District of Columbia Court and Emancipation Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of images of National Archives records from three microfilm publications:

The collection covers the years 1820 to 1863.
 * Records of the Board of Commissioners for the Emancipation of Slaves in the District of Columbia, 1862-1863, M520, 4 rolls in Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department the Treasury, RG 217
 * Records of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia relating to slaves, 1851-1863 M433, 2 rolls
 * United States, Circuit Court (District of Columbia), Habeas Corpus Case Records, 1820-1863, M434, 2 rolls in Records of the District Courts of the United States in RG 21.

The following related digital book contains lists and claim numbers of petitioners Emancipation in the District of Columbia 

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The information in the records varies by case. You may find any of the following:
 * Name
 * Age or birth date (these may be approximated)
 * Gender
 * Name of former owner
 * Residence
 * Names of other family members or witnesses
 * Document dates

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the individual
 * The approximate court date or emancipation date

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the NARA Roll Number and film description to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the age to find vital records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in censuses
 * Emancipated individuals may still have family members who are slaves. Be sure to look for other individuals who may be related
 * Look for the slave holder and records they kept which may provide information about those who were enslaved

I Can't Find the Person Who I'm Looking For, What Now ?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Record Finder
Consult the District of Columbia Record Finder to find other records

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying you sources helps others find the records you used.


 * Collection Citation:"District of Columbia Court and Emancipation Records, 1820-1863." Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2018. Citing NARA microfilm publications M520, M433, and M434. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

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