Richmond County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1806-1856

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:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Richmond County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1806-1856. Local government records collection, Richmond County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

Creator:
Richmond County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Richmond County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1806-1856. Local government records collection, Richmond County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

Richmond County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1806-1856. The records are comprised of Lists of Free Negroes and Mulattoes, 1816-1818, 1821, 1824-1827, and 1855-1856; Free Negro Delinquent Tax Lists, 1832 and 1852-1853; a list of negroes in possession of Samuel Pleasants who are free, circa 1806; and a list of slaves (photocopy) belonging to the Estate of Landon Carter at Clifton in Northumberland County taken 1822 July 1 and recorded in Richmond County 1831 March 7.

Free Negro Lists were compiled by the Commissioner of the Revenue for tax purposes. They include name, place of abode, and occupation, and sometimes gender and a designation of negro or mulatto. Free Negro Delinquent Tax Lists identify free blacks who did not pay taxes and had no property. These records are fragile and should be used with care.

The list of slaves belonging to the estate of Landon Carter contains the first name of each slave, age in years and sometimes months, and estimated value. The enslaved people are listed in family groups.

Certificates of Free Negroes, 1855; List of Free Negroes: Delinquent Taxes, 1832-1853; List of Free Negroes and Mulattoes, 1816-1856; List of negroes in possession of Samuel Pleasants, 1806-1807. Includes a Granville County, North Carolina, Free Negro Certificate for Elizabeth Harris that was found in either the Prince Edward or Richmond County court records. A photocopy of the document is filed with the Prince Edward County Free Negro records.

List of Free Negroes and Mulattoes, 1824.

Biographical / historical:

Richmond County may have been named for Richmond borough in Surrey, England, or for Charles Lennox, first duke of Richmond and a son of King Charles II. It was formed from Old Rappahannock County in 1692. The county seat is Warsaw.

Some volumes were burned and mutilated through unknown causes; in addition, the will books prior to 1699 were missing as early as 1793, and order books for the period 1794-1816 are also missing. Numerous loose records prior to 1781 are missing as well.

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Richmond County.
Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
14 leaves and 44 p.