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Official Records - County Records - Augusta County

Augusta County, west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, was formed in 1738 from Orange County. Little tobacco was grown there, and the county had fewer slaves than Virginia’s more eastern counties: a 14 percent slave population by the 1790 census. But as the records make very clear, Augusta had a very large servant population, many of whom appear in the order books.

Servant charged with stealing and concealment of evidence
Servant charged with stealing and concealment of evidence, January 30, 1775.

Servant charged with theft
Servant charged with theft, n.d. (February, 1775?). A Johannes was a German coin.

Servant matters
Servant matters, March 21, 1775. "fort Dunmore" may refer to the fact that Governor Dunmore had been in what is now West Virginia defeating a force of Native Americans in late 1774. Dennis Connerly (as Donnerly) had runaway in November 1774.

Runaway servant
Runaway servant, March 1775. Sampson Mathews was a justice, prominent merchant of Augusta County and Richmond. See his and his brother's advertisement (Purdie and Dixon), November 11, 1773.

Servant James Duffy examined for theft
Servant James Duffy examined for theft, June 5, 1775. He was remanded to be tried for the felony at the Court of Oyer and Terminer at Williamsburg. Slaves charged with felonies were tried by the local justices themselves who received special writs allowing them to act as judges of Oyer and Terminer.

Runaway servant
Runaway servant; illegitimate child, August 15, 1775.

Attempted rape
Attempted rape, October 31, 1775.

Charges against servant
Charges against servant, November 21, 1775.

An illegitimate mulatto child bound by the Court
An illegitimate mulatto child bound by the Court, November 22, 1775.