Conditions Governing Use

The materials from Washington and Lee University Special Collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used should be fully credited with the source. Permission for publication of this material, in part or in full, must be secured with the Head of Special Collections.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Affidavit of Freedom for Jerry Scott, WLU Coll. 0692, Special Collections and Archives, James G. Leyburn Library, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of single legal registration document for Jerry Scott "a free man of colour (sic)" in Nelson County, Virginia. The document includes a physical description of Jerry Scott and is signed by Spotswood Garland, the county clerk of Nelson County. It includes the county's seal. Free persons of color were required to be registered as "free persons" within their county of residence in Virginia before emancipation. The document notes that Jerry Scott was "born free."

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Court records
• Court records -- U.S. states
• Enslaved persons -- Emancipation
• Freedmen
• Freedmen -- Civil rights
• Freedmen -- Legal status, laws, etc.
• Scott, Jerry
• Slavery
• Virginia -- Nelson County