The Petition

It was easy for Thomas Norris to free his enslaved woman Salley and her adult children out of gratitude, but it will be even harder for them to maintain their freedom and stay in the state for Virginia, their home and familiarity.  Although not legally free at the time, Jesse and his family had already made roots as part of the Free Persons of Color communities of Cumberland County and Fluvanna County, Va. He was working  as a waterman on the Rhivanna and James River hauling goods and people on the canal system. Jesse was also married prior to his legal manumission to Nancy, Free Person of Color.  With this being said it would be devastating to have to relocate, but he was willing to do so in the name of freedom. They had a year to decide if they want to leave the state of Virginia, be sold back into slavery, or take a chance to petition the courts to allow them to stay, in the State of Virginia.  When looking into relocating, Jesse realized the neighboring states of Virginia were making  it hard for Free Person of Color to relocate to their states. Jesse had his sights on Kentucky if they had to relocate but they passed legislation denying Free Persons of Color to relocate to their state, as well. 

Jesse and his family made the decision to fight to stay in the State of Virginia. Per the law of the Commonwealth, they would have to petition the General Assembly. Jesse and his family would have to prove they were of good character and means to support themselves as well as references from the people of the community. It is unclear who wrote the petition to the General Assembly in 1815, but they humbly presented their case to the General Assembly.  Jesse and his siblings acknowledged they were aware of the Virginia law of newly emancipated required to leave the state of Virginia within a year or be sold back into slavery. They made their case by stating that being aware of the law they did look into relocating to Kentucky but they changed the law to ban newly freedmen from living in the state and they can prove they will not be a detriment to the public welfare. As part of the petition, their communities of Cumberland County and Fluvanna County sent a written statement with all of their signatures attesting to their character and that agree that Jessee and his family should stay in the State of Virginia. Thomas Norris’s widow and his family also wrote a statement in agreement of Jesse and his family being emancipated by said will and felt they should stay in the community.  Most of the written statements about the Jesse Norris Family were the same, talking about his good character and being an active part of the community. 

Upon the death of Thomas Norris 1815, Jesse and his adult siblings were set free. There were a few caveats.  The information for Salley, the mother, is ambivalent. Thomas Norris’ Will and Manumission Records appear to have  manumitted Jesse’s mother Sally but Salley was also probated to David and Susannah Stratton. Secondly, Jesse had  to purchase the younger siblings Mariah, Fleming, & we are not sure if there are anymore siblings. He had 2 years to pay $600 to the Thomas Norris estate or his younger siblings would be sold by the executor of the estate.  Lastly, due to the manumission laws in the State of Virginia, he was not able to manumit his minor siblings and he remained their enslaver.

Take a look at how Jesse and his family were seen in their communities. 

“….. can truly say that his conduct has been not only inoffensive but praise worthy. That for sobriety, industry & honesty he yields to no person of whatever colour or complexion & that in our opinions if he were permitted to remain in this state with the privileges of persons of colour, his example might be of use in ameliorating the habits of such of that class of persons as he might have intercourse with.”

