Tax records are valuable resources for historians and genealogists. They may be used as a substitute for census records. Researchers should examine tax laws to understand data in the records. For additional information, see Gary M. Smith and Diana Crisman Smith, “Using Tax Lists,” NGS Magazine 35 (April—June 2009):56-59, and Elizabeth Shown Mills, “Using Tax Rolls Creatively,” Quick Tips: The Blog @ Evidence Explained website, https://www.evidenceexplained.com/quicktips/using-tax-rolls-creatively (accessed Nov. 18, 2014). Check newspapers for delinquent tax payers. As with some other records, race was not always shown in tax records or lists of delinquent tax payers. Shown below is a copy of a Virginia tax list that I received from certified genealogist Alycon Trubey Pierce as well as a list of Mobile residents who did not pay their taxes. Some free people of color appear on this list; however, their racial status does not appear.
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August 2015
CategoriesAuthorI am a professional genealogist specializing in tracing the lives of African Americans. I earned my Ph.D. in history from the University of Alabama. |