Hollis -- Thanks for your note. (1) We were working from the WPA typescript on microfilm. The first column does not make make clear the relationship of the informant to enslaved persons. I've seen the birth registers (on microfilm). Again, the identity of the informant to enslaved persons is not made clear. (2) Overwhelmingly, the informants were individuals as opposed to corporations. (3) My understanding is that the WPA typescript and original birth registers are located at the Library of Virginia. Because these documents are so fragile they are held in LVA's off-site storage facility. The facility is open to the public only on Thursday and by appointment. If someone from LVA has different information, please correct me. (4) However, microfilm -- of the WPA typescript and birth registers -- is available in the general research area. (5) Local History/Special Collections (LH/SC) has the microfilm of the WPA typescript -- not the birth registers. Additional notes: (A1) Volume 1 with surnames A-C has 664 pages; each of the four remaining volumes has 600+ pages. (A2) We expect to publish the remaining four volumes before the end of this year. Leslie Anderson Morales Reference Librarian Local History/Special Collections Alexandria Library 717 Queen Street Alexandria, VA 22314-2420 (703) 838-4577 x213 http://www.alexandria.lib.va.us/branches/lhsc.html Hollis Gentry wrote: >Leslie, > >I have a few questions relating to the index that I >hope you can answer. I've viewed the microfilm on >several occasions in the past and copied several >entries. However the one thing I could never >determine was how to determine which title applied to >each slave birth. The first column could identify the >owner, former owner, overseer, employer or informant. >Did you find entries for each of these relationships, >or did you find that owners reported a majority of the >births? Furthermore, do you know if the original >records survive? > > > >