All of these volumes are within chapter VI, and none are indexed. Volumes 310 and 85 are difficult to read, as the paper is darkened and the ink faded with age. If you suspect your African American ancestor may have been a slave or free person of color in Richmond during the period of the Civil War, the five hospital volumes cited above might be worth consulting. However, when researching slaves, one might need to know the name of the owner. All except volume 310 list the occupation at the hospital, dates of employment, and remarks.
Occupations are mainly cooks, nurses, carpenters, and hospital attendants.
While the remarks sections are usually blank, some reveal dates of discharge, transfer, or death. Volumes 307 and 187 also cite the wages slaves earned for their owners. No other information about them is given in these records. Although most of the black employees listed in these five bound volumes were slaves, we can also find documentation of some free blacks employed at the hospitals. William Jamison and George Cox, both listed as free, worked as nurses.