Digital images for pre-1866 coroners' inquisitions that involve enslaved and free Black and Multiracial individuals are available on the Virginia Untold: the African American Narrative web site. Please use digital images.
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Henry County (Va.) Coroners' Inquisitions, 1779-1946. Local government records collection, Henry County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA 23219.
These records came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court records from Henry County in an undated accession.
Henry County Coroners' Inquisitions were processed and indexed as two separate units. The bulk of the records were processed in 2011 for the purpose of inclusion in Virginia Untold. Therefore, at the time of processing, pre-1865 records related to enslaved and free Black and Multiracial individuals were isolated and indexed or the purposes of digitizing them for the digital project Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative. In March 2026, the remaining pre-1865 and post-1865 inquests were indexed by M. Long.
Encoded by G. Crawford, 2011; updated by M. Long, March 2026.
Prior to the Civil War, the coroner would summon a jury of twelve white men, usually prominent citizens of that locality, to assist him in determining cause of death. The jury viewed the body of the deceased and heard the testimony of witnesses which did include both white and Black perspectives. This witness testimony was recorded and after seeing and hearing the evidence, and unlike other judicial proceedings, enslaved people could provide depositions in coroner's inquisitions, but still, an all-white jury delivered in writing to the coroner their conclusion concerning cause of death referred to as the inquisition. These causes of death would be determined by a white perspective and Black individuals were only consulted; they were never in a position to make decisions. After the Civil War, the process remained the same but the racial distinctions stipulating jury eligibility no longer remained. However, as appointments still continued and juror eligibility reserved for those "entitled to vote and hold office," the authority and influence in the hands of white citizens remained throughout the late 19th and early 20th century.
In 1877, an act of the General Assembly changed the number of jurors to six, and by 1926, only the coroner determined cause of death but they could require physicians to assist them with determining cause of death. Then in 1946, the General Assembly abolished the Coroner's office/ office of Coroner's Physician altogether, appointed instead a Chief Medical Examiner, and by 1950 transitioned to a statewide Office of the Chief Medical Examiner which now lives within the Department of Health.
If a criminal act was determined to be the cause of death, the coroner delivered the guilty person to the sheriff and the inquests would be used as evidence in the criminal trial. In this case, coroner's inquisitions were filed with the trial papers. If there was not a trial, coroner's inquisitions were filed separately and are more likely to appear in this collection as a standalone set of documents.
Henry County (Va.) Coroners' Inquisitions, 1779-1946, contains 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 these records include accidental, alcohol, drowning, homicide, injuries, infanticide, medical conditions, natural causes ("visitation by God"), and suicide.
Documents commonly found in coroners' inquisitions include the inquisition, depositions, and summons. Some inquisitions contain other documents such as exhibits. 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 coroner knew the deceased person to be Black or Multiracial, the inquest should identify the person individual's legal status (free or enslaved). If the coroner knew the deceased person to be enslaved, the inquest often includes their name, their enslaver and the enslaver's residence. Information found in the depositions include the name of the deponent(s) and their account of the circumstances that led to the death of the deceased.
Records from Henry County contain a number of inquests relating to enslaved and free Black and Multiracial individuals. Regardless of race, many deaths were related to transportation, particularly in the early 20th century. The majority of these deaths were due to automobile accidents and, to a lesser extent, railway accidents. There were also two instances of private airplane accidents: the 1941 deaths of Clement M. Wade and Daniel Wishon and the 1943 deaths of Charles B. Cooper and W. Kern Cooper. There were also several workplace-related deaths for this locality.
Notable records include inquisitions related to an enslaved man named Sam Lyon (alias Lion). In December 1942, there was an inquisition into the death of Beverly Brown, an overseer who Sam Lyon was accused of murdering. In March 1943, there was an inquisition into Sam Lyon's death from a gunshot wound while being held in the county jail for Brown's murder.
This collection is arranged into the following series:
Records related to enslaved and free Black and Multiracial individuals of Henry County and other localities are available through
Additional Henry County court records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult
Chronological by date coroner filed inquisition in the local court.