Libraries in Colonial Virginia; Wm. and Mary Qrtly., Vol. 4, No. 3

Transcribed by Kathy Merrill for the USGenWeb Archives Special Collections Project

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Libraries in Colonial Virginia

   William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 3.
   (Jan., 1896), p. 156.

                          LIBRARIES IN COLONIAL VIRGINIA.

                                   MISCELLANEOUS.

   LXX.  Library of Col. William Byrd, of Westover.  According to the catalogue of the library
described by Dr. Lyman C. Draper, it contained 3625 bolumes, which might be classified as
follows:
   History, 700; Classics, etc., 650; Entertaining, etc., 650; French, 550; Law, 350; Divinity,
300; Scientific, 225; Physic, 200 (Virginia Historical Register, IV., p. 87).  Among the books
was the copy of the Records of the London Company, 2 volumes folio, made at the instance of
the Earl of Southampton, which copy is now in the Library of Congress.  A copy of this is in
the Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Va., and has the book-plate of Sir John Randolph.
   The library was advertised in the Gazette as near 4000 volumes, to be sold pursuant to the
will of Hon. William Byrd (3rd of the name). - Virginia Gazette, April 4, 1777.

   LXXI.  Library of Rev. William Dunlop, of Stratton Major Parish, described in the Virginia
Gazette (1769) as consisting of "several thousand volumes in most arts and sciences".

   LXXII.  Library of Hon. Philip Ludwell, of "Greenspring".  The inventory of the estate
reads as follows:
   4 book cases, 1 trunk, 1 box of books worth 250 L; 1 Desk and Book Case 6L; 1 sett of 
globes and 1 pocket compas 5L; 13 pictures; 1 reading desk, etc.  The whole inventory was
5385 L 1.5.
   The slaves wsere distributed at his plantations as follows:
   33 at Holt's Quarter; 22 at Scotland; 20 at Cleverton; 21 at Pinewood Meadow; 8 at Mill
Quarter; 11 at Archers Hope; 21 at Rich Neck; 24 at New Quarter; 77 at Greenspring - in all 
237.

   LXXIII.  John Hood had "a valuable library of entertaining and instructive books of the

best editions and in a good case". - Virginia Gazette, June 27, 1766.

   LXXIV.  Belonging to the estate of George Davenport was "a large collection of law books".
- Virginia Gazette, June 27, 1766.

   LXXV.  Joseph McAdam, of Northumberland Co., advertised "a curious collections of prints
and pamphlets relating to all the transactions in Europe for some years past, containing about
200 prints or pictures, representing all persons and characters of note in Europe, viz.:
Crowned heads, ministers of state, politicians, patriots, admirals, Generals, etc. - Virginia
Gazette, Oct. 17, 1766.

   LXXVI.  "The library of the late Commissary (Rev. Thomas Horrocks), consisting of a variety
of valuable books and a number of sermons by the most celebrated authors" for sale in Williams-
burg. - Virginia Gazette, Aug. 13, 1772.