“Not all blacks were slaves in Virginia before the Civil War. Virginia had the largest free black population in the United States. Many black families had been free there since the 1600s. For each eight slaves in the state, there was one free person of color. Some of the largest families had the surnames, Cumbo, Driggers, and Goins. Many free people of color descended from black slave men who had children by white indentured servant women. Others were manumitted.”
FamilySearch.org”African American Resources for Virginia: Free People of Color” (accessed June 14, 2020).
Note: This source is free but you must register to use it.
Jane Purcell Guild. Black Laws of Virginia: A Summary of the Legislative Acts of Virginia Concerning Negroes from Earliest Times to the Present. Warrenton, VA: Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County, Virginia, 1996
Paul Heinegg. Free African Americans of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Delaware
http://freeafricanamericans.com/
Luther Porter Jackson. Free Negro Labor and Property Holding in Virginia, 1830-1860. Chicago: D. Appleton-Century Company, 1942
John Henderson Russell. The Free Negro in Virginia, 1619-1865 (dissertation). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1913
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 
I’ve been searching through the Daughtrys in Norfolk and surrounding counties from 1790 on up. I’m finishing up the 1870 census right now. I have been particularly interested in how many free black Daughtrys there were in those areas before the Civil War. But how did they get the name Daughtry or Daughtrey if they were not slaves at one time or another? Just trying to fill out the rest of the picture.
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Donna — Thanks for your note. If I understand your question correctly, I would offer two points: (1)The Daughtry/Daughtrey family might have been free since the colonies were established or they might have gained their freedom from enslavement; (2) Anyone can claim any name at anytime. I hope this helps.
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Indentured..they took on Master’s name
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Hello, I’m having a hard time locating my gg-grandfather, his name was Henry Brown b. 1864, he married Eliza Hudson, they had a son Sonnie P. Brown, whos my grandfather b.1884. I’m not sure if Henry was free, or enslaved, I know he was from the Mecklenburg area and thats all I have. If possible can you point me in the right direction to finding him? Also Sonnie, left Mecklenburg and moved to New Jersey, his son Ernest T. Brown was my grandfather b.1902. Ernest had a daughter, my mother Anne Susan Brown. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Sharon Mott
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Hi, Sharon — Thanks for your note. The question beyond the scope of this blog but I can offer a few hints. First, if I understand you correctly: Anne is your mother; Ernest was your grandfather; Sonnie was your great-grandfather; and Henry was your great-great-grandfather. Next, have you identified documents/evidence of births/marriages/deaths for all these individuals and their siblings (beginning with your mother)? Information from siblings is too often overlooked. It’s important to confirm, corroborate, or contradict your findings. This front-end research is tedious but will save much confusion down the road — especially with surname like Brown. Third, there was a free Negro register for Mecklenburg County. You might want to inquire of your local public library about arranging an interlibrary loan of microfilm from the Library of Virginia (see “A Guide to Virginia County and City Records Records on Microfilm” at https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/local/ . Next, I think you’ll Emily Anne Croom’s _Unpuzzling Your Past, 4th edition_ book and Tony Burroughs’ _Black Roots_ helpful.
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