Cumberland County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1824

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:

Cumberland County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1824, 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:

Cumberland County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1824. Local government records collection, Cumberland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

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

Cumberland County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1824. Local government records collection, Cumberland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Cumberland County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1824, include one deed. Deeds of emancipation 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.

These records are comprised of one deed, 1824, in which John Sanderson, Willis Sanderson, and Thomas Brown freed Thomas (or Tom) and Lewis "in consideration of faithful services."

Biographical / historical:

Context of Record Type: Deeds of emancipation and manumission record an enslavers' intent to emancipate enslaved people from bondage. Some of the earliest legal manumissions in Virginia occurred in the early 1770s. However, there was a sharp rise following the 1782 manumission act that allowed enslavers to privately emancipate enslaved people "by last will and testament or other instrument in writing sealed." They were no longer required to seek a special act from the General Assembly. These documents sometimes include an enslavers' intent for emancipation ranging from religious and moral motivations to binding legal agreements.

Deeds of emancipation and manumission essentially provide the same information and there is little difference between the two. Both include the name of the enslaver, the name of the enslaved person to be freed, the date of anticipated freedom, the date the manumission was proved or certified, and as mentioned, sometimes a reason why the enslaver decided to emancipate the enslaved person. In a deed of manumission, an enslaver directly freed an enslaved person by manumission. In a deed of emancipation, an enslaved person could be freed after the enslaver's death by those executing a last will and testament. This collection also includes court orders that record the date or age when enslaved individuals were to be emancipated by deed as stipulated in an enslaver's will.

Locality History: Cumberland County was named for William Augustus, duke of Cumberland, third son of King George II. It was formed from Goochland County in 1749. The county seat is Cumberland.

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

Cumberland County Deeds of Emancipation were originally described as part of the Cumberland County (Va.) Free and Enslaved Records, 1759-1865, but were removed to the present Cumberland County (Va.) Deeds of Emancipation, 1824, record to enhance discoverability in March 2026.

These records have been processed, scanned, and indexed by S. Nerney and L. Neuroth for the purposes of digitizing them for the digital project Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative.

Encoded by C. Collins: March 2026.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged

  • Series I: Deeds of Emancipation, 1824, arranged chronologically.

Arranged chronologically

Physical location:
Library of Virginia