Are there any resource links to help find names of slaves?

Question

Originally, I only knew of my great great great grandparents that owned 2 slaves, but freed them and gave them a couple acres to live on.  The couple remained on the property and helped as work hands on the farm.

However, I am finding more ancestors on my Virginia lineage that owned slaves.  I am only finding numbers on the census reports and was wondering if there is a link with deeds or auctions that helps to locate the names of the slaves?  Not everyone of my lineage had wills and others gradually freed their slaves; still I think those with ancestors that owned slaves have a responsibility to try to provide information in case the descendants of slaves are seeking their lineage.

Comments

WikiTree also has Slavery categories & a project you might be interested in. See https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:US_Southern_Colonies_Slavery and also https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Slavery%2C_Virginia & https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Slavery%2C_United_States_of_America

Cheers, Liz

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I find the names listed in wills quite often, but I don't know how to record them for those looking for their ancestors.

Answer 1

This might help:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_slavery_in_Virginia

https://sites.google.com/a/kenilworth38.org/virginia-colony-website-sears/home/slavery

https://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Virginia_s_First_Africans

Answer 2

There are census slave schedules for 1850 and 1860 that list slave owners and their slaves by name age, and gender and I think identify them as mulatto or black.

Pat

Answer 3

Hi Shawn,

I ran across these resources a while back and bookmarked them because they're so unique compared to other resources I've found.

• Last Seen: Finding Family After Slavery
• Unknown No Longer - VA Historical Society
• African Americans in Tidewater Virginia

Hope they proved helpful!

 

- Amy