Difference between revisions of "Acts Passed at a General Assembly"

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}}Prior to the American Revolution, as a clerk of the House of Burgesses, and an elected Burgess, Wythe would have owned printed copies of the records of every session of the House of Burgesses. Later, as a member of Virginia's House of Delegates and a Chancery Court judge, he would have owned printed copies of Virginia's session laws: the Acts of Assembly.
 
}}Prior to the American Revolution, as a clerk of the House of Burgesses, and an elected Burgess, Wythe would have owned printed copies of the records of every session of the House of Burgesses. Later, as a member of Virginia's House of Delegates and a Chancery Court judge, he would have owned printed copies of Virginia's session laws: the Acts of Assembly.
  
In the list of books he inherited after Wythe's death in 1806, Thomas Jefferson made an entry in his inventory for "Laws of Virgā. various edns." As Jefferson himself kept an extensive collection of Virginia laws, many of these volumes would have been duplicates, and seem to have passed to the state law library, and then incorporated into the Library of Virginia.
+
[[File:JeffersonInventoryP6LawsOfVirgaDetail.jpg|left|thumb|400px|Detail from page six of Thomas Jefferson's [[Jefferson Inventory|inventory of books received from the estate of George Wythe]] (September, 1806), listing "Laws of Virginia, various editions." [http://www.masshist.org/database/viewer.php?item_id=1768 Massachusetts Historical Society].]]
 +
In the list of books he inherited after Wythe's death in 1806, Thomas Jefferson made an entry in his inventory for "[[Jefferson Inventory#Books retained by Jefferson|Laws of Virgā. various edns.]]" As Jefferson himself kept an extensive collection of Virginia laws, many of these volumes would have been duplicates, and and may have passed to the state law library, eventually incorporated into the [https://www.lva.virginia.gov/ Library of Virginia.]
  
 
==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==
 
==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==
  
Earl Gregg Swem's "Bibliography of Virginia, Part II, Containing the Titles of the Printed Official Documents of the Commonwealth, 1776-1916," lists fourteen volumes with provenance and ownership marks of George Wythe.<ref>
+
Earl Gregg Swem's "Bibliography of Virginia, Part II" (1917) lists a bound volume of session laws from 1776-1783 in the Library of Virginia, which formerly belonged to the state law library, "with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf."<ref>Earl G. Swem, [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover "A Bibliography of Virginia, Part II, Containing the Titles of the Printed Official Documents of the Commonwealth, 1776-1916,"] ''Bulletin Virginia State Library'' 10, nos. 1-4 (January, April, July, October, 1917).</ref> Since Swem's inventory of the copy in 1917, however, the volume was dis-bound, the individual sessions restored and cataloged, and the flyleaf with Wythe's signature lost.<ref>Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012), 235-236. Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available online at the [https://hdl.handle.net/10288/13433 Swem Library's Special Collections Research Center.]</ref>
Earl G. Swem, [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover "A Bibliography of Virginia, Part II, Containing the Titles of the Printed Official Documents of the Commonwealth, 1776-1916,"] ''Bulletin Virginia State Library'' 10, nos. 1-4 (January, April, July, October, 1917).</reF>
 
  
==1777==
+
Notably absent from Swem's inventory of the 1776-1783 volume are session laws for 1776. Jefferson may have removed the October, 7, 1776 Acts and kept them for his own collection, before passing along the rest of the volume.<ref>E. Millicent Sowerby, [https://archive.org/details/catalogueoflibra0002libr/page/252/mode/2up ''Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson''] (Washington, D.C.: The Library of Congress, 1952-1959), 2:252 [no. 1846]. See Brown, 236.</ref>
*At a general assembly begun and held at the capitol, in the city of Williamsburg, on Monday, the fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven, and in the first year of the commonwealth. Williamsburg: Printed by Alexander Purdie, printer to the commonwealth. [1777] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA6 '''7048''']
 
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
1 р. l.. 34 p. size of leaf, 32 by 20 cm.
 
