Collections

Nottoway County (Va.) Commonwealth Causes, 1866-1928 (bulk 1866-1925), are criminal court cases and consist primarily of warrants, summons, and indictments handed down by grand juries and other legal authorities in order to prosecute individuals who violated the penal code. These offenses ranged in severity from assault and battery to larceny to murder.

Petersburg (Va.) Marriage Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Ministers' Returns, 1784-1871, record the following information: name of minister, name of church the minister served, name of bride and groom, date of marriage, race of bride of groom, and date marriage was submitted to court by minister or license issued by court.

Powhatan county (Va.) Commonwealth Causes, 1850-1881, are criminal court cases and indictments handed down by grand juries in order to prosecute individuals who violated the penal code. The majority of the commonwealth causes involve Free African Americans indicted for remaining in the Commonweath more than one year. One commonwealth cause is a murder case that involves individuals associated with the Ku Klux Klan.

Powhatan County (Va.) Records, 1797-1902, consists of records from the following series: Bonds/Commissions/Oaths, Court Records, Fiduciary Records, Overseers of the Poor Records, Tax snd Fiscal Records, and Wills. The documents record names of slaves and free African Americans. Also included are Naturalization Records dated 1902.

Prince Edward County (Va.) Apprenticeship Indentures, 1759-1875, are bonds and contracts of apprenticeship, showing the names of master and apprentice, the trade to be taught, details of the contract, the amount of the bond and the names of sureties. The collection includes apprentice indentures of free African Americans.

Prince George County (Va.) Apprenticeship Indentures, 1816-1838, are bonds and contracts of apprenticeship given by the Overseers of the Poor, showing the names of master and apprentice, the trade to be taught, details of the contract, the amount of the bond and the names of sureties. Many of the apprentices bound out prior to 1866 were free African Americans.

Princess Anne County (Va) Coroners' Inquisitions, 1810-1935, are investigations into the deaths of individuals who died by a sudden, violent, unnatural or suspicious manner, or died without medical attendance. Causes of death found in coroners' inquisitions include murder, infanticide, suicide, domestic violence, exposure to elements, drownings, train accidents, automobile accidents, and natural causes, or as commonly referred to in the 19th century, visitation by God. Documents commonly found in coroners' inquests include the inquisition, depositions, and summons. Criminal papers such as recognizance bonds can be found in coroner inquisitions. Information found in the inquisition include the name of the coroner, the names of the jurors, the name and age of the deceased if known, gender and race of the deceased, and when, how, and by what means the deceased came to his or her death. If the deceased was African American, the inquest would identify the deceased as a slave or free person if known. If the deceased was a slave, the inquest would include, if known, the name of the slaveowner and the slaveowner's residence. Information found in the depositions include the name of the deponent and his or her account of the circumstances that led to the death of the deceased. Slaves were occasionally deponents in coroner investigations.

Prince William County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1804-1951, consists of cases concerning issues of equity brought largely by residents of the county and filed in the circuit court. These cases often involve the following actions: divisions of estates or land, disputes over wills, disputes regarding contracts, debt, divorce, and business disputes. Other less prevalent issues include freedom suits, permissions to sell property, and disputes concerning trespass. Predominant documents found in these chancery causes include bills (documents the plaintiff's complaint), answers (defendant's response to the plaintiff's complaint), decrees (court's decision), depositions, affidavits, correspondence, lists of heirs, deeds, plats, wills, records involving enslaved individuals, business records or vital statistics.

Richmond County (Va.) Apprenticeship Indentures, 1834-1859, are bonds and contracts of apprenticeship given by the Overseers of the Poor, showing the names of master and apprentice, the trade to be taught, details of the contract, the amount of the bond and the names of sureties. Many of the apprentices bound out prior to 1866 were free African Americans.

Rockbridge County (Va.) Apprenticeship Indentures, 1840-1895, are bonds and contracts of apprenticeship given by the Overseers of the Poor, showing the names of master and apprentice, the trade to be taught, details of the contract, the amount of the bond and the names of sureties. Many of the apprentices bound out prior to 1866 were free African Americans.