Items

• William (Billy) Brown

  "...Some time since about the year 1814 he purchased himself form his master who was about to remove out of this State. He was induced so to do chiefly on account of his family who could not be carried with his master because they belonged to others who were unwilling to sell them. Your Petitioner has since resided in this state as the property of a gentleman who lent him a part of the money which he paid for himself. Since which time he has returned the money advanced and now resides in the County of Prince Edward."

• James Madison

  James Madison was the fourth president of the United States and sat on the Board of Trustees of Hampden-Sydney College.

• Petition for permission to remain in the Commonwealth, 1825-12-14

  Billy Brown, a 'free man of colour,' had purchased his freedom 9 years earlier and since that time, had been employed by H-SC. Learning that the laws of Virginia required manumitted slaves to leave the state, he petitioned the Virginia General Assembly to be allowed to remain. A number of prominent white men signed the petition attesting to his character but the GA denied the petition. This event chronicles the filing of his second petition, also denied.

• Petition for permission to remain in the Commonwealth, 1824-12-07

  Billy Brown, a 'free man of colour,' had purchased his freedom 9 years earlier and since that time, had been employed by H-SC. Learning that the laws of Virginia required manumitted slaves to leave the state, he petitioned the Virginia General Assembly to be allowed to remain. A number of prominent white men signed the petition attesting to his character but the GA denied the petition.
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  John Peter Mettauer

  John Peter Mettauer graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in 1811. After attending medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, Mettauer returned to Prince Edward County, Virginia, and opened his own medical institute in 1867.

• Payment by Hampden-Sydney College for the hire of "college servant"

  Board approved payment for hire of "college servant." No other details provided.

• Prohibition on hiring 'other' enslaved labor

  Board of Trustees Resolved that "no student shall employ any other than the servants of the College for cutting and carrying wood without the consent of the Curator"

• Lawsuit: A.D. Dickinson v. Hampden-Sydney College, 1872

  In 1872, Asa Dupuy Dickinson sued the Hampden-Sydney College for nonpayment of funds for the lease of an enslaved man, David Ross, whom he owned. Dickinson was apparently awarded $804.70 for Ross's work.

• Claim for payment for medical attention to servant Billy, June 11-12, 1851

  Claim for payment for medical attention to servant Billy, June 11-12, 1851. The money to be paid out of monies in the hands of the curator due for Billy's hire

• Trustee resolution to pay Peter McViar for "Servant Hire"

  Board of Trustees Resolution to pay to Peter McViar for Servant Hire $192.68 with interest on $188 from Dec. 23, 1837 until paid

• Payment by Hampden-Sydney College for the hire of Lewis, property of President Jonathan P. Cushing

  Board of Trustee minutes authorizing the payment of the Administrator of Jonathan P. Cushing's estate for the hire of Lewis for the part of the year 1836 at the rate of 10 a month.

• Paxton emancipating enslaved people and sending them to Liberia

  Rev. J.D. Paxton, formerly pastor to College church, emancipated "7 or 8 [enslaved persons], mostly small" who were sent to Liberia

• Beating of Elizabeth Keckley, circa 1822-1823

  Around 1823 at four years old, while living on the campus of Hampden-Sydney College in the household of Col. Armistead Burwell, Elizabeth Keckley was tasked with taking care of the infant Elizabeth Burwell. Keckley rocked the cradle “most industriously” and the baby fell out. Keckley seized a fire-shovel to scoop up the baby, her mistress Mrs. Burwell told her to leave the child alone and “then ordered that I be taken out and lashed for my carelessness. The blows were not administered with a light hand, I assure you, and doubtless the severity of the lashing has made me remember it so well.”

• Petition of freed Billy Brown to the Viriginia General Assembly to remain in Virginia, 1818

  Billy Brown, a 'free man of colour,' had purchased his freedom 9 years earlier and since that time, had been employed by H-SC. Learning that the laws of Virginia required manumitted slaves to leave the state, he petitioned the Virginia General Assembly to be allowed to remain. A number of prominent white men signed the petition attesting to his character but the GA denied the petition (he filed a second petition, also denied, several years later).

• Committee formed to purchase or hire a servant for the use of the College

  Committee of the Board of Trustees formed to purchase or hire a servant (enslaved person) for the use of the College, as they may judge most expedient.

• Hire of Negro David by Hampden-Sydney College, prior to 1 January 1803

  The record of Major James Morton presenting an account for the hire of "Negro David" who had been employed in the service of the College. The payment of 14.19.3 pounds sterling was allowed. Recorded in the minutes of the trustees 1 January 1803
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  Hire of Agg to Henry Jones for one year

  Record of college trustee Francis Watkins hiring Agg, a slave owned by his nephew Robert Watkins, a H-SC student, to Henry Jones for one year, for a recorded price of 2000 lbs of tobacco.

• Elizabeth Keckley

  Enslaved child owned by Col. Armistead Burwell, Steward of Hampden-Sydney College.

• Armistead Burwell

  Armistead Burwell was the steward of Hampden-Sydney College from approximately 1822-1830.

• James Morton

  Planter and founding trustee of Hampden-Sydney College. Owner of a store outside the campus grounds.

• David

  Enslaved man owned by Col. James Morton hired out to Hampden-Sydney College prior to 1803.

• Henry Jones

  Henry Jones was the recipient of enslaved woman Agg's labor for the term of one year in 1782.