Selma,

Thank you for the clarification.

In an 1828 Albemarle Order Book, I did find registrations of "Free Negroes" who I believe are my relatives. Perhaps there are "Free Registers of Negroes" that I haven't seen as of yet; the same ones mentioned in Ervin L. Jordan's 1995 article which appeared in Magazine of Ablemarle County History? Maybe the strips of paper with names and a statement of description of the person are the "Free Registers" I saw in Richmond at the Library of Virginia?