Chesterfield County (Va.) Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1862

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:

Chesterfield County (Va.) Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1862, are digitized and available through Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative Digital Collection on the Library of Virginia website. Please use digital images.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Chesterfield County (Va.) Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1862. Local government records collection, Chesterfield County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
1 item
Creator:
Chesterfield County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Chesterfield County (Va.) Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1862. Local government records collection, Chesterfield County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Chesterfield County (Va.) Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1862, include a petition, in which John Green, a "free man of color," sought permission to "sell himself into slavery" to Henry Covington. There is no indication as to whether or not his petition was granted.

Biographical / historical:

Context for Record Type: Petitions for Re-enslavement consist of petitions of free Black individuals choosing to be re-enslaved. An act passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 1806 required formerly enslaved people to leave the commonwealth within twelve months of being granted their freedom. Individuals were forced to leave behind family, friends, and community who remained enslaved. In addition, many emancipated people did not have the financial means or social support to move to a free state. One option to preserve family and relationships was to return to slavery. In 1856, the Virginia legislature passed an act allowing free Black individuals who desired to remain in the commonwealth to petition for re-enslavement. Only a small number of free Black Virginians petitioned the courts to re-enslave themselves to an enslaver of choice, and an even smaller percentage succeeded. Many petitioners chose enslavers they knew well or who owned a spouse or family member. These petitions include the petitioner's name, previous enslaver, means of emancipation, and new desired enslaver.

Locality History: Chesterfield County was named for Philip Dormer Stanhope, fourth earl of Chesterfield, British statesman and diplomat, and was formed from Henrico County in 1749. The county seat is Chesterfield Court House. Part of Henrico County was added to Chesterfield in 1922.

Acquisition information:
These records came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Chesterfield County (Va.) as part of an undated accession.
Processing information:

Chesterfield County Petitions for Re-Enslavement were originally described as part of the Chesterfield County (Va.) Free and Enslaved Records, 1760-1862, but were removed to the present Chesterfield County (Va.) Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1862, record to enhance discoverability in December 2025.

Chesterfield County Petitions for Re-Enslavement were found among Chesterfield County (Va.) Dead Papers. They were processed, scanned, and indexed by S. Nerney, L. Neuroth, and LVA staff for the purposes of digitizing them for the digital project Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative.

Encoded by C. Collins: December 2025.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged

  • Series I: Petitions for Re-Enslavement, 1862, arranged chronologically.

Arranged chronologically

Physical location:
Library of Virginia