When you’re doing genealogy research as an African American, you will run into some disturbing documents with a lot of it related to slavery. Here this is a list of free negroes in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, summoned in 1838 to show cause why they should not be SOLD FOR THEIR TAXES.

The names listed are:

• Charles Ash
• George Ferguson
• Randal Almond
• Harrison Guttredge
• Levin Almond
• James Pool
• Davy Jordan
• Baily Wilson
• Benajah Briggs
• Jacob Jordan
• George Wilson
• Laurence Davis
• John Green
• John Rix
• Sandy Bowman
• Richard Key
• Willis Key
• Sam Short
• Samuel Godwin
• Aaron Joyner
• Samuel Thompson
• Fielding Banks
• Jack Spivey
• Jacob Briggs
• Edwin C Briggs
• Arch Wilson
• Derry Laurence
• Jim Hines

According to the Library of Virginia, Free Negro Tax Records include free negro tax lists and free negro delinquent tax lists. An act passed in 1801 by the Virginia legislature required commissioners of the revenue annually to return a complete list of all free African Americans within their districts, with their names, sex, place of abode, and trades, and a copy of the list to be fixed at the courthouse door. Free negro delinquent tax lists records names of free African Americans returned delinquent and sometimes why returned, such as “no property,” “removed,” or “not found.”

Source: A list of free negroes 1838, 1838, African American Narrative Digital Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA