Circuit Court of Petersburg.\n"],"access_subjects_ssim":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Wills -- Virginia -- Petersburg."],"access_subjects_ssm":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Petersburg.","Wills -- Virginia -- Petersburg."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"physdesc_tesim":[".15 cu. ft."],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSlaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePetersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield Counties. A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established there in 1645 on the site of the Indian town Appamattuck. The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd (1674-1744), honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry. Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784. In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg. It was incorporated as a city in 1850.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Petersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield Counties. A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established there in 1645 on the site of the Indian town Appamattuck. The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd (1674-1744), honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry. Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784. In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg. It was incorporated as a city in 1850.\n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePetersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1824-1852. Local government records collection, Petersburg (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1824-1852. Local government records collection, Petersburg (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional city of Petersburg Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Petersburg Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  See \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/local_rec/index.htm\"\u003eA Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Petersburg Chancery Causes. Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA730\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional city of Petersburg Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Petersburg Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  See  A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm","Additional freedom suits may be found in the Petersburg Chancery Causes. Consult  \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\""],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePetersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1824-1852, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Petersburg (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1824-1852, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":4,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T10:39:24.719Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04757"}},{"id":"vi_vi03291","type":"collection","attributes":{"title":"Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1807-1844","creator":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi03291#creator","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"Powhatan County (Va.) Circuit Court\n","label":"Creator"}},"abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi03291#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003ePowhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1807-1844, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners. \u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi03291#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"id":"vi_vi03291","ead_ssi":"vi_vi03291","_root_":"vi_vi03291","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi03291","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi03291.xml","title_ssm":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1807-1844"],"title_tesim":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1807-1844"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007283660\n"],"text":["0007283660\n","Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1807-1844","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.",".45 cu. ft. (1 box)","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Powhatan County was named for the paramount chief of the Powhatan Indians in the tidewater of Virginia in the late sixteenth and early years of the seventeenth century. It was formed from Cumberland County in 1777, and part of Chesterfield County was added in 1850. The county seat is Powhatan.\n","Additional Powhatan County Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia. The collection is unprocessed.\n","Additional Powhatan 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 freedom suits may be found in the Powhatan County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1807-1844, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Powhatan County (Va.). Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007283660\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1807-1844"],"collection_title_tesim":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1807-1844"],"collection_ssim":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1807-1844"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Powhatan County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"creator_ssim":["Powhatan County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"acqinfo_ssim":["These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Powhatan County under the accession numbers 41545 and 41547.\n"],"access_subjects_ssim":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Powhatan County."],"access_subjects_ssm":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Powhatan County."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"physdesc_tesim":[".45 cu. ft. (1 box)"],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSlaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePowhatan County was named for the paramount chief of the Powhatan Indians in the tidewater of Virginia in the late sixteenth and early years of the seventeenth century. It was formed from Cumberland County in 1777, and part of Chesterfield County was added in 1850. The county seat is Powhatan.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Powhatan County was named for the paramount chief of the Powhatan Indians in the tidewater of Virginia in the late sixteenth and early years of the seventeenth century. It was formed from Cumberland County in 1777, and part of Chesterfield County was added in 1850. The county seat is Powhatan.\n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePowhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1807-1844. Local government records collection, Powhatan County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1807-1844. Local government records collection, Powhatan County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Powhatan County Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia. The collection is unprocessed.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Powhatan County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA219\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Powhatan County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Powhatan County Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia. The collection is unprocessed.\n","Additional Powhatan 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 freedom suits may be found in the Powhatan County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePowhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1807-1844, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1807-1844, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Powhatan County (Va.). Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Powhatan County (Va.). Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":13,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T10:55:17.474Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vi_vi03291","ead_ssi":"vi_vi03291","_root_":"vi_vi03291","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi03291","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi03291.xml","title_ssm":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1807-1844"],"title_tesim":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1807-1844"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007283660\n"],"text":["0007283660\n","Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1807-1844","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.",".45 cu. ft. (1 box)","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Powhatan County was named for the paramount chief of the Powhatan Indians in the tidewater of Virginia in the late sixteenth and early years of the seventeenth century. It was formed from Cumberland County in 1777, and part of Chesterfield County was added in 1850. The county seat is Powhatan.\n","Additional Powhatan County Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia. The collection is unprocessed.\n","Additional Powhatan 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 freedom suits may be found in the Powhatan County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1807-1844, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Powhatan County (Va.). Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007283660\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1807-1844"],"collection_title_tesim":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1807-1844"],"collection_ssim":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1807-1844"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Powhatan County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"creator_ssim":["Powhatan County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"acqinfo_ssim":["These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Powhatan County under the accession numbers 41545 and 41547.\n"],"access_subjects_ssim":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Powhatan County."],"access_subjects_ssm":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Powhatan County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Powhatan County."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"physdesc_tesim":[".45 cu. ft. (1 box)"],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSlaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePowhatan County was named for the paramount chief of the Powhatan Indians in the tidewater of Virginia in the late sixteenth and early years of the seventeenth century. It was formed from Cumberland County in 1777, and part of Chesterfield County was added in 1850. The county seat is Powhatan.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Powhatan County was named for the paramount chief of the Powhatan Indians in the tidewater of Virginia in the late sixteenth and early years of the seventeenth century. It was formed from Cumberland County in 1777, and part of Chesterfield County was added in 1850. The county seat is Powhatan.\n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePowhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1807-1844. Local government records collection, Powhatan County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1807-1844. Local government records collection, Powhatan County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Powhatan County Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia. The collection is unprocessed.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Powhatan County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA219\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Powhatan County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Powhatan County Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia. The collection is unprocessed.\n","Additional Powhatan 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 freedom suits may be found in the Powhatan County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003ePowhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1807-1844, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Powhatan County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1807-1844, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners identified in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Powhatan County (Va.). Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Powhatan County (Va.). Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":13,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T10:55:17.474Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi03291"}},{"id":"vi_vi03629","type":"collection","attributes":{"title":"Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, \n1822-1846","creator":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi03629#creator","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"Rockbridge County (Va.) Circuit Court\n","label":"Creator"}},"abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi03629#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eRockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, 1822-1846, consist of one civil suit and two commonwealth causes. \u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi03629#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"id":"vi_vi03629","ead_ssi":"vi_vi03629","_root_":"vi_vi03629","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi03629","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi03629.xml","title_ssm":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, \n1822-1846"],"title_tesim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, \n1822-1846"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007348619\n"],"text":["0007348619\n","Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, \n1822-1846","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Fugitive slaves -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Criminal court records -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.",".15 cu. ft. (1 box)","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Rockbridge County was named for Natural Bridge, an exceptional rock formation located in the county. The county was formed from Augusta and Botetourt Counties in 1778, and another part of Botetourt was added in 1888. The county seat is the city of Lexington.\n","Additional Rockbridge County Judgments and Commonwealth Causes are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Rockbridge County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult  \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"","Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, 1822-1846, consist of one civil suit and two commonwealth causes.\n","Commonwealth versus Trustees of Washington College, 1822 August, includes information, bill of exceptions, subpoenas and other documents. The trustees were accused and found guilty of harboring a slave named Tamer, the property of Robert Douthat, without his consent and to the great detriment and annoyance of people in the neighborhood. The trustees were fined three dollars.\n","Commonwealth versus Polly Watkins (alias Dolly Freeman), 1827 April, includes two indictments, copy of record, recognizance, subpoenas, list of jurors, and other documents. Watkins was indicted for harboring a runaway slave named Rachel, the property of Christianna Holmes, and for feloniously carrying the same slave from Rockbridge County to Botetourt County. The copy of record includes depostions from witnesses on behalf of the Commonwealth, including the slave Rachel, who testified to how Watkins transported the slave to Boteourt County. She forged free papers for the slave and passed her off as a family member. Watkins was found not guilty for feloniously carrying the slave from Rockbridge County to Botetourt County, but was found guilty of harboring a slave. Watkins was fined ten dollars, but if she was unable to pay the fine, she was to be punished with ten lashes on her bare back at the public whipping post.\n","Peter Jordan vs. Thomas Gardner, 1846 September, was a civil suit in which Jordan sued Gardner for damages from an assault and battery. Gardner asked the court to dismiss the suit because Jordan was a slave and under the laws of Virginia could not sue a white man. The court ruled against Gardner and allowed the suit to continue. The suit originated out of a previous civil suit in which Gardner sued Jordan for slander and assault and battery. Jordan was found guilty and sentenced to ten lashes. \n","Court Records are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Rockbridge County (Va.) Circuit Court.","Washington and Lee University.","Rockbridge County (Va.) Superior Court of Law.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007348619\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, \n1822-1846"],"collection_title_tesim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) 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(1 box)"],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockbridge County was named for Natural Bridge, an exceptional rock formation located in the county. The county was formed from Augusta and Botetourt Counties in 1778, and another part of Botetourt was added in 1888. The county seat is the city of Lexington.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Rockbridge County was named for Natural Bridge, an exceptional rock formation located in the county. The county was formed from Augusta and Botetourt Counties in 1778, and another part of Botetourt was added in 1888. The county seat is the city of Lexington.\n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, 1822-1846. Local government records collection, Rockbridge County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, 1822-1846. Local government records collection, Rockbridge County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Rockbridge County Judgments and Commonwealth Causes are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Rockbridge County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA249\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Rockbridge County Judgments and Commonwealth Causes are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Rockbridge County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult  \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\""],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, 1822-1846, consist of one civil suit and two commonwealth causes.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCommonwealth versus Trustees of Washington College, 1822 August, includes information, bill of exceptions, subpoenas and other documents. The trustees were accused and found guilty of harboring a slave named Tamer, the property of Robert Douthat, without his consent and to the great detriment and annoyance of people in the neighborhood. The trustees were fined three dollars.