Collections

Arlington County (Va.) Abstract of Reports of Aliens, 1801-1832, contains a list of aliens who arrived at the town of Alexandria with the intention of residing in the United States, compiled by the clerk of the circuit court of the District of Columbia for the County of Alexandria. Each entry contains the date of the report, the full name of the person reported, sex, place of birth, age, nation, place of allegiance or citizenship, condition or occupation, place of actual or intended residence, and name of person who made the report (usually the same as the person reported). There are entries for 126 individuals reported between 1801 and 1832. Place of birth includes Africa, Barbados, Bermuda, Jamaica, Scotland, Great Britain and Ireland, Russia, Poland, France, Germany, and Italy. Place of birth sometimes includes a locality in addition to the country.

Arlington County (Va.) Board of Supervisors Minutes, 1907-1932 consists of twelve volumes primarily concerned with maintenance and construction of county buildings, roads, and fiscal matters.

Arlington County (Va.) Business Records, 1796-1953, are comprised of various records created by individuals and companies in pursuit of documenting business activities in and around Arlington County (Va.) Represented records consist of bound volumes such as ledgers, cashbooks, account books, memorandum books, daybooks, expense account books, a letter book, an invoice book, a time book, a rent book, a receivers' balance book, an accounts journal and bank ledgers.

Arlington County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1786-1927, 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.

Arlington County (Va.) Declarations for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1820-1834, primarily record the declarations of individuals seeking to obtain Revolutionary War pensions provided by various acts of Congress. The applicants present detailed testimony of their time of service during the Revolutionary War. Information found in the declarations include date and location applicants entered into service, names of military companies they served in, names of military commanders they served under, names of fellow soldiers they served with, length of service, their age, and their place of birth. The predominant portion of the declarations are narratives of their tours of duty during the Revolutionary War with emphasis on battles they fought. The declarations also include affidavits from witnesses who could verify information provided by applicants.

Arlington County (Va.) County Dismissals at Rules, 1790-1864 (bulk 1797-1838), consist of court suits heard in the Hustings Court of Alexandria and the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia. The suits were disposed of without trial of the issues involved, predominantly debt. The suits were dismissed either voluntarily by the parties involved or involuntarily by the court. There are references to slave names in the collection.

Arlington County (Va.) General Registration, 1902-1903, records the roll of registered voters in Arlington County. The volume is divided by precincts (Ballston and Four Mile Run) and within each precinct on the basis of color. Information found in the volume includes date of registration; number of registered voter; name of registered voter; date of birth; age; occupation; residence; length of residence in state, county, and precinct; whether exempt from poll tax; if naturalized, and if so, date of papers and by what court issued; if transferred from another precinct, and if so, when and to what precinct.

Arlington County (Va.) Judgments and Criminal Suits, 1783-1896 (bulk 1786-1859), consist primarily of civil suits and commonwealth causes heard in the Hustings Court of Alexandria and the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia. The majority of civil suits relate to matters of debt.

Arlington County (Va.) Judgments (Freedom Suits), 1795-1858, undated, consist of suits initiated by slaves seeking to gain their freedom on the law side of the court. Cases are identified by style of suit consisting of plaintiff and defendant names. Surnames of others involved in a suit, including secondary plaintiffs and defendants, witnesses, deponents and affiants, and family members with surnames different from the plaintiff or defendant are indexed. Also identified are names of slaves and slaveowners found in suit as well as whether slave(s) won their freedom. Predominant documents found in freedom suits include petitions, records of suits, depositions, affidavits, wills, among other items. Information found in documents include slave's argument for freedom, acquisition of slaves by slaveowners, slave ancestry, and relationship between slaves and slaveowners.