  
In a bound volume of session laws, 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in the state law library. The library has a second copy, which contains some manuscript notes. This is bound in a volume of session laws, 1775-1780, and was formerly in the state law library.
+
===1776-1783===
 +
*''At a General Assembly, Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg, on Monday, the Seventh Day of October, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Six, and in the First Year of the Commonwealth''  (Williamsburg: Alexander Purdie, 1777). Sowerby [https://archive.org/details/catalogueoflibra0002libr/page/252/mode/2up 1846]
  
Reprinted in Hening, v. 9, p, 267-335.
+
*''[https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990001650990205756 At a General Assembly Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg, on Monday, the Fifth Day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Seven, and in the First Year of the Commonwealth]'' (Williamsburg: Alexander Purdie, 1777). Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA6 7048]
</blockquote>
 
  
*At a general assembly, begun and held at the capitol, in the city of Williamsburg, on Monday, the twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventyseven, and in the second year of the commonwealth. Williamsburg: Printed by Alexander Purdie, printer to the commonwealth. [1777] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA9 7080]
+
*''At a General Assembly, Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg, on Monday, the Twentieth Day of October, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Seven, and in the Second Year of the Commonwealth'' (Williamsburg: Alexander Purdie, 1770). Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA9 7080]
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
1 p. 1., 40 D. Size of leaf, 33 bv 20 cm. The title-page has the signature of Richard Taliaferro. This is in a bound volume of session laws, 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in the state law library. The library has a second copy, which contains some manuscript notes. This is in a bound volume of session laws, 1775-1780, formerly in the state law library. Size of leaf, 31 bv 19% cm.
 
  
Reprinted in Hening, v. 9. p. 337-443.
+
*''At a General Assembly Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg, on Monday, the Fourth Day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Eight'' (Williamsburg: Alexander Purdie, 1778). Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA10 7094]
</blockquote>
 
  
==1778==
+
*''Acts Passed at a General Assembly, Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg, on Monday, the Third Day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Nine'' (Williamsburg: John Dixon &amp; Thomas Nicolson, 1779). Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA13 7128]
*At a general assembly begun and held at the capitol, in the city of Williamsburg, on Monday, the fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight. Williamsburg: Printed by Alexander Purdie, printer to the commonwealth. [1778] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA10 7094]
 
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
[15] p. size of leaf, 33 by 21 cm. page number 14 is repeated by mistake on page 15.
 
  
In a bound volume of session laws, 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in the state law library. The library has a second copy which contains some manuscript notes. This is in a bound volume of session laws, 1775-1780, and was formerly in the state law library. Size of leaf, 31 1-2 by 19 cm.
+
*''Acts Passed at a General Assembly, Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg, on Monday, the Fourth Day of October, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Nine'' (Williamsburg: John Dixon &amp; Thomas Nicolson, 1779) Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA16 7166]
  
Reprinted in Hening, v. 19, p. 445-470.
+
*''Acts Passed at a General Assembly, Begun and Held in the Town of Richmond, on Monday, the First Day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty'' (Richmond: John Dixon &amp; Thomas Nicolson, 1780). Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA20 7223]
</blockquote>
 
  
==1779==
+
*''Acts Passed at a General Assembly, Begun and Held in the Town of Richmond, on Monday, the Sixteenth Day of October, in the Year of Our Lord, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty'' (Richmond: John Dixon &amp; Thomas Nicolson, 1781). Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA21 7240]
*Acts passed at a general assembly, begun and held at the capitol, in the city of Williamsburg, on Monday, the third day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine. Williamsburg: Printed by John Dixon and Thomas Nicolson. [1779] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA13 7128]
 
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
57p. size of leaf, 27 by &#189; cm.
 
  
This bears the signature of George Wythe on the title-page. In a bound volume of session laws, 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in the state law library. The library has a second copy, which contains some manuscript notes. This has the signature of Nicholas Cabell on the title page. It is bound in a volume of session laws, 1775-1780, and was formerly in the state law library. Size of leaf, 26 by 19%1⁄2 cm.
+
*''Acts Passed at a General Assembly, Begun and Held in the Town of Richmond, on Thursday the 1st Day of March, in the Year of Our Lord, 1781.'' (Richmond: John Dixon &amp; Thomas Nicolson, 1781). Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA23 7263]
  
