Westmoreland County (Va.) Register of Slaves Held for Life, 1859, 1861

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

Collection is open to research.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Westmoreland County (Va.) Register of Slaves Held for Life, 1859, 1861, Local government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Westmoreland County (Va.) Register of Slaves Held for Life, 1859, 1861, Local government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Register of Slaves Held for Life, 1859, 1861, of Westmoreland County contains only three entries for the years 1859 and 1861. Each entry lists the name of the person who holds the enslaved person(s) for life, the names and ages of the enslaved person(s), and the former owner of the enslaved person(s) or to whom the enslaved person(s) would descend upon the death of the tenant.

Biographical / historical:

Westmoreland County was formed from Northumberland County in 1653. Part of King George County was added in 1777.

An act passed by the Virginia legislature required that a register be kept by the clerk of court for every enslaved person held by any person for his or her life only. See Revised Code of Virginia 1819, volume 1, p. 439, section 70; Code of Virginia 1849, chapter 103, section 8; and Code of Virginia 1860, chapter 103, section 14.

Acquisition information:
This item came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Westmoreland County.
Arrangement:

Chronological.

Physical description:
1 vol., (3 p.)