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCommonwealth versus Polly Watkins (alias Dolly Freeman), 1827 April, includes two indictments, copy of record, recognizance, subpoenas, list of jurors, and other documents. Watkins was indicted for harboring a runaway slave named Rachel, the property of Christianna Holmes, and for feloniously carrying the same slave from Rockbridge County to Botetourt County. The copy of record includes depostions from witnesses on behalf of the Commonwealth, including the slave Rachel, who testified to how Watkins transported the slave to Boteourt County. She forged free papers for the slave and passed her off as a family member. Watkins was found not guilty for feloniously carrying the slave from Rockbridge County to Botetourt County, but was found guilty of harboring a slave. Watkins was fined ten dollars, but if she was unable to pay the fine, she was to be punished with ten lashes on her bare back at the public whipping post.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePeter Jordan vs. Thomas Gardner, 1846 September, was a civil suit in which Jordan sued Gardner for damages from an assault and battery. Gardner asked the court to dismiss the suit because Jordan was a slave and under the laws of Virginia could not sue a white man. The court ruled against Gardner and allowed the suit to continue. The suit originated out of a previous civil suit in which Gardner sued Jordan for slander and assault and battery. Jordan was found guilty and sentenced to ten lashes. \n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCourt Records are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, 1822-1846, consist of one civil suit and two commonwealth causes.\n","Commonwealth versus Trustees of Washington College, 1822 August, includes information, bill of exceptions, subpoenas and other documents. The trustees were accused and found guilty of harboring a slave named Tamer, the property of Robert Douthat, without his consent and to the great detriment and annoyance of people in the neighborhood. The trustees were fined three dollars.\n","Commonwealth versus Polly Watkins (alias Dolly Freeman), 1827 April, includes two indictments, copy of record, recognizance, subpoenas, list of jurors, and other documents. Watkins was indicted for harboring a runaway slave named Rachel, the property of Christianna Holmes, and for feloniously carrying the same slave from Rockbridge County to Botetourt County. The copy of record includes depostions from witnesses on behalf of the Commonwealth, including the slave Rachel, who testified to how Watkins transported the slave to Boteourt County. She forged free papers for the slave and passed her off as a family member. Watkins was found not guilty for feloniously carrying the slave from Rockbridge County to Botetourt County, but was found guilty of harboring a slave. Watkins was fined ten dollars, but if she was unable to pay the fine, she was to be punished with ten lashes on her bare back at the public whipping post.\n","Peter Jordan vs. Thomas Gardner, 1846 September, was a civil suit in which Jordan sued Gardner for damages from an assault and battery. Gardner asked the court to dismiss the suit because Jordan was a slave and under the laws of Virginia could not sue a white man. The court ruled against Gardner and allowed the suit to continue. The suit originated out of a previous civil suit in which Gardner sued Jordan for slander and assault and battery. Jordan was found guilty and sentenced to ten lashes. \n","Court Records are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Circuit Court.","Washington and Lee University.","Rockbridge County (Va.) Superior Court of Law."],"corpname_ssim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Circuit Court.","Washington and Lee University.","Rockbridge County (Va.) Superior Court of Law."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":0,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T09:12:42.120Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vi_vi03629","ead_ssi":"vi_vi03629","_root_":"vi_vi03629","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi03629","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi03629.xml","title_ssm":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, \n1822-1846"],"title_tesim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, \n1822-1846"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007348619\n"],"text":["0007348619\n","Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, \n1822-1846","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Fugitive slaves -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Criminal court records -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Rockbridge County.",".15 cu. ft. (1 box)","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Rockbridge County was named for Natural Bridge, an exceptional rock formation located in the county. The county was formed from Augusta and Botetourt Counties in 1778, and another part of Botetourt was added in 1888. The county seat is the city of Lexington.\n","Additional Rockbridge County Judgments and Commonwealth Causes are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Rockbridge County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult  \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"","Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, 1822-1846, consist of one civil suit and two commonwealth causes.\n","Commonwealth versus Trustees of Washington College, 1822 August, includes information, bill of exceptions, subpoenas and other documents. The trustees were accused and found guilty of harboring a slave named Tamer, the property of Robert Douthat, without his consent and to the great detriment and annoyance of people in the neighborhood. The trustees were fined three dollars.\n","Commonwealth versus Polly Watkins (alias Dolly Freeman), 1827 April, includes two indictments, copy of record, recognizance, subpoenas, list of jurors, and other documents. Watkins was indicted for harboring a runaway slave named Rachel, the property of Christianna Holmes, and for feloniously carrying the same slave from Rockbridge County to Botetourt County. The copy of record includes depostions from witnesses on behalf of the Commonwealth, including the slave Rachel, who testified to how Watkins transported the slave to Boteourt County. She forged free papers for the slave and passed her off as a family member. Watkins was found not guilty for feloniously carrying the slave from Rockbridge County to Botetourt County, but was found guilty of harboring a slave. Watkins was fined ten dollars, but if she was unable to pay the fine, she was to be punished with ten lashes on her bare back at the public whipping post.\n","Peter Jordan vs. Thomas Gardner, 1846 September, was a civil suit in which Jordan sued Gardner for damages from an assault and battery. Gardner asked the court to dismiss the suit because Jordan was a slave and under the laws of Virginia could not sue a white man. The court ruled against Gardner and allowed the suit to continue. The suit originated out of a previous civil suit in which Gardner sued Jordan for slander and assault and battery. Jordan was found guilty and sentenced to ten lashes. \n","Court Records are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Rockbridge County (Va.) Circuit Court.","Washington and Lee University.","Rockbridge County (Va.) Superior Court of Law.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007348619\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, \n1822-1846"],"collection_title_tesim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) 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(1 box)"],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockbridge County was named for Natural Bridge, an exceptional rock formation located in the county. The county was formed from Augusta and Botetourt Counties in 1778, and another part of Botetourt was added in 1888. The county seat is the city of Lexington.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Rockbridge County was named for Natural Bridge, an exceptional rock formation located in the county. The county was formed from Augusta and Botetourt Counties in 1778, and another part of Botetourt was added in 1888. The county seat is the city of Lexington.\n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, 1822-1846. Local government records collection, Rockbridge County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, 1822-1846. Local government records collection, Rockbridge County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Rockbridge County Judgments and Commonwealth Causes are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Rockbridge County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA249\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Rockbridge County Judgments and Commonwealth Causes are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Rockbridge County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult  \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\""],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, 1822-1846, consist of one civil suit and two commonwealth causes.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCommonwealth versus Trustees of Washington College, 1822 August, includes information, bill of exceptions, subpoenas and other documents. 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Watkins was found not guilty for feloniously carrying the slave from Rockbridge County to Botetourt County, but was found guilty of harboring a slave. Watkins was fined ten dollars, but if she was unable to pay the fine, she was to be punished with ten lashes on her bare back at the public whipping post.