Updated November 25, 2022
Background
One of the most important resources for Virginia historical and genealogical research is the Virginia Historical Index compiled under the direction of Dr. Earl Gregg Swem (1870-1965). It is a comprehensive index to several publications concerning Virginia history and genealogy.
Earl Gregg Swem was a historian, bibliographer, and librarian who began his career as chief of the Catalog Division at the Library of Congress. He was named Virginia's assistant state librarian in 1907 and worked at the Virginia State Library (now the Library of Virginia) for twelve years. In 1919, he joined the staff at the College of William and Mary, where he served as librarian until his retirement in 1944. Working with seven researchers (including his wife, Lilia), Swem set to indexing selected Virginia journals and published records, recording the information on typed cards. He included references to people and society, as well as political events, believing that "the complexity of colonial life" could be best understood through "the history of individuals and families."
Swem indexed the following publications and volumes: The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, volumes 1-38 (1893-1930); The William and Mary College Quarterly Magazine, first series, volumes 1-27 (1892-1919), and second series, volumes 1-10 (1921-1930); Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine, volumes 1-10 (1919-1929); Virginia Historical Register and Literary Advertiser, volumes 1-6 (1848-1853); The Lower Norfolk County Virginia Antiquary, volumes 1-5 (1895-1906); Hening's Statutes at Large, volumes 1-13 (1619-1792); and the Calendar of Virginia State Papers, volumes 1-11 (1652-1869).
The Virginia Historical Index is published in four volumes, and entries are alphabetically arranged. Abbreviations for publications indexed in Swem are:
C: Calendar of State Papers
H: Hening's Statutes at Large
N: Lower Norfolk County Antiquary
R: Virginia Historical Register
T: Tyler's Quarterly Magazine
V: Virginia Magazine of History and Biography
W(1): William and Mary Quarterly, first series
W(2): William and Mary Quarterly, second series
All entries in the index are referenced in the same way: volume number, abbreviation of publication title, and page number. Sample entries would read "Gilliam, John, 2T294." Explanations of these abbreviations are found at the bottom of each page.
The various volumes indexed contain a wealth of Virginia data. The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, the William and Mary Quarterly, and Tyler's Historical Quarterly contain articles on all facets of Virginia history, chiefly on the period prior to 1865, as well as genealogical information on many prominent families.
The Virginia Historical Register was the official publication of the Virginia Historical Society in the mid-nineteenth century. The Lower Norfolk Antiquary contains abstracts of records related to Norfolk City and Norfolk County. William Waller Hening's Statutes at Large are an important compilation of extant acts of the Virginia General Assembly (1619-1792). The Calendar of State Papers contains abstracts and transcriptions of the Virginia Colonial Papers (1652-1775) and selected correspondence received by Virginia governors (1776-1865).
Page 764
Gilham,
- Major, 11C106
- Eliza Ann, 35V30
- Frances Patteson, 35V30
- John, 2N126
- Captain, 1N104
- Robert, 12V192
- William, Colonel, 11C121
Page 765
Gillam,
- Captain, Ludwell mentions, 4V230, 236
- Miss, 27V158
- Charles, 28V331
- Isaac, 27V209
- Jacob, 10T179
- John, 18V196; 28V331
- Mary, 34V150
- Peter, 19V425
- Robert, Major, 34V150
- William, 10T179
- Zachary, Captain, 30V331
- family, 4V274; 34V150
- pronunciation, 3W(1)272
Gilleham,
- John, 27V163
Gillem,
- Mr., 6T210
- Lucy Wills, 6T210
Gillham,
- Hinche, 29V21
Gilliam,
- Colonel, 11C117
- Doctor, 9W(2)107
- Miss, 7W(2)178
- Mr., 11C484, 491; 9V423; 35V210, 211, 302; 38V83
- Agnes, 9V423
- Amy, 19V52; 22V302
- Anne, 2T294; 3V127; 28V167; 34V187; 38V86; 11W(1)268; 12W(1)62, 63; 21W(1)141
- Anne Field, 7T126
- Anne Skelton, 4V332
- Bettie Taylor, 4W(1)136
- Burwell, 9C364
- Charles, 7H229; 19V51; 36V259; 10W(1)189; 11W(1)57; 13W(1)24; 8W(1)121;9W(2)316
- Christian Eppes, 3V395; 21V328
- Ellen Lindsay, 11V216
- Evelyn Harrison, 8W(1)266
- Fortune, 19V51
- Georgia Nicoll, 30V66
- Hanna, 7W(1)257
- Hinchea, 19V52; 11W(1)268; 12W(1)12; 24W(1)103
- Captain, 7W(1)257
- Hinchy, 6T113
- Hinshaw, Captain, 9W(2)244
- Isaac, 27V109
- Isham, 5T285; 19V52
- J. P., 5W(2)51
- Doctor, 2W(2)71
- Jacob, 7W(2)53
- James, 3C373; 2T294; 8V307; 23V320; 20W(1)24
- James S., 5W(2)40, 44
- James Skelton, 30V66; 12W(1)62, 63
- diary of, 2T294-309
- Jane, 30V66; 12W(1)62; 21W(1)141
- Jane Gray, 30V66
- Jane Meriwether, 12W(1)63
- Jane Shore, 2T294
- Jane Sophia, 9W(1)51
- Janet, 5W(2)40, 44
- Jeffery, 2T164; 5T59
- Jennie, 9W(1)240
- Joe Pete, Captain, 10T282
- John, 2T294; 6T106, 108; 19V51; 22V302; 28V95, 167; 34V187, 213; 2W(1)162; 3W(1)112; 12W(1)62, 63, 64; 22W(1)118;7W(2)53 .
