Middlesex County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1799

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

Extent:
1 item
Creator:
Middlesex County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Abstract:
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Middlesex County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1799, consists of one deed, 1799, of James H. T. Lorimer, Hannah H. Lorimer, Thor. Fauntleroy, Isabella Fauntleroy, concerning the emancipation of Sam.

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 Note:Middlesex County was named probably for the English county. It was formed from Lancaster County by 30 October 1669.

Lost Locality Note:Created in 1669. Numerous loose records from the nineteenth century are missing, including chancery, judgments, and commonwealth causes. Most volumes (including deed books, will books, and order books) exist because court clerk Philemon T. Woodward removed them from the courthouse for safekeeping during the Civil War.

Acquisition information:
This record came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Middlesex County in an undated accession.
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged

  • Series I: Deeds of Emancipation, 1799, arranged chronologically

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
.