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePeter Jordan vs. Thomas Gardner, 1846 September, was a civil suit in which Jordan sued Gardner for damages from an assault and battery. Gardner asked the court to dismiss the suit because Jordan was a slave and under the laws of Virginia could not sue a white man. The court ruled against Gardner and allowed the suit to continue. The suit originated out of a previous civil suit in which Gardner sued Jordan for slander and assault and battery. Jordan was found guilty and sentenced to ten lashes. \n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCourt Records are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Court Records, 1822-1846, consist of one civil suit and two commonwealth causes.\n","Commonwealth versus Trustees of Washington College, 1822 August, includes information, bill of exceptions, subpoenas and other documents. The trustees were accused and found guilty of harboring a slave named Tamer, the property of Robert Douthat, without his consent and to the great detriment and annoyance of people in the neighborhood. The trustees were fined three dollars.\n","Commonwealth versus Polly Watkins (alias Dolly Freeman), 1827 April, includes two indictments, copy of record, recognizance, subpoenas, list of jurors, and other documents. Watkins was indicted for harboring a runaway slave named Rachel, the property of Christianna Holmes, and for feloniously carrying the same slave from Rockbridge County to Botetourt County. The copy of record includes depostions from witnesses on behalf of the Commonwealth, including the slave Rachel, who testified to how Watkins transported the slave to Boteourt County. She forged free papers for the slave and passed her off as a family member. Watkins was found not guilty for feloniously carrying the slave from Rockbridge County to Botetourt County, but was found guilty of harboring a slave. Watkins was fined ten dollars, but if she was unable to pay the fine, she was to be punished with ten lashes on her bare back at the public whipping post.\n","Peter Jordan vs. Thomas Gardner, 1846 September, was a civil suit in which Jordan sued Gardner for damages from an assault and battery. Gardner asked the court to dismiss the suit because Jordan was a slave and under the laws of Virginia could not sue a white man. The court ruled against Gardner and allowed the suit to continue. The suit originated out of a previous civil suit in which Gardner sued Jordan for slander and assault and battery. Jordan was found guilty and sentenced to ten lashes. \n","Court Records are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Circuit Court.","Washington and Lee University.","Rockbridge County (Va.) Superior Court of Law."],"corpname_ssim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Circuit Court.","Washington and Lee University.","Rockbridge County (Va.) 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Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners. \u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi03628#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"id":"vi_vi03628","ead_ssi":"vi_vi03628","_root_":"vi_vi03628","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi03628","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi03628.xml","title_ssm":["Rockbridge County (Va.) 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(1 box)","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Rockbridge County was named for Natural Bridge, an exceptional rock formation located in the county. The county was formed from Augusta and Botetourt Counties in 1778, and another part of Botetourt was added in 1888. The county seat is the city of Lexington.\n","Additional Rockbridge County Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Rockbridge County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult  \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"","Rockbridge County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1809-1854, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. 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The county seat is the city of Lexington.\n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockbridge County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1809-1854. Local government records collection, Rockbridge County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1809-1854. Local government records collection, Rockbridge County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Rockbridge County Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Rockbridge County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA249\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Rockbridge County Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Rockbridge County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult  \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\""],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockbridge County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1809-1854, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. 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Consult  \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"","Rockbridge County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1809-1854, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. 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(1 box)"],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSlaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRockbridge County was named for Natural Bridge, an exceptional rock formation located in the county. The county was formed from Augusta and Botetourt Counties in 1778, and another part of Botetourt was added in 1888. The county seat is the city of Lexington.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Rockbridge County was named for Natural Bridge, an exceptional rock formation located in the county. The county was formed from Augusta and Botetourt Counties in 1778, and another part of Botetourt was added in 1888. The county seat is the city of Lexington.\n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockbridge County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1809-1854. Local government records collection, Rockbridge County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1809-1854. Local government records collection, Rockbridge County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Rockbridge County Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Rockbridge County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA249\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Rockbridge County Judgments are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Rockbridge County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult  \"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\""],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockbridge County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1809-1854, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1809-1854, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Circuit Court.","Rockbridge County (Va.) Superior Court of Law."],"corpname_ssim":["Rockbridge County (Va.) Circuit Court.","Rockbridge County (Va.) Superior Court of Law."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":15,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T10:00:22.553Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi03628"}},{"id":"vi_vi04768","type":"collection","attributes":{"title":"Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1811, 1859","creator":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04768#creator","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court\n","label":"Creator"}},"abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04768#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eRockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1811, 1859, consist of two suits for freedom initiated by slaves.\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04768#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"id":"vi_vi04768","ead_ssi":"vi_vi04768","_root_":"vi_vi04768","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi04768","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi04768.xml","title_ssm":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1811, 1859"],"title_tesim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1811, 1859"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007534434\n"],"text":["0007534434\n","Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1811, 1859","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.",".10 cu. ft.","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Rockingham County was named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, second marquis of Rockingham, who supported the colonies during the years before and during the Revolutionary War. The county was formed from Augusta County in 1778. The county seat is the city of Harrisonburg.