“To The Honble [Honorable] the Speakers & Both Houses of the General Assembly of VIrginia. The Petition of William Norris and Moses Norris executors of the Will of Thomas Norris of the County of Cumberland lately deceased, and of Thomas Norris, John Norris, David Norris, and Daniel Norris, David Stratton & Susanna his wife, & William May & Polley his wife, all except the said David Stratton and William May being his children & Legatees of the said Thomas Norris deceased. Humbly Sheweth That the said Thomas Norris decd by deed confirmed by his testament & last will emancipated the following slaves namely Jesse, Betsy, Reubin, Henry & Sally, who are desirous to remain in the State of Virginia if permitted so to do: that the whole of the said persons are now of adult age, and have always behaved themselves in a decent and orderly, and some of them whose occupation led them to considerable intercourse with the public, in a most exemplary manner so as to merit every indulgence & privilege that can be allowed to persons of their colour & condition. That the Widow’s interests and claims have been adjusted and secured, and that theEstate of the said decedent will yield for distribution to the petitioners after paying all debts against it upwards of $12,000. May it therefore please the Honorable the Legislature to pass an act authorizing the above named Jesse, Betsy, Reubin, Henry & Sally to remain in this state as free persons of color, with all the privileges heretofore granted to persons of that class, and your petitioners shall ever pray &c &c [etc.]. Wm Norris[,] Moses Norris[,] Thos. Norris[,] Wm. [Mayo? Mays?] & Polley his wife[,] John Norris[,] Daniel Norris[,] David Stratton & Susannah his wife”“To The Honble [Honorable] the Speakers & Both Houses of the General Assembly of VIrginia. The Petition of William Norris and Moses Norris executors of the Will of Thomas Norris of the County of Cumberland lately deceased, and of Thomas Norris, John Norris, David Norris, and Daniel Norris, David Stratton & Susanna his wife, & William May & Polley his wife, all except the said David Stratton and William May being his children & Legatees of the said Thomas Norris deceased. Humbly Sheweth That the said Thomas Norris decd by deed confirmed by his testament & last will emancipated the following slaves namely Jesse, Betsy, Reubin, Henry & Sally, who are desirous to remain in the State of Virginia if permitted so to do: that the whole of the said persons are now of adult age, and have always behaved themselves in a decent and orderly, and some of them whose occupation led them to considerable intercourse with the public, in a most exemplary manner so as to merit every indulgence & privilege that can be allowed to persons of their colour & condition. That the Widow’s interests and claims have been adjusted and secured, and that theEstate of the said decedent will yield for distribution to the petitioners after paying all debts against it upwards of $12,000. May it therefore please the Honorable the Legislature to pass an act authorizing the above named Jesse, Betsy, Reubin, Henry & Sally to remain in this state as free persons of color, with all the privileges heretofore granted to persons of that class, and your petitioners shall ever pray &c &c [etc.]. Wm Norris[,] Moses Norris[,] Thos. Norris[,] Wm. [Mayo? Mays?] & Polley his wife[,] John Norris[,] Daniel Norris[,] David Stratton & Susannah his wife”

With the support of their community  and the Norris family, Jesse, Reuben, Salley, Betsy, and Henry petitions to stay in the State of Virginia were granted and registered as Free People of Color in Cumberland County, Va. Records show that  Jesse and Reubin and their families went on to register their freedom record in Fluvanna County. Both brothers worked as watermen on the James & Rhivanna canal system hauling goods from Lynchburg to Richmond. It appears through documentation that Salley, Betsy, and Henry moved to Lynchburg. Salley did return to Fluvanna County in 1836 and purchased property in Columbia. 

Sources

Cumberland County, Virginia, Circuit Court Case Files, Jesse Norris Free Person of Color & et al  v. State of Virginia, December Term 1815, “Petition to Remain in the State of Virginia,” 18 December 1815; digital images, Library of Virginia : Virginia Memory Project : Virginia Untold Unknown No Longer http://digitool1.lva.lib.va.us:8881/R/YNAQAB38L2IMIPY5KHXN8SQRAPEIRV15UMR4HTE6HV4AFXDJ75-03061?func=results-jump-full&set_entry=000019&set_number=607876&base=GEN01-LVA01: accessed 25 August  2021.

Cumberland County, Virginia, County Court Case Files, Jesse Norris, December Term 1815, “Certificate of Freedom” 18 December 1815; digital images, Library of Virginia : Virginia Memory Project : Virginia Untold Unknown No Longer

Cumberland County, Virginia, County Court Case Files, Ruebin Norris, December Term 1815, “Certificate of Freedom,” 18 December 1815; digital images, Library of Virginia : Virginia Memory Project : Virginia Untold Unknown No Longer 

Cumberland County, Virginia, County Court Case Files, Henry Norris, December Term 1815, “Certificate of Freedom” 18 December 1815; digital images, Library of Virginia : Virginia Memory Project : Virginia Untold Unknown No Longer 
Cumberland County, Virginia, County Court Case Files, Sally Norris, December Term 1815, “Certificate of Freedom” 18 December 1815; digital images, Library of Virginia : Virginia Memory Project : Virginia Untold Unknown No Longer