Amherst County (Va.) Free and Enslaved Records, 1816-1826

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:
Amherst County (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The Amherst County (Va.) Free and Enslaved Records, 1816-1826, consist of Patrol Records, 1826; a declaration, undated; an order of execution, 1820; and an order and report of sale, 1816-1817.

Patrol Records, 1826, include a patrol commission, in which Rowlet Gill was ordered to summon Moses Taylor, Edward Taylor, William North, and Thomas North, and “take up all suspicious persons, and all slaves, travelling from their master’s premises without proper authority and treat them as the law directs.”

The declaration, undated, pertains to Sally Nunnay [Monday]. The text is somewhat illegible, but the declaration mentions Nathan Jones, stating that “She [Sally] [illegible] is with Nathan Jones mother – has no children.” [only available on Amherst County (Va.) Reel No. 89]

The order of execution, 1820, pertains to the trial of Robin, who was accused of murdering Isaac. Both Robin and Isaac were enslaved by Charles Taliaferro. Robin was deemed guilty and sentenced to be hanged. The order is an oyer and terminer record. Oyer and terminer refers to a type of court process reserved for special circumstances. Historically in Virginia, these special circumstances were the prosecution of enslaved people.

The order, 1816, and the corresponding report of sale, 1817, concern the sale of Berry, a man enslaved by the estate of Benjamin Palmer, to Elias Wells. [Photocopies]

Biographical / historical:

Context for Record Type:

Free and Enslaved Records

The Free and Enslaved Records collection is comprised of miscellaneous records related to the regulation and policing of both enslaved and free Black and Multiracial people in Amherst County. The localities/local government authorities were largely responsible for enforcing laws that restricted the movement of enslaved and free Black and Multiracial people and the resulting documentation was often filed in the circuit courts. The ways in which local authorities enacted legal measures against or on behalf of enslaved and free Black and Multiracial people varied from locality to locality; therefore, records were not necessarily standardized or filed and retained in a consistent manner. This collection is topical and a means by which to compile miscellaneous documents related to free and enslaved people that are not established local government record types.

See: the Virginia Untold Record Types on the Library of Virginia website for additional context concerning oyer and terminer records.

Locality History: Amherst County was named for Major General Jeffery Amherst, British commander in North America during the latter part of the French and Indian War and governor of Virginia from 1759 to 1768. It was formed from Albemarle County in 1761. Islands in the Fluvanna (now the James) River were added in 1770.

Acquisition information:
These records came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Amherst County (Va.) as part of an undated accession.
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged

  • Series I: Free and Enslaved Records, 1816-1826, arranged loosely by record type then chronologically.

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
4 items; 1 microfilm reel