Search

Campbell County (Va.) Apprenticeship Indentures, 1844, consist of contracts or agreements binding out white, Black, or Multiracial children, sometimes those who were orphaned, to learn a particular trade or craft. These indentures may be written agreements between the family of the apprentice and those responsible for the indentured. In many cases this includes the direct involvement of the Overseers of the Poor. They typically contain the name of the person or institution binding out, the person to whom bound, the name of the person being indentured, the length of the apprenticeship, and the responsibilities of the person taking on the indenture.

Campbell County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1794-1946, 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.

Campbell county (Va.) Commonwealth Causes, 1790-1945, consist of records concerning Free people in want of Registration, 1859; Commonwealth Causes, 1790-1934; and Criminal Indexes and Dockets, 1896-1945

Campbell County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1782-1857, include 24 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.

Campbell County (Va.) Estray Book, 1807-1850, is a register giving public notice of valuable, tame animals, either lost or found wandering and presumed escaped from their owners, allowing the owners to reclaim the animals. Enteries generally indicate by whom the animal was taken up, before what justice the person went and when, and the description and appraisement (value) of the animal.

Campbell County (Va.) Fiduciary Records, 1782-1947, undated, include miscellaneous records filed in a local court by trustees, administrators, executors, guardians, and committees that related to the performance of their duties managing a person's estate. These records typically include the following; bonds, appraisements, audits, inventories, accounts, estate divisions, settlements, dowery records, etc. Information related to enslaved people are commonly found in these records.

Campbell County (Va.) Inventory and Appraisement of James Allen, 1849. Consists of an inventory of the slave property of James Allen, deceased. The slaves' names are listed as Betty, Letty, Washington, Emilia and child Mary, Hunter, Ben, Maria, Charles, Harriett, Smith, Julia, and Usley.

Campbell County (Va.) Judgments, 1783-1935, contain civil cases in which justice was administered on the strictly formulated rules of common law. The majority of cases in this record series relate to matters of debt. The records consist of processed, loose records and several volumes.

Campbell County (Va.) Personal Property Tax Book, 1848-1850, are three years of lists of taxable personal property bound into the same volume. Information recorded includes names of persons chargeable with tax; white males above 16 years of age; slaves above 16 years of age; slaves above 12 years of age; horses, mules etc.; 4 wheel pleasure carriages and harnesses, and value; stages, and value, including harness; carryalls and harness, and value; 2 wheel pleasure carriages and harnesses, and value; gold watches; patent lever or lepine silver watches; other watches; metallic clocks; other clocks; pianos, and value; plate over the value of $50; attorneys paying specific tax, and amount of tax; physicians and surgeons paying specific tax, and amount of tax; dentists paying specific tax, and amount of tax; amount of interest or profits on moneys loaned out, or on bonds acquired by purchase, including interest, profits or dividends on state or corporation bonds; amount of monied yearly income over $400, received as salaries or fees of office; bridges and ferries: amount of yearly rent or value over $100; newspaper printing presses, and amount of tax; and total amount of tax in dollars and cents. Each year is recorded together with the names arranged alphabetically. At the end of each year is a recapitulation for each category and certifications by the commissioner of the revenue and the clerk of court as to the accuracy of the list.

Campbell County (Va.) Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1867, consist of a petition submitted by Dennis Holt, who was emancipated by the will of Andrew Holt, his father. Citing "his infirmity of body, and imbecility of mind" as well as his distrust in "his ability to take care of himself," Holt sought to be enslaved to David Hoffman. Hoffman enslaved Nancy, Holt's wife. Submitted in 1860, the petition was dismissed in 1867. Included alongside the petition is a copy of Andrew Holt's will. A "free man of color," Andrew emancipated Dennis and Burwell, his sons, upon his death. According to the will, he purchased them from Thomas Steptoe.