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 C. L. Cocke. Though the record says that Cocke "hires" the mother, that means that Benjamine's mother gave birth to him while she was hired by Cocke in September 1858.
Benjamin Hawley is listed in an indenture agreement: “unto the said Benjamin Hawley a girl of colour by the name of Magdeline Saunders until she arrives to the age of 21 years…the 22nd day of June 1858…”
In the record, it is stated that "Jacob a man" was "hired out" to Benjamin Deyerle for $65.00 from a list of enslaved individuals associated with Thomas Fowler.
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, Archy would choose the master/mistress that he would like to be inherited to. In the appraisement of the estate of Michael Miller, a value of $375.00 was placed on Archy.