Circa 1760s birth and baptism record from the area around Louisa County and Spotsylvania County, Virginia, including reference to the birth of John Overton and baptisms of two of his family's slaves. Moleskin-bound book contains 30 bound pages and 5 loose, partial pages recording births and baptisms of more than 300 people, including many listed as "Negro" along with apparently white families. Pages are inscribed front and back. John Overton is listed on page 3: "John Overton Son of James and Mary Overton was born April 9, 1766. Negro Clarace baptized Sept. 18th 1774. Negro Peggy baptized Aug. 10th 1777." Other families listed include the McGehees, Estes, Gentry, Lipscomb, Boxley, etc. Entries appear to run from the mid 1760s through 1778. Book – 8 3/4" x 7". Mid/late 18th century. Provenance: East Tennessee collection, acquired from an estate. Note: According to the Louisa County Historical Society, "Louisa County, VA was formed in 1742 when the population was large enough to support a courthouse. The county separated from Hanover County and was named after Princess Louisa, the daughter of King George II of England. Louisa County began to make its mark on the new nation when Thomas Walker led an expedition from Louisa County to explore the Cumberland Gap two decades before Daniel Boone. Thousands of people continued their migration west from Louisa County over the next hundred years." Spotsylvania County was founded in 1721 and named for the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, Alexander Spotswood. The two counties were home to many notable patriots including Patrick Henry. John Overton was among the Louisa County residents who went west. He apprenticed to an attorney in Danville, Kentucky at the age of 21 and by 1789 had come to Nashville. There he made his fortune as a judge, land owner, and advisor to his friend President Andrew Jackson. Overton was a co-founder of the city of Memphis and the builder of Traveller's Rest, a historic Federal home now open to the public in Nashville, TN. Provenance: Private Knoxville, TN collection. CONDITION: Fragile condition, with pages toned; edge losses, some scattered staining. The first 15 pages appear to be missing, and most of pages 16 and 17 (the first pages present here) have been cut or torn out. Five loose partial pages at back. Suede covering (which is not attached to the pages) may be later.