Campbell County (Va.) Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1867

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:

Campbell County (Va.) Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1867, are digitized and available through Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative Digital Collection on the Library of Virginia website. Please use digital images.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Campbell County (Va.) Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1867. Local government records collection, Campbell County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
2 items
Creator:
Campbell County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Campbell County (Va.) Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1867. Local government records collection, Campbell County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Campbell County (Va.) Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1867, consist of a petition submitted by Dennis Holt, who was emancipated by the will of Andrew Holt, his father. Citing "his infirmity of body, and imbecility of mind" as well as his distrust in "his ability to take care of himself," Holt sought to be enslaved to David Hoffman. Hoffman enslaved Nancy, Holt's wife. Submitted in 1860, the petition was dismissed in 1867. Included alongside the petition is a copy of Andrew Holt's will. A "free man of color," Andrew emancipated Dennis and Burwell, his sons, upon his death. According to the will, he purchased them from Thomas Steptoe.

Biographical / historical:

Context for Record Type: Petitions for Re-enslavement consist of petitions of free Black individuals choosing to be re-enslaved. An act passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 1806 required formerly enslaved people to leave the commonwealth within twelve months of being granted their freedom. Individuals were forced to leave behind family, friends, and community who remained enslaved. In addition, many emancipated people did not have the financial means or social support to move to a free state. One option to preserve family and relationships was to return to slavery. In 1856, the Virginia legislature passed an act allowing free Black individuals who desired to remain in the commonwealth to petition for re-enslavement. Only a small number of free Black Virginians petitioned the courts to re-enslave themselves to an enslaver of choice, and an even smaller percentage succeeded. Many petitioners chose enslavers they knew well or who owned a spouse or family member. These petitions include the petitioner's name, previous enslaver, means of emancipation, and new desired enslaver.

Locality History: Campbell County was named for William Campbell, a general in the militia during the Revolutionary War and one of the heroes of the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780. The county was formed from Bedford County by an act passed on 15 December 1781. The county court first met on 7 February 1782. The county seat is Rustburg.

Acquisition information:
These records came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Campbell County (Va.) in 2004 under accession number 41133.
Processing information:

Campbell County Petitions for Re-Enslavement were originally described as part of the Campbell County (Va.) Free and Enslaved Records, 1854-1859, but were removed to the present Campbell County (Va.) Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1867, record to enhance discoverability in August 2025.

These records have been processed, scanned, and indexed by J. Robinson, L. Neuroth, and LVA staff for the purposes of digitizing them for the digital project Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative.

Encoded by C. Collins: August 2025.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged

  • Series I: Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1867, arranged chronologically.

Arranged chronologically

Physical location:
Library of Virginia