Frederick County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1795-1843

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:

Frederick County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1795-1843, 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:

Frederick County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1795-1843. Local government records collection, Frederick County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
11 items
Creator:
Frederick County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Frederick County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1795-1843. Local government records collection, Frederick County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Frederick County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1795-1843, include 10 deeds. The deeds typically record the name of the enslaver, the name of the enslaved person or persons to be freed, the date the enslaved person or persons achieved freedom, and the date the manumission was proved or certified. Sometimes, the deeds describe the reason for emancipation or manumission. Deeds of emancipation could be generated after the enslaver's death by those executing a last will and testament.

These records are comprised of the following deeds: 1795, in which Sarah Zane emancipated Simon, Harry, Charles, Will, Tom, Vick, Dan, Burton, Lewis, Venus, Bett, and Hester; 1795, in which John Hite freed Milley and Lucy; 1796, in which Robert Carter emancipated Patty Robinson; 1798, in which John Talbott freed Jack, Hannah, Pegg (or Margaret), Will, Ben, Jin, Abraham, and Harry; 1806, in which George Clark, Thomas Babb, William Mercer, and John Mercer emancipated Harry; 1814, in which Mary Page freed Daniel Boden; 1820, in which Philip Nelson emancipated Catharine (or Caty); 1821, in which Nathan Perkins freed Ann; 1824, in which Griffin Haynie freed Fanny Gantt, Robert Gantt, Harriet Gantt, George Wesley Gantt, and Presley Gantt; and 1843, in which Joel Pennybacker emancipated Si.

Biographical / historical:

Context of Record Type: Deeds of emancipation and manumission record an enslavers' intent to emancipate enslaved people from bondage. Some of the earliest legal manumissions in Virginia occurred in the early 1770s. However, there was a sharp rise following the 1782 manumission act that allowed enslavers to privately emancipate enslaved people "by last will and testament or other instrument in writing sealed." They were no longer required to seek a special act from the General Assembly. These documents sometimes include an enslavers' intent for emancipation ranging from religious and moral motivations to binding legal agreements.

Deeds of emancipation and manumission essentially provide the same information and there is little difference between the two. Both include the name of the enslaver, the name of the enslaved person to be freed, the date of anticipated freedom, the date the manumission was proved or certified, and as mentioned, sometimes a reason why the enslaver decided to emancipate the enslaved person. In a deed of manumission, an enslaver directly freed an enslaved person by manumission. In a deed of emancipation, an enslaved person could be freed after the enslaver's death by those executing a last will and testament. This collection also includes court orders that record the date or age when enslaved individuals were to be emancipated by deed as stipulated in an enslaver's will.

Locality History: Frederick County was named in honor of Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales and eldest son of King George II. It was formed from Orange County by a statute of 1738 that stipulated that when the population was large enough the new county government would begin to function. The county court first met on 11 November 1743. Part of Augusta County was added in 1754. The county seat is the city of Winchester.

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

Frederick County Deeds of Emancipation were originally described as part of the Frederick County (Va.) Free and Enslaved Records, 1761, 1795, 1820-1861, but were removed to the present Frederick County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1795-1843, record to enhance discoverability in July 2026.

These records have been processed, scanned, and indexed by S. Nerney, 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: July 2026.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged

  • Series I: Deeds of Emancipation, 1795-1843, arranged chronologically.

Physical location:
Library of Virginia