- Doctor, 30V66; 8W(1)181, 182
- Lieutenant, 2V251
- John S., Doctor, 22V428
- Judith, 20W(1)24
- Judith Woodson, 11W(1)142
- Lena, 27V109
- Leo, 27V109
- Lucy, 2T294; 19V52
- Lucy Skelton, 2T294; 12W(1)62, 64; 9W(2)213, 214, 215, 216
- Lucy Wills, 25V421
- Lula A., 30V66
- Maria, 9T140
- Marius, 2T294
- Martha, 19V52
- Martha Mason, 34V213
- Martha Wyatt, 38V83
- Mary, 2T294; 7V72; 19V52; 12W(1)15, 62, 64
- Mary C , 5W(2)51
- Mary Eppes, 30V66
- Mary Feild, 2T294
- Mary Harrison, 34V187
- Mary Moss, 14W(1)276
- Meriwether Bathurst, 12W(1)62
- Meriwether Skelton, 12W(1)63
- O. L., 29V68
- Patsey, 7W(2)291
- Peter, 10V141
- Rebecca, 8W(2)142
- Reuben Meriwether, 12W(1)62, 63
- Richard, 3T203; 9V423; 35V30; 4W(1)136; 8W(2)142
- Richard D., 9W(2)209-216
- Robert, 11H57; 2T294; 8V191; 22V81; 12W(1)62, 64; 21W(1)141; 9W(2)213, 214, 215
- Sach., 32V361
- Samuel, 22V303
- Sarah, 22V303; 12W(1)18; 7W(2)53; 8W(2)142
- Sarah Williamson, 12W(1)17
- Susanna Bathurst, 12W(1)62, 63
- Susannah, 11W(1)142
- Susie Jefferson, 7T52
- Taylor, 7W(2)53
- Temperance, 19V52
- Theo., Mrs., 7V309
- Theophilus Field, 2T294; 30V66
- Thomas, 14V238; 12W(1)17
- W. A., Colonel, 10V187
- Warrick, 19V51
- William, 10H365; 12H405; 3T203; 2V144; 3V395; 19V51; 20V88; 25V421; 34V187, 213, 287; 38V86; 7W(1)199; 11W(1)142; 12W(1)15; 14W(1)276; 21W(1)149; 22W(1)123
- Wirt, 27V209
- Zach., 8C160
- family, 3V405; 4V274; 7V105, 439; 12W(l)60-64; 7W(2)229; 8W(2)142; 9W(2)244; 10W(2)99
- pronunciation of, 7V219; 3W(1)272
Gilliam
- and Gregory, 8C83
Gillian,
- John, 7W(1)257
Gillom,
- Agnes, 11W(1)74
- John, 2W(2)215, 216
- Richard, 11W(1)74
Gillon,
- Commodore A., 3C164
Gillum,
- Betsy, 4W(2)127
- Charles, 11W(1)84
- Hincha, 11W(1)84
- Richard, 18V399
- Zachary, Captain, 30V330
- family, 4V274
Page 829
Guillam,
- Mr., 38V354
- Sarah, 9W(2)306
Guillaume,
- S. M. D., 35VS9, 60
Guilliam,
- Peter, 10V143
Guilliams,
- Edgcomb, 9V416
Guillim,
- George, 8V170
- family, 22V197
Guillum,
- James, 7H224
Page 834
Gwilham,
- Lewis, Reverend, 23V374; 5W(1)202, 247
Gwilim,
- Anne, 19V425
Gwillam,
- Lewis, Reverend, 23V374; 5W(1)202, 247
Gwilliam,
- Edgcomb, 9V139
Gwilliams,
- George, 1V247; 7W(1)310
- John, 15V277
Gwillin,
- George, 7W(1)236
Page 835
Gyllam,
- Henry, 7V69
Sources
- Weisiger, Minor T. Using the Virginia Historical Index (Swem) at the Library of Virginia. Library of Virginia.