\n","A courthouse fire in 1787 destroyed primarily wills and estate records. In June 1864 during the Civil War, court records (mostly volumes) were removed from the courthouse and loaded on a wagon to be taken to place of safety on or beyond the Blue Ridge. The wagon was overtaken by Union troops near Port Republic and set afire, which was put out by local citizens. Many order books, deed books, will books, and fiduciary books, however, were lost or severely damaged by the fire. The loose records that remained at the courthouse were undamaged. Pre-1865 records including deeds and wills were rerecorded following an act of assembly passed in November 1884.","Additional Rockingham County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Rockingham 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 freedom suits may be found in the Rockingham County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Rockingham County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Rockingham County Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the  Lost Records Localities Digital Collection  available at Virginia Memory.\n","For more information and a listing of lost records localities see  Lost Records research note . \n","Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1811, 1859, consist of two suits for freedom initiated by slaves.","Gracy and her children Dennis, Ben, Rebecca Ann, Jeff, Jacob, Charity Ann, Maria Jane, Diana, and William Henry who sought to gain their freedom from the Executor of James Fulton on the law side of the court. The slaves' argument for freedom was based on the fact that they were descendants of a free woman of color, Nancy Holley. The jury of the circuit court of Rockingham County supported the slaves' claim to their freedom. The defendant appealed the decision to the Virginia Court of Appeals which affirmed the circuit court's decision in 1859.","The case is identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Writ of habeas corpus initiated by John Holeman in 1811 claiming to be illegally detained in jail as a runaway slave. Holeman claimed to be a free person because he was the child of a free woman named Dina.","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007534434\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1811, 1859"],"collection_title_tesim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1811, 1859"],"collection_ssim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1811, 1859"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"creator_ssim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"acqinfo_ssim":["These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Rockingham County.\n"],"access_subjects_ssim":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Rockingham County."],"access_subjects_ssm":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Rockingham County."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"physdesc_tesim":[".10 cu. ft."],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSlaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRockingham County was named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, second marquis of Rockingham, who supported the colonies during the years before and during the Revolutionary War. The county was formed from Augusta County in 1778. The county seat is the city of Harrisonburg.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eA courthouse fire in 1787 destroyed primarily wills and estate records. In June 1864 during the Civil War, court records (mostly volumes) were removed from the courthouse and loaded on a wagon to be taken to place of safety on or beyond the Blue Ridge. The wagon was overtaken by Union troops near Port Republic and set afire, which was put out by local citizens. Many order books, deed books, will books, and fiduciary books, however, were lost or severely damaged by the fire. The loose records that remained at the courthouse were undamaged. Pre-1865 records including deeds and wills were rerecorded following an act of assembly passed in November 1884.\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Rockingham County was named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, second marquis of Rockingham, who supported the colonies during the years before and during the Revolutionary War. The county was formed from Augusta County in 1778. The county seat is the city of Harrisonburg.\n","A courthouse fire in 1787 destroyed primarily wills and estate records. In June 1864 during the Civil War, court records (mostly volumes) were removed from the courthouse and loaded on a wagon to be taken to place of safety on or beyond the Blue Ridge. The wagon was overtaken by Union troops near Port Republic and set afire, which was put out by local citizens. Many order books, deed books, will books, and fiduciary books, however, were lost or severely damaged by the fire. The loose records that remained at the courthouse were undamaged. Pre-1865 records including deeds and wills were rerecorded following an act of assembly passed in November 1884."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1811, 1859. Local government records collection, Rockingham County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1811, 1859. Local government records collection, Rockingham County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Rockingham County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Rockingham County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA251\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Rockingham County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRockingham County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Rockingham County Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/lost\"\u003eLost Records Localities Digital Collection\u003c/extref\u003e available at Virginia Memory.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eFor more information and a listing of lost records localities see \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/guides/rn30_lostrecords.pdf\"\u003eLost Records research note\u003c/extref\u003e. \n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Rockingham County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Rockingham 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 freedom suits may be found in the Rockingham County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Rockingham County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Rockingham County Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the  Lost Records Localities Digital Collection  available at Virginia Memory.\n","For more information and a listing of lost records localities see  Lost Records research note . \n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1811, 1859, consist of two suits for freedom initiated by slaves.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGracy and her children Dennis, Ben, Rebecca Ann, Jeff, Jacob, Charity Ann, Maria Jane, Diana, and William Henry who sought to gain their freedom from the Executor of James Fulton on the law side of the court. The slaves' argument for freedom was based on the fact that they were descendants of a free woman of color, Nancy Holley. The jury of the circuit court of Rockingham County supported the slaves' claim to their freedom. The defendant appealed the decision to the Virginia Court of Appeals which affirmed the circuit court's decision in 1859.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe case is identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWrit of habeas corpus initiated by John Holeman in 1811 claiming to be illegally detained in jail as a runaway slave. Holeman claimed to be a free person because he was the child of a free woman named Dina.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1811, 1859, consist of two suits for freedom initiated by slaves.","Gracy and her children Dennis, Ben, Rebecca Ann, Jeff, Jacob, Charity Ann, Maria Jane, Diana, and William Henry who sought to gain their freedom from the Executor of James Fulton on the law side of the court. The slaves' argument for freedom was based on the fact that they were descendants of a free woman of color, Nancy Holley. The jury of the circuit court of Rockingham County supported the slaves' claim to their freedom. The defendant appealed the decision to the Virginia Court of Appeals which affirmed the circuit court's decision in 1859.","The case is identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Writ of habeas corpus initiated by John Holeman in 1811 claiming to be illegally detained in jail as a runaway slave. Holeman claimed to be a free person because he was the child of a free woman named Dina.","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":0,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T11:17:17.439Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vi_vi04768","ead_ssi":"vi_vi04768","_root_":"vi_vi04768","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi04768","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi04768.xml","title_ssm":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1811, 1859"],"title_tesim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1811, 1859"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007534434\n"],"text":["0007534434\n","Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1811, 1859","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.",".10 cu. ft.","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Rockingham County was named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, second marquis of Rockingham, who supported the colonies during the years before and during the Revolutionary War. The county was formed from Augusta County in 1778. The county seat is the city of Harrisonburg.