Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-23
VIRGINIA ALMANACS.
THEY APE INVALUABLE AS AOTHEN-
TIC COLONIAL RgCoRpS.
Lat of the Governor. Council. and House
of Burgcsses of i7'f-Names Inter-
woven with the History Of the State.



learn Of"
have Just written to Mr.. Brock. telling
him of a torn copy of such an almanac for
the year 1915. which gives the names Of
The Governor, of his Council, and OF the
members of the House of Burgessesfori IVA.
But these lists are so very important they
ought not to be hid away IN toe archiyes
of the Virginia library, IN that o. the Nir-
gina Historical, or southern historical or
Congressional library. They ought 10 oe
gwen TO the public through the press and
nubnshed by the State of Virginia and
placed in the reach of her reading pubic
at the lowest possible cost No one VINO
has not attempted IT can possibly conceive
of the labor aud time that 1T entails upon
any man who attempts 10 make up
"a list of the General Assembly OF
the Colony Cor State) OF Virginia IN any
OF the early years of her history. Mr.. Gfigs-
by, at page 70 of the Virginia Convention
OF 1888. volume H., says: q" 10 ascertain
who were members OF our early assemblies
is one of the most laborious otnces OF the
annalst. In many cases II IS impractical
blo. In the case of the House OF Burgesses
II is impossible" Aud IN foot-note no
adds. " II IL impossible 10 ascertain VINO
were members of the House OF Burgesses
from the journals; but the tact can De
learned from the clerks once ana from
the old almanqcs.
GYTAT CAUTION REQUIRED.
"From the absence Of list of the names
of members. from the constant omission OF
Christian names. and from the number OIL
persons of the same surname II requires
great caution IN peruslng our early RECORDS
not TO confound individuals and even
Ceneratious Thus. there are Burwelis,
CsrteTs. Cabells, Bassetts. Harrisons,
Cqrys. DiCgeses, Mayos, Carringtons.
AIaeons, Moores, Randolphs, Lees, 1av-
Tors. without number. AT the present
session and at several previous ones
there was Benjamin Harrison. from
Rockingham. while another OF the
same name vas either Speaker OF tine
House. member Of Congress. or Governor.
AMI vet another who was member of the
Council or of the House. he ludlspensa-
BILE necessity Of tracing the history OF each
member OF the ITO of the present conven-
flon for twenty or thirty years, through
volumes ot journals that have no regu-
lar Inst Of names or ipdices of subjects
has cost me as much labor as would have
sulf,ced TO acquire any European IAN
guage.' .. T
When | first read that statement
thought the language very strong and
favored of oTientallsIn, but when under
took 10 make out list of the members OF
the General Assembly of 1875 found that
the language was very snodueu' lhdeeu.ss
SEEKING HISTORY.
What would 1t cost you to visit tne
clerks offices and make personal ~
vlstIgatlon for the information you wlSh
II Won do not make that personal WISH ana
solicit the information 10y letter what Will
tnat cost II YOU ever receive reply. and
low many replies will You receive! And
wnen! Where will you find the almanacs
o. the Journals of the House; In the
state library? With the Keeper OF
the Rolls? In tho Congressional IL
hrary? Try 1t. Make the expert
rEent and see what IL costs you IN
time, and money. and trouble, ana annoy,
ance TO others. | ain go greatly indebted
10 W. ". Henry for the uso OF his Jour
mails. Mr. X. A. Brock for valuable lntor-
nation. and TO j. Bell Bigger Tor searches
that am ashamed 10 meet them, ana am
Inundated with the sense OF my oolga1
ton To them. As some amends TO them
uropoee mt some time 10 publish the re-
snlt of thelr and of my labors, hut If |
could get hold of an almanac OF l1SG IL
would enable me to correct any errors that
we may have made.
WHTEK INFORMATION CAN De HAD.
