Middlesex County, Virginia Court Order Book (May 1783-April 1784) and Land Records (October 1785-1790)

The Middlesex County, Virginia Court Order Book (May 1783–April 1784) includes various court cases, appointments, names of deceased residents, many named slaves with some owners who registered them as “set free of County Levy,” county officials being paid in pounds of tobacco for their official duties, and several references to the Revolutionary War effort wherein individuals listed the items or services rendered for the cause.

Information found in the Land Records (October 1785–1790) documents includes various family relationships, some prenuptial agreements, the approximate dates of deaths, the names of hundreds of slaves and their owners (who bought, sold, gifted, or put them up for collateral for land, and used them to pay off the owner’s previous debts). The main agricultural crop was tobacco, which was used in barter and payment for salaries of officials and purchase of land. A few items are dated earlier than 1785 and a couple are dated in 1791.

A full-name and place index adds to the value of this work.