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Official Records - County Records - Essex County

Essex County--Founded on the south side of the Rappahannock River in 1692, by the eighteenth century Essex County was one of the established Tidewater counties, its economy fully bound to tobacco and the number of slaves relatively high. In the 1790 census, of the total population of 9,122, 5,440, or 60 percent, were slaves. The county justices met at the town of Hobb's Hole, which today is called Tappahannock, and its prominent men included merchant-planter Archibald Ritchie, and Robert Beverley. Across the Rappahannock was Richmond County, whose planters, among them John Tayloe and Landon Carter, joined with those of Essex in family and business relationships.

Oyer and Terminer trial of James
Oyer and Terminer trial of James, property of Thomas Roane, May 28, 1765. Thomas Roane's slave Peter was tried and sentenced to death in January 1768. Roane himself became a justice of the Essex court.

Second trial of James
Acquitted of the charge of burglary in his earlier trial, James was here acquitted of stealing a horse, June 14 1765.

Harry and Will, two slaves belonging to Mann Page
Harry and Will, two slaves belonging to Mann Page, are caught stealing hogs, Oct. 21, 1765. In Sept. 1770, Page placed ads for a runaway named Jack: Virginia Gazette (Purdie & Dixon), Williamsburg, September 27, 1770, and Virginia Gazette (Rind), Williamsburg, September 27, 1770.

Trial of Tom
Trial of Tom, same date as above, October 21, 1765.