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.
In Inventory, Appraisements, and Sales Book 2, it is stated that Cyrus Price and Moses Greer are administrators of the "will annexed of Thomas Fowler, deceased." Under the entry, it also listed a claim against John Pitzer "for hire of his negro and lost on account of sickness of negro" with the price of $40.00 also listed.
John Johnston's will stipulated that two enslaved people "of suitable ages" with his grandsons, John and John, "be delivered to their parents in trust" as soon as his wife could conveniently do so. John and John are said to be William's son and Elizabeth's son.
According to the 1870 census, there was a mixed-race man named John Daniel who was the father of Harrison Daniel, a mixed-race boy whose mother was Eliza. Note that Harrison is listed in the Birth Register as enslaved.
Anthony and Alexander both labored for 60 days at a pay rate of $16.00 per month. Their enslaver, John Dabney, received $64.00 for the work they completed.