Chesterfield County Militia Roll and Negro Account Book 1850-1853

Access and use

Location of collection:
University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400110
160 McCormick Rd
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Brenda Gunn
Phone: (434) 924-1037
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968

Summary

Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

This manuscript planatation(?) account book, 1850-1854, chiefly consists of accounts pertaining to blacks as well as a militia company roll. "Negro Accounts 1853" encompasses two pages of payments for various goods and services rendered, especially for "ditching." Also present is a separate pencilled note "No negro man is to leave the plantation on Sunday until I permit them," a record of guano sales, and indicators of business dealings with various identified individuals (Joshua Condry, Mrs. E[lizabeth] Elam of Richmond, Bettie Lester and Sallie A. Flournoy).

Of particular interest is the 1850 militia company roll bearing attendance entries during the months of April, May and October. Most of the approximately 165 individuals listed therein were Chesterfield County residents according to the 1850 Virginia Census. Eventually, several of these men served with the 6th Virginia Infantry 1during the Civil War in companies I and K; their names are appended at the end of this guide. Others probably enlisted in one of the county's remaining units described in Francis Earle Lutz's Chesterfield: An Old Virginia County. 2

1See Michael A. Cavanaugh's 6th Virginia Infantry, 1988, pp. 5 and 6.

2See page 231 for a brief listing of Chesterfield County Confederate units.

Acquisition information:
This volume was purchased from Louis Ginsberg of Petersburg, Virginia, on August 10, 1988.
Physical description:
There is 1 bound volume in this collection.