\n","A courthouse fire in 1787 destroyed primarily wills and estate records. In June 1864 during the Civil War, court records (mostly volumes) were removed from the courthouse and loaded on a wagon to be taken to place of safety on or beyond the Blue Ridge. The wagon was overtaken by Union troops near Port Republic and set afire, which was put out by local citizens. Many order books, deed books, will books, and fiduciary books, however, were lost or severely damaged by the fire. The loose records that remained at the courthouse were undamaged. Pre-1865 records including deeds and wills were rerecorded following an act of assembly passed in November 1884.","Additional Rockingham County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Rockingham 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 freedom suits may be found in the Rockingham County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Rockingham County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Rockingham County Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the  Lost Records Localities Digital Collection  available at Virginia Memory.\n","For more information and a listing of lost records localities see  Lost Records research note . \n","Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1811, 1859, consist of two suits for freedom initiated by slaves.","Gracy and her children Dennis, Ben, Rebecca Ann, Jeff, Jacob, Charity Ann, Maria Jane, Diana, and William Henry who sought to gain their freedom from the Executor of James Fulton on the law side of the court. The slaves' argument for freedom was based on the fact that they were descendants of a free woman of color, Nancy Holley. The jury of the circuit court of Rockingham County supported the slaves' claim to their freedom. The defendant appealed the decision to the Virginia Court of Appeals which affirmed the circuit court's decision in 1859.","The case is identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Writ of habeas corpus initiated by John Holeman in 1811 claiming to be illegally detained in jail as a runaway slave. Holeman claimed to be a free person because he was the child of a free woman named Dina.","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007534434\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1811, 1859"],"collection_title_tesim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1811, 1859"],"collection_ssim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1811, 1859"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"creator_ssim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"acqinfo_ssim":["These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Rockingham County.\n"],"access_subjects_ssim":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Rockingham County."],"access_subjects_ssm":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Rockingham County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Rockingham County."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"physdesc_tesim":[".10 cu. ft."],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSlaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRockingham County was named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, second marquis of Rockingham, who supported the colonies during the years before and during the Revolutionary War. The county was formed from Augusta County in 1778. The county seat is the city of Harrisonburg.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eA courthouse fire in 1787 destroyed primarily wills and estate records. In June 1864 during the Civil War, court records (mostly volumes) were removed from the courthouse and loaded on a wagon to be taken to place of safety on or beyond the Blue Ridge. The wagon was overtaken by Union troops near Port Republic and set afire, which was put out by local citizens. Many order books, deed books, will books, and fiduciary books, however, were lost or severely damaged by the fire. The loose records that remained at the courthouse were undamaged. Pre-1865 records including deeds and wills were rerecorded following an act of assembly passed in November 1884.\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Rockingham County was named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, second marquis of Rockingham, who supported the colonies during the years before and during the Revolutionary War. The county was formed from Augusta County in 1778. The county seat is the city of Harrisonburg.\n","A courthouse fire in 1787 destroyed primarily wills and estate records. In June 1864 during the Civil War, court records (mostly volumes) were removed from the courthouse and loaded on a wagon to be taken to place of safety on or beyond the Blue Ridge. The wagon was overtaken by Union troops near Port Republic and set afire, which was put out by local citizens. Many order books, deed books, will books, and fiduciary books, however, were lost or severely damaged by the fire. The loose records that remained at the courthouse were undamaged. Pre-1865 records including deeds and wills were rerecorded following an act of assembly passed in November 1884."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1811, 1859. Local government records collection, Rockingham County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1811, 1859. Local government records collection, Rockingham County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Rockingham County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Rockingham County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA251\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Rockingham County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRockingham County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Rockingham County Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/lost\"\u003eLost Records Localities Digital Collection\u003c/extref\u003e available at Virginia Memory.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eFor more information and a listing of lost records localities see \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/guides/rn30_lostrecords.pdf\"\u003eLost Records research note\u003c/extref\u003e. \n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Rockingham County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Rockingham 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 freedom suits may be found in the Rockingham County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Rockingham County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Rockingham County Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the  Lost Records Localities Digital Collection  available at Virginia Memory.\n","For more information and a listing of lost records localities see  Lost Records research note . \n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eRockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1811, 1859, consist of two suits for freedom initiated by slaves.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGracy and her children Dennis, Ben, Rebecca Ann, Jeff, Jacob, Charity Ann, Maria Jane, Diana, and William Henry who sought to gain their freedom from the Executor of James Fulton on the law side of the court. The slaves' argument for freedom was based on the fact that they were descendants of a free woman of color, Nancy Holley. The jury of the circuit court of Rockingham County supported the slaves' claim to their freedom. The defendant appealed the decision to the Virginia Court of Appeals which affirmed the circuit court's decision in 1859.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe case is identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWrit of habeas corpus initiated by John Holeman in 1811 claiming to be illegally detained in jail as a runaway slave. Holeman claimed to be a free person because he was the child of a free woman named Dina.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1811, 1859, consist of two suits for freedom initiated by slaves.","Gracy and her children Dennis, Ben, Rebecca Ann, Jeff, Jacob, Charity Ann, Maria Jane, Diana, and William Henry who sought to gain their freedom from the Executor of James Fulton on the law side of the court. The slaves' argument for freedom was based on the fact that they were descendants of a free woman of color, Nancy Holley. The jury of the circuit court of Rockingham County supported the slaves' claim to their freedom. The defendant appealed the decision to the Virginia Court of Appeals which affirmed the circuit court's decision in 1859.","The case is identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Writ of habeas corpus initiated by John Holeman in 1811 claiming to be illegally detained in jail as a runaway slave. Holeman claimed to be a free person because he was the child of a free woman named Dina.","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":0,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T11:17:17.439Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04768"}},{"id":"vi_vi04764","type":"collection","attributes":{"title":"Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1828","creator":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04764#creator","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"Southampton County (Va.) Circuit Court\n","label":"Creator"}},"abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04764#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eSouthampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1828, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners. \u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04764#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"id":"vi_vi04764","ead_ssi":"vi_vi04764","_root_":"vi_vi04764","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi04764","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi04764.xml","title_ssm":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1828"],"title_tesim":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1828"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007532872\n"],"text":["0007532872\n","Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1828","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Southampton County.",".10 cu. ft.","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Southampton County was named, in the opinion of many authorities, for Henry Wriothesley, third earl of Southampton and treasurer of the Virginia Company of London from 1620 to 1624. It is more likely, however, that the county was named for the borough of Southampton in England. Southampton County was formed in 1749 from Isle of Wight County, and part of Nansemond County was added in 1786. The county seat is Courtland. \n","Additional Southampton County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Southampton 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 freedom suits may be found in the Southampton County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1828, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Southampton County (Va.) Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007532872\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1828"],"collection_title_tesim":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1828"],"collection_ssim":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1828"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Southampton County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"creator_ssim":["Southampton County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"acqinfo_ssim":["These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Southampton County.\n"],"access_subjects_ssim":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Southampton County."],"access_subjects_ssm":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Southampton County."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"physdesc_tesim":[".10 cu. ft."],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSlaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSouthampton County was named, in the opinion of many authorities, for Henry Wriothesley, third earl of Southampton and treasurer of the Virginia Company of London from 1620 to 1624. It is more likely, however, that the county was named for the borough of Southampton in England. Southampton County was formed in 1749 from Isle of Wight County, and part of Nansemond County was added in 1786. The county seat is Courtland. \n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Southampton County was named, in the opinion of many authorities, for Henry Wriothesley, third earl of Southampton and treasurer of the Virginia Company of London from 1620 to 1624. It is more likely, however, that the county was named for the borough of Southampton in England. Southampton County was formed in 1749 from Isle of Wight County, and part of Nansemond County was added in 1786. The county seat is Courtland. \n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSouthampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1828. Local government records collection, Southampton County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1828. Local government records collection, Southampton County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Southampton County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Southampton County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA261\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Southampton County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Southampton County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Southampton 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 freedom suits may be found in the Southampton County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSouthampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1828, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1828, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Southampton County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Southampton County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":2,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T11:00:38.769Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vi_vi04764","ead_ssi":"vi_vi04764","_root_":"vi_vi04764","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi04764","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi04764.xml","title_ssm":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1828"],"title_tesim":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1828"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007532872\n"],"text":["0007532872\n","Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1828","African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Southampton County.",".10 cu. ft.","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Southampton County was named, in the opinion of many authorities, for Henry Wriothesley, third earl of Southampton and treasurer of the Virginia Company of London from 1620 to 1624. It is more likely, however, that the county was named for the borough of Southampton in England. Southampton County was formed in 1749 from Isle of Wight County, and part of Nansemond County was added in 1786. The county seat is Courtland. \n","Additional Southampton County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Southampton 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 freedom suits may be found in the Southampton County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1828, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Southampton County (Va.) Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007532872\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1828"],"collection_title_tesim":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1828"],"collection_ssim":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1828"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Southampton County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"creator_ssim":["Southampton County (Va.) Circuit Court\n"],"acqinfo_ssim":["These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Southampton County.\n"],"access_subjects_ssim":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Southampton County."],"access_subjects_ssm":["African Americans -- Virginia.","Free African Americans -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Slavery -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Civil actions -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Freedom suits -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Judicial records -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Local government records -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Petitions -- Virginia -- Southampton County.","Wills -- Virginia -- Southampton County."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"physdesc_tesim":[".10 cu. ft."],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSlaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSouthampton County was named, in the opinion of many authorities, for Henry Wriothesley, third earl of Southampton and treasurer of the Virginia Company of London from 1620 to 1624. It is more likely, however, that the county was named for the borough of Southampton in England. Southampton County was formed in 1749 from Isle of Wight County, and part of Nansemond County was added in 1786. The county seat is Courtland. \n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Southampton County was named, in the opinion of many authorities, for Henry Wriothesley, third earl of Southampton and treasurer of the Virginia Company of London from 1620 to 1624. It is more likely, however, that the county was named for the borough of Southampton in England. Southampton County was formed in 1749 from Isle of Wight County, and part of Nansemond County was added in 1786. The county seat is Courtland. \n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSouthampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1828. Local government records collection, Southampton County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1828. Local government records collection, Southampton County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Southampton County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Southampton County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA261\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Southampton County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Southampton County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Southampton 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 freedom suits may be found in the Southampton County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSouthampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1828, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Southampton County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1828, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Southampton County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Southampton County (Va.) Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":2,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T11:00:38.769Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi04764"}},{"id":"vi_vi03650","type":"collection","attributes":{"title":"Westmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1810-1858","creator":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi03650#creator","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"Westmoreland County (Va.) Circuit Court\n","label":"Creator"}},"abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi03650#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eWestmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1810-1858, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners. \u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi03650#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"id":"vi_vi03650","ead_ssi":"vi_vi03650","_root_":"vi_vi03650","_nest_parent_":"vi_vi03650","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/lva/vi03650.xml","title_ssm":["Westmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1810-1858"],"title_tesim":["Westmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1810-1858"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["0007423868\n"],"text":["0007423868\n","Westmoreland County (Va.) 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(1 box)","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Westmoreland County was named for the English county. It was formed from Northumberland County in 1653. The county seat is Montross.\n","Additional Westmoreland County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Westmoreland 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 freedom suits may be found in the Westmoreland County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Westmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1810-1858, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n","There are no restrictions.\n","Library of Virginia\n","Westmoreland County (Va.). Circuit Court.","English\n"],"unitid_tesim":["0007423868\n"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Westmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1810-1858"],"collection_title_tesim":["Westmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1810-1858"],"collection_ssim":["Westmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), \n1810-1858"],"repository_ssm":["Library of Virginia"],"repository_ssim":["Library of Virginia"],"creator_ssm":["Westmoreland County (Va.) 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(1 box)"],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Access Restrictions\n"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eArranged chronologically.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement\n"],"arrangement_tesim":["Arranged chronologically.\n"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSlaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWestmoreland County was named for the English county. It was formed from Northumberland County in 1653. The county seat is Montross.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Westmoreland County was named for the English county. It was formed from Northumberland County in 1653. The county seat is Montross.\n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWestmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1810-1858. Local government records collection, Westmoreland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Westmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1810-1858. Local government records collection, Westmoreland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Westmoreland County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Westmoreland County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA291\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Westmoreland County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Westmoreland County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Westmoreland 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 freedom suits may be found in the Westmoreland County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWestmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1810-1858, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. 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Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Westmoreland County (Va.). Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Westmoreland County (Va.). 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(1 box)","There are no restrictions.\n","Arranged chronologically.\n","Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Westmoreland County was named for the English county. It was formed from Northumberland County in 1653. The county seat is Montross.\n","Additional Westmoreland County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Westmoreland 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 freedom suits may be found in the Westmoreland County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n","Westmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1810-1858, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. 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The county seat is Montross.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Historical Information\n"],"bioghist_tesim":["Slaves sued for emancipation in freedom suits based on the following: they were descendant(s) of a free female ancestor, typically a Native American (Hening Statutes, volume 2, p.170); failure of slaveowner(s) to abide by the 1778 slave nonimportation act (Henings Statutes, volume 9, pp. 471-472); or claimed to have been freed by slaveowner(s) by deed of emancipation or last will and testament (Henings Statutes volume 11, pp. 39-40)\n","Westmoreland County was named for the English county. It was formed from Northumberland County in 1653. The county seat is Montross.\n"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWestmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1810-1858. Local government records collection, Westmoreland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"prefercite_tesim":["Westmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1810-1858. Local government records collection, Westmoreland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.\n"],"relatedmaterial_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAdditional Westmoreland County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional Westmoreland County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia.  Consult \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/results_all.asp?CountyID=VA291\"\u003e\"A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm.\"\u003c/extref\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdditional freedom suits may be found in the Westmoreland County Chancery Causes. Search the \u003cextref type=\"simple\" href=\"http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm\"\u003ethe Chancery Records Index\u003c/extref\u003e found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"relatedmaterial_heading_ssm":["Related Material\n"],"relatedmaterial_tesim":["Additional Westmoreland County Court Records are found at the Library of Virginia.\n","Additional Westmoreland 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 freedom suits may be found in the Westmoreland County Chancery Causes. Search the  the Chancery Records Index  found on the Library of Virginia web site. Enter the tilde symbol in the plaintiff surname field.\n"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWestmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1810-1858, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJudgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Content\n"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Westmoreland County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1810-1858, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.\n","Judgments (Freedom Suits) are useful when researching local history and genealogical information, particularly for African Americans. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history.\n"],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\n\u003c/p\u003e"],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Use Restrictions\n"],"userestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions.\n"],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc label=\"Location\"\u003eLibrary of Virginia\n\u003c/physloc\u003e"],"physloc_tesim":["Library of Virginia\n"],"names_ssim":["Westmoreland County (Va.). Circuit Court."],"corpname_ssim":["Westmoreland County (Va.). Circuit Court."],"language_ssim":["English\n"],"total_component_count_is":5,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-05-21T09:08:19.334Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/vi_vi03650"}}],"included":[{"type":"facet","id":"repository_ssim","attributes":{"label":"Repository","items":[{"attributes":{"label":"Library of Virginia","value":"Library of Virginia","hits":20},"links":{"remove":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Baccess_subjects%5D%5B%5D=African+Americans+--+Virginia.\u0026f%5Brepository%5D%5B%5D=Library+of+Virginia"}}]},"links":{"self":"https://search.arvasarchive.org/catalog/facet/repository_ssim.json?f%5Baccess_subjects%5D%5B%5D=African+Americans+--+Virginia.\u0026f%5Brepository%5D%5B%5D=Library+of+Virginia"}},{"type":"facet","id":"collection_ssim","attributes":{"label":"Collection","items":[{"attributes":{"label":"A Guide to the Warren County (Va.) 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