Trial of Nat Turner, Southampton County, 5 November · Counternarratives Digital Archive

Title of the Document: Trial of Nat Turner, Southampton County, 5 November
One Line Summary: Commonwealth of Virginia, Office of the Governor
Author: This is an official court record of the legal trial of Nat Turner following his 1831 slave rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia.
Date Created: November 5, 1831
Location: The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
Type of Document: Legal Document
Publisher: Southampton County Court
Transcription: “At a Court of Oyer and Terminer Summoned and held for the County of Southampton on Saturday the 5th day of November 1831 for the trial of Nat, alias Nat Turner, a negro man slave late the property of Peterson Moore, charged with conspiring to rebel and make innsurection
The prisoner Nat, alias Nat Turner, was set to the Bar in custody of the Jailer of the County- and William C Parker is by the Court assigned Counsel for the Prisoner in his defence- and Merewether Brodnax Attorney for the Commonwealth filed an Information against the prisoner, who upon his arraignment pleaded not guilty.- The Court after hearing the testimony and from all the circumstances of the case are unanimously of opinion that the prisoner is guilty in manner and form as in the Information against him is alledged, and it being demanded of him if anything for himself he had or knew to say why the Court to Judgement and execution against him of and upon the premises should not procede. he said he had nothing but what he had before said Therefore it is considered by the Court that he be taken hence to the Jail from whence he was taken therein, to remain until Friday the 11th day of November instant, on which day between the hours of ten oClock in the forenoon and four o Clock in the afternoon he is to be taken by the Sheriff to the usual place of execution and then and there be hanged by the neck until he be dead- And the Court valued the said slave Nat to the sum of three hundred and seventy five dollars
Teste James Rochelle Cl”
Related: William C Park (Turner’s lawyer and defendant), Merewether Brodnax (attorney for the Commonwealth), and enslaved and white witnesses (testified during the trial); Nat Turner (1800-1831)
Provenance: “Trial of Nat Turner, Southampton County, 5 November 1831,” Executive Papers of Governor John Floyd, 1830-1834, Library of Virginia, Accession 42665."