Frederick County (Va.) Certificates of Importation, 1798-1822

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.) Certificates of Importation, 1798-1822, 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.) Certificates of Importation, 1798-1822. Local government records collection, Frederick County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

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

Frederick County (Va.) Certificates of Importation, 1798-1822. Local government records collection, Frederick County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Frederick County (Va.) Certificates of Importation, 1798-1822, are comprised of 14 certificates of importation. Sometimes entitled certificates of nonimportation, they contain information whereby an enslaver swears that they have not imported the enslaved person from Africa and that the enslaver has not brought the enslaved person into Virginia with the purpose of selling the enslaved person. The enslaved person is sometimes named, but not always, and occasionally information is given as to age, birthdate, and the state the individuals are moving from. The enslaved persons named in the certificates were brought to Virginia from such states as Maryland, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

Biographical / historical:

Context for Record Type: In 1778, Governor Patrick Henry enacted legislation preventing importation of enslaved people into the commonwealth. Those that did bring their enslaved people were required to register them with the county court and sign a certificate of importation agreeing that they were not bringing enslaved people into the commonwealth with the intent to sell. The enslaved person is sometimes named, but not always, and occasionally information is given as to age, birthdate, and the state from which the individuals were moving. According to Section 3 of the act "every slave imported into this commonwealth contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, shall upon such importation become free." By this clause, those enslaved people who were brought into Virginia illegally could pursue their freedom in the local courts.

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 Certificates of Importation 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.) Certificates of Importation, 1798-1822, 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: Certificates of Importation, 1798-1822, arranged chronologically.

Physical location:
Library of Virginia