Slavery – Page 7 – The UncommonWealth

A troubled slave makes his escape

In the fall of 1805, John Alcock, a Fredericksburg, Virginia, cabinetmaker, relocated to Richmond and opened a cabinetmaking shop. By 1807 he had expanded his…

Chris KolbeApril 11, 2012

Archives

"This is a bad fix I am in…"

Three Highland County Commonwealth Causes (Barcode 0007281802) reveal a tangled web of conspiracy, murder, and secret affairs. The cast of players includes Elizabeth Sheridan, wife of the…

Joanne PorterMarch 21, 2012

Archives

Nelson Co. Chancery Now Available

Editor’s note: The finding aid for these records can be found here. The Library of Virginia is pleased to announce that Nelson County Chancery Causes,…

Callie FreedJanuary 20, 2012

Archives Digital Projects

Cohabitation Registers Added to Digital Collection

The Library of Virginia is pleased to announce the addition of records from Fluvanna, Goochland, and Montgomery Counties to the cohabitation register digitization project. This project,…

Sarah NerneyDecember 9, 2011

Archives

"Have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full!"

The wool of Merino sheep was highly prized and for centuries the flocks were not allowed to be exported from their home in Spain. One…

Chris KolbeDecember 7, 2011

Archives

CSI: Old Virginia: Coroners Edition

At one o’clock in the morning on 1 September 1859, Milly T. King arrived at the home of James Clary and found his slave Hannah…

Bari HelmsNovember 7, 2011

Archives

Petersburg Chancery Reveals Rich African American History

The Library of Virginia is pleased to announce that the first installment of images from the Petersburg chancery causes digitization project have been added to…

Vince BrooksSeptember 21, 2011

Manuscripts & Special Collections

Maybe we can learn from doodles…

Guest contributor Tricia Noel joins us to share an interesting discovery left by an anonymous artist on some New Kent County church records. Although they…

Guest ContributorSeptember 7, 2011

Archives

Franklin Co. Chancery Added To CRI!

The Library of Virginia is pleased to announce that digital images for Franklin County chancery causes, 1787-1912, are now available on the Chancery Records Index. Digital…

Vince BrooksSeptember 2, 2011

Archives Digital Projects

Accomack and Fluvanna Chancery Now Available Online!

The Library of Virginia is pleased to announce that the Accomack County chancery causes, 1727-1805, and Fluvanna County chancery causes, 1779-1882, are now available on the Chancery…

Vince BrooksAugust 23, 2011

Archives

More Augusta County Images Are Here!

The latest images from the Augusta County Chancery Causes are now available on the Chancery Records Index. With this addition, one hundred boxes of Augusta County…

Greg CrawfordAugust 16, 2011

Archives

Primary Source Offers Questions and Clues About Will, Runaway Slave

Located among the odds and ends of Accomack County court records is this 1758 advertisement from Landon Carter of Richmond County for his runaway slave…

Sarah NerneyAugust 10, 2011

Archives

Additional Prince Edward County Chancery Causes Added to CRI!

Additional Prince Edward County chancery causes are now available on the Chancery Records Index. These additions span the years 1754 through 1883. Combined with the previously…

Dale DulaneyAugust 8, 2011

Conservation Digital Projects

See Montgomery County’s Cohabitation Register Conserved!

The staff at Montgomery County’s Circuit Court Clerk’s Office recently rediscovered the county’s cohabitation register, one of the most valuable records used for African American…

Dale DulaneyMay 2, 2011

Archives

Volumes Provide a Rare Glimpse Into the Life of Slaves at Furnaces

In July 1814, entrepreneur William Weaver made a chance investment in the Virginia iron industry along with his new partner, Thomas Mayberry. Weaver and Mayberry…

Bari HelmsApril 6, 2011