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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.

Essex County records indicate a spate of felony trials of slaves.
Spring, 1770. Essex County records indicate a spate of felony trials of slaves. Trial of Davy, March 1770. Owner Robert Beverley was a justice and one of the leading men of the county. Many runaways carried off articles of clothing.

Trial of John Lee's Frank
Trial of John Lee's Frank, April 17, 1770. Condemned slaves were valued by the court for the purpose of compensating their owners. Copies of the proceedings along with the valuation were then forwarded to the General Assembly for payment. See Journal of the House of Burgesses for certification of Lee's claim.

Trial of Mintus
Trial of Mintus, property of Henry Cunthor for burglary, May 11, 1770.

Trial of Josh
Trial of Josh, May 11, 1770 for stealing clothing.

Trial of Phill for stealing a horse
Trial of Phill for stealing a horse, July 1770. The previous year, owner William Roane advertised for Joe, an accomplished personal servant, in both Virginia Gazettes ((Purdie & Dixon), August 17, 1769 and (Rind), August 17, 1769) and the Annapolis paper (Maryland Gazette (Green), August 17, 1769. Joe, a jockey, also stole a horse to aid his flight.

Trial of Mintus
Trial of Mintus, July 4, 1770.