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.
Ewell Meadow was listed as the father of Jacob Henry, who was listed as "White/Slave" and the son of Matilda Meadow. There was likely some transcription error in this case.
Mathew Harvey is the father of Irvin P. Henry. Patterson Hannah bequeathed Henry Clay, Edward, and Stephen to Henry, who would obtain them when he became 21 years old. Until that time, Matthew Harvey was to "have the services" of those three enslaved people.
Mary Richardson was the daughter of Abram Greenwood. In the partition of enslaved people, Mary received Abby as her one fifth share between herself and her four other siblings that was given to them by their father after his death.