Reprinted in Hening, v. 10, p. 9-130.
+
*''Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Begun and Held at the Public Buildings in the Town of Richmond, on Monday the Seventh Day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-One, and from Thence Continued by Adjournment to the Town of Staunton, in the County of Augusta'' (Charlottesville: John Dunlap and James Hayes, 1781). Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA25 7285]
</blockquote>
 
  
*Acts passed at a general assembly, begun and held at the capitol, in the city of Williamsburg, on Monday, the fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine. Williamsburg: Printed by John Dixon & Thomas Nicolson. [1779] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA16 7166]
+
*''Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Begun and Held at the Public Buildings in the Town of Richmond, on Monday the Fifth Day of November, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-One'' (Richmond: John Dunlap &amp; James Hayes, 1781). Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA27 7310]
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
48p. size of leaf, 27 by 20 cm.
 
  
The signature of 'J. H. Norton appears on the title-page. In a bound volume of session laws, 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in the state law library. The library has a second copy, which contains some manuscript notes. This is in a bound volume of session laws, 1775-1780, formerly in the state law library. Size of leaf, 26 by 19 cm.
+
*''Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Begun and Held at the Public Buildings in the Town of Richmond, on Monday the Sixth Day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Two'' (Richmond: John Dunlap &amp; James Hayes, 1782) Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA29 7320]
  
Reprinted in Hening, v. 10, p. 131-219. See senate journal, Nov. 5, 1779 [reprint] p. 20.
+
*''Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia Begun and Held at the Public Buildings in the City of Richmond, on Monday the Twenty-First Day of October, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Two'' (Richmond: John Dunlap &amp; James Hayes, 1783. Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA30 7338]
</blockquote>
 
  
==1780==
+
*''Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Begun and Held at the Public Buildings in the City of Richmond, on Monday the Fifth Day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Three'' (Richmond: John Dunlap &amp; James Hayes, 1783). Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA31 7350]
*Acts passed at a general assembly, begun and held in the town of Richmond, on Monday, the first day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty. Richmond: Printed by John Dixon & Thomas Nicolson. [1780] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA20 7223]
 
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
46p. size of leaf, 29 by 21cm. The copy in the state library has 40 pages only. The signature of George Wythe appears on the title-page. In a bound volume of session laws, 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in the state law library. There is in the library a second copy complete in 46 pages. This bears the signature of Turner Southall on the title-page, and was formerly in the state law library. Size of leaf, 26 by 20 cm. In a bound volume of session laws, 1775-1780.
 
  
Reprinted in Hening, v. 10, p. 221-320.
+
*''Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Begun and Held at the Public Buildings in the City of Richmond, on Monday the Twentieth Day of October, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Three'' (Richmond: John Dunlap &amp; James Hayes, 1783). Swem [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA34 7377]
</blockquote>
 
 
 
*Acts passed at a general assembly, begun and held in the town of Richmond, on Monday, the sixteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty. Printed by John Dixon & Thomas Nicolson. [1781] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA21 7240]
 
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
34p. size of leaf, 28 by 22 cm.
 
 
 
The copy in the state library has 28 pages only. In a bound volume of session laws, 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in state law library. There is in the library a second copy, which is complete in 34 pages. This is in a bound volume of session laws, 1775-1780, which was formerly in the state law library.
 
 
 
Reprinted in Hening, v. 10, p. 321-389.
 
</blockquote>
 
 
 
==1781==
 
*Acts passed at a general assembly, begun and held in the town of Richmond, on Thursday the 1st day of March, in the year of our Lord, 1781. Richmond: Printed by John Dixon and Thomas Nicolson. [1781] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA23 7263]
 
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
[9] р. Size of leaf, 27 by &#189; cm.
 
 
 
In a bound volume of session laws, 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in state law library. The library has a second copy, formerly in the state law library. In a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784. Size of leaf, 261⁄2 by 201⁄2 cm. headings. With manuscript side
 
 
 
Reprinted in Hening, v. 10, p. 391-405.
 
</blockquote>
 
 
 
*Acts passed at a general assembly of the commonwealth of Virginia, begun and held at the public buildings in the town of Richmond, on Monday the seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one, and from thence continued by adjournment to the town of Staunton, in the county of Augusta. [State arms] