Collections

Norfolk County (Va.) Lists of Black and White Families, 1782-1783. Consists of manuscript list of heads of households and the number of white and black residents of the household. Some lists include both free and enslaved persons while others include only free persons of color. These records are arranged with lists of tithables and taxable property for Norfolk County, but do not seem to have been collected for fiscal or taxation purposes, but simply as a head count. Accordingly, this separate inventory has been created for the records though they remain housed with the aforementioned tax and fiscal records.

Norfolk County (Va.) Apprenticeship Indentures, 1709-1903, are bonds and contracts of apprenticeship, showing the names of master and apprentice, the trade to be taught, details of the contract, the amount of the bond and the names of sureties. Barcode number 1157333 contains apprentice indentures of "free Blacks" and "free persons of color."

Deed Books, 1677-1763 of Norfolk County Court. The deed book records the name of the grantor and grantee, the residence of both individuals and the description of property being sold or transferred. The volumes have indexes which contains the first and last names of both parties. It is arranged alphabetically from A-Z.

Deed Books, 1646-1749 of Norfolk County Court. The deed book records the name of the grantor and grantee, the residence of both individuals and the description of property being sold or transferred. The volumes have indexes which contains the first and last names of both parties. It is arranged alphabetically from A-Z.

Depositions and exhibits, 1764, whose purpose was to prove Michael Herrick's claim to being a legitimate heir of John Watkins so that he could inherit Watkins' property in Norfolk County. They provide evidence to Herrick's familial relationship to John Watkins going back several generations. Individuals deposed include Herrick himself, Daniel Taylor, and Charlton Palmer. Exhibits include christening records, marriage records, and burial records copied from the original records found in England as well as a genealogical chart of the Watkins family. Additional surnames found in the records include Gables and Adams. It was noted that Herrick was also spelled Henrick.

Materials in the Library of Virginia’s collections contain historical terms, phrases, and images that are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical and mental ability; religion; sex; and sexual orientation and gender identity.

Norfolk County (Va.) Free Negro Registers, 1809-1861. The collection contains a Register of Free Negroes and Mulattoes, 1809-1852 (Reel 133) and a Register of Free Negroes, 1852-1861 (Reel 105). The registers dcoument the name, and age of free negroes who registered with the county court from 1809 to 1861. Each entry also includes a brief physicial description and a reference to whether the person was born free, and where, or the circumstances of the person's emancipation. Additional information, such as names of spouses or parents or county of birth, is sometimes included.

Norfolk County (Va.) Guardians' Bonds, 1800-1840, consist of 6 volumes of bonds that guardians were required to take out with the justices of the court to guarantee proper execution of their position. The obligation was made binding by a money guarantee. The bonds show the names of the guardian and sureties, the date, amount and condition of the obligation, name of the orphan or other person requiring a guardian, name of deceased parent of the orphan, and signatures. Some volumes have indexes and some do not.

Norfolk County (Va.) Judgment Suits, 1772-1773. Consists of four writs of CoSa (capias ad satisfaciendum), a judgment commanding the sheriff to imprison the defendant until the plaintiff's claim is satsified, from the cases Connar vs. Wallace, Mason vs. Hughes, Jackson vs. Millers, and Barrington vs. Portlock.

Norfolk County (Va.) Lists of Tithables and Taxable Property, 1730-1785, consist of photostat images of the list of tithable heads of household for the years 1730 and 1785.