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.
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. It is highly possible this is the same Harrison, and that the sex listed in the Birth Register is wrong.
Harriet Bolin could potentially be the same person as Harriet, who was also enslaved by Thomas R. Muse. If they are the same person, then Harriet Bolin is also the mother of Francis M.
Harriet was not listed as being unable to support herself, though this might be an error due to her age at the time the Freedman's Bureau Census was conducted.
Harriet and her children were previously enslaved by Samuel Stoner. Stoner's sales bill shows that a value of $605.00 was placed on Harriet and her children. They were then sold to F. & J. L. James and Co. Fleming James was later listed as the enslaver.
Michael Miller's will stipulated that the enslaved persons Harriet, Columbus, Ellen, Jimma, Payton, Charles, Vera, and Archy are to be valued by the court and evenly divided between George and Sallie Miller. Once valued, Harriet would choose the master/mistress that she would like to be inherited to. In the appraisement of the estate of Michael Miller, a value of $200.00 was placed on Harriet ($150.00) and her child ($50.00).