Westmoreland County (Va.) Register of Children of Colored Persons in Westmoreland County, State of Virginia, whose Parents had ceased to cohabit, 1866

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

Patrons are to use digital images with searchable transcription available through the Library of Virginia's Virginia Unntold: the African American Narrative website.

Preferred citation:

Westmoreland County (Va.) Register of Children of Colored Persons whose Parents had ceased to cohabit which the Father recognizes to be his, 27th February 1866. Local government records collection, Westmoreland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

Creator:
Westmoreland County (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Westmoreland County (Va.) Register of Children of Colored Persons whose Parents had ceased to cohabit which the Father recognizes to be his, 27th February 1866. Local government records collection, Westmoreland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

Westmoreland County (Va.) Register of Children of Colored Persons in Westmoreland County, State of Virginia, whose Parents had ceased to cohabit on 27th February, 1866, which the Father recognizes to be his. Also commonly called Westmoreland County (Va.) Cohabitation Register. This register lists the name of the child, age, place of birth, residence, last owner, residence of the last owner, residence of father, his age and last owner, residence of last owner of father, name of mother, her age, her residence if alive or noted if dead, last owner of mother, residence of last owner of mother, and the signature of the father. Comments under the column for the residence of the mother if alive include notations of a rough date of death, or that she has been sold away, left, or was immoral. County of residence is noted if known and is other than Westmoreland. The collection exists as inkjet prints, microfilm, and digital images with a searchable transcription through the Library of Virginia's Virginia Memory website.

Biographical / historical:

Westmoreland County was named for the English county. It was formed from Northumberland County in 1653. The county seat is Montross.

The Virginia legislature passed an act on 27 February 1866 to legalize the marriages of former slaves and provided for the legitimization of children of couples no longer cohabiting as long as the father recognized the children to be his. See Virginia Acts of Assembly, 1866-1867, Chapter 18, An act to amend and re-enact the 14th section of chapter 108 of the Code of Virginia for 1860, in regard to registers of marriage; and to legalize the marriages of colored persons now cohabiting as husband and wife.

The federal Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands directed the Assistant Superintendents of the states to order the county clerks to make a registry of such children. See Circular No. 11, dated 19 March 1866, in Orders, Circulars, Circular Letters, and Letters of Instruction, vol. 2 (1866). Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, Records of the Assistant Commissioner for the State of Virginia, 1865-1869. Miscellaneous reel 3880, Library of Virginia. National Archives microfilm M1048 (reel 41), Record Group 105.

Acquisition information:

This item was transferred to the Library of Virginia by the circuit court clerk of Westmoreland County. Accession number 51798.

Digital images were created by the Library of Virginia's Photographic and Digital Imaging Services. Photolab number 16_1123.

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
Digital images.