Anything that relates 10 Virginia history
is Of nest enable value 10 sts students, ana
II IS a shame that priceless information
should be md away IN unknown ana IN
accessible almauacS, Journals, ana Dond-
hooks. There IS III the bond books OF the
General Court OF Virginia, now In Rich
mouu. vast deal of important lntorma-
ton relative TO the hlstorr OF Virginia that
~ inaccessible to oil but q resident
antluuarian who has leisure and mo-
ney eoual to his love and veneratlon.
Let ANYBODY try now TO get Lear and
Rachel Virginia Cure" IT. NJ. 5 Ac
coInt o. BacOns Rebellion" BurwelFs
Account" ~" Cottons Account" Present
State of Virginia. Beverly" STUN"
a Burke" or ANYTHING else that relates
cf "a
and be Will get 50 Disguised with the IN
variable reply. "out Of print that he Is
forced to conclude either that his
people are not q reading people or
that they are crlmlnally Negligent
Of their records and history. IL has oeen
well aud truly and tersely said that the
cavalier Is content TO act history and 70
leave il TO Others to write it." If he wefe
as careful OF these matters as is the Purl-
tan he would not nave TO accept their
suppressed facts and their garbled ex-
tracts as n true chronicle OF anything.
GOVERNMENT IN IVA.
But this IS not the matter in hand. L
only intended to send you the list OF
Governor. the Council, and the House OF
Burgesses of IVA.
I714-Ihe Right Hon. John Earl OF Dun
more, Governor. eu
Virginia.
Thomas Nelson, Esq Pref.
Richard COrbn, Esquire.
William Byrd. Esquire.
Phinp Ludwell Lee, ESq.
Johhn TaylOe, Esquire.
Robert Carter, Esquire.
hobert Buiwcll, Esquire.
George VIM. Fairfax, Esq.
JOnn Page, Esquire.
Ralph MOrmley, Jun, Esq.
Mr.. Com missary Camm.
I774--A list OF the representatives of this
lOny:
Counties. BurgeSse
Accomsck-Mr. Southey simpson. Mr. Isaac
Smith.
eon.
Amelia--Johu VIM, John Tabb.
Augusta Charles Lewis. Samuel Mcdowell
Amherst-Nillam Cabell, Jun, Joseph CabelL
Bedford--John Talbot. Charles Lynch.
Botetourt-Antlrew Lewis, John Bower.
brunswick John Jones, Thomas Stith.
Buckingham John Nicholas. Anthony Win
ston.
Berkeley-John IIie, Robert Rutherford.
Carolne-Edmund Pendeton, James Taylor.
Charles CIty-William Acrii, Benjamin Har-
risoo.
Observation-Disclosures Cary, Benjamin Wat
kins.
Culpeper-Henry Pendletop, Henry Field Jun.
(umberland-William Filming, John NJ ago.
Dnwiddie- Robert Boiling. John Banlster.
cDunmore-Frsncis SlSlghter Joseph Watson.
Elizabeth City-henry King Werlich West
wood.
Fairfax-Goo Washington. Charles Broad
water.
Fauquier-Thomas Marshall, James Scott
Frederlck-James Wood, Isaac Zane.
RECONSIDERATION Christian. stephen Trigg.
GlOucester-1hOmas Whiting. Lewis BurwelL
Goochand-John Woodson, Thos. Al. Kan
dolph.
Hanfax-Nathaniel Terry, Micajah Watkins
Hampshire james Mercer, Alexander White.
Hanover-Patrick Henry Jun, John syme.
Hehrico-Richard Adams, Samuel Duval
James City-kO. g. Nicholas. William NorVeiL
Isle OF Wight--James Bridges. Richard Hardy
King George-Joseph Jones, william fltz-
hugh.
King and Queen-George Brooke, George
King winiam-winiam Aylett, Augustus
Moore.
I.ancaster--James Seldom, Charles Carter.
Ioudop-- ------ Francis Peyton.
Loutsa--Richard Anderson, - -.
Lunenbucg. Richard Claiborne, Thomas Pet
tus. .
Middlesex- Edmund Berkiey, James Monta-
neutrality-suspicious. Marsble, Robert Num-
ford.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Baker, Jemuei RID
dick.
Kant-purwau paaaett RarthI Nan.