Dinwiddie County (Va.) Register of Free Negroes, 1850-1864

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

Summary

Creator:
Dinwiddie County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Register of Free Negroes, 1850-64, of Dinwiddie County lists the registration number, age, name, color, stature, marks or scars, in what court the person was emancipated or whether the person was born free. Some clerks recorded additional information not required by law. There is an index at the beginning of the register that lists in alphabetical order by surname the names of registered free persons and the page number where their registration information can be found.

Biographical / historical:

Dinwiddie County was formed in 1752 from Prince George County.

An act passed by the Virginia legislature in 1803 required every free negro or mulatto to be registered and numbered in a book to be kept by the county clerk.

The bulk of court records prior to 1865 were stolen, mutilated, and/or destroyed by Union troops who ransacked the courthouse during the last months of the Civil War. Post-1830 volumes such as deed books, will books, chancery order books, and marriage registers exist.

Acquisition information:
The microfilm copy of these records was generated by The Library of Virginia's Imaging Services Branch.
Arrangement:

Chronological by registration date.

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
1 microfilm reel