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.
Jacob S. Fowler and Henry Fowler are mentioned in the will of Jacob Fowler. Henry was his son and Jacob was most likely his son but it is not specifically mentioned in the record.
J. S. Read was an informant for Thomas Lewis. An unrecorded named mother was doing work for him in September 1854, and gave birth to an unrecorded named child.
J. M. Wright hired an unrecorded named woman. She and her son John were enslaved by Jane Martain. John's mother gave birth to him while she was worked for J. M. Wright.
J. G. Coats was an informant for Edward Watts. An unrecorded named mother was doing work for him in February 1856, and had a child by the name of Horace.
A valuation of $3000.00 was placed on Isabell and her four children. In a later appraisement. Isabell and her 2 children had a combined value of $1300.00 placed on them. Although Isabell was listed as having 4 children, 2 children are unaccounted for and the initial value decreased.