The county Birth Registers altogether range from 1853 to 1885, and record the birth of every individual in the greater Roanoke area during this time frame, whether white, enslaved African American, or free African American. Typically, less information for enslaved people was recorded. Only first names were recorded and place of birth was recorded with much less specificity. Moreover, the birth registers had a category for “Father’s Name or Owner if Enslaved,” meaning in the case of most enslaved people, the enslaver’s information would be given instead of the child’s father. Nonetheless these records are an important source for connecting enslaved children to their mothers, and providing information about their births that is otherwise not found in other records.
This boy's mother was hired out to Joshua R. C. Brown. Though the record says that Brown "heirs" the mother, she was likely hired by him and gave birth to this boy while she was hired by Brown.
This boy's mother was hired out to A. G. Dabney. Though the record says that Dabney "heirs" the mother, that actually means that she was hired by him and gave birth to this boy while she was hired by Dabney.
There are 4 unrecorded named boys listed under the enslaved individuals of Col. William Watts. These individuals have birth dates that could be a match for Tom Jr., Baldwin, or Lewis, but there is not enough information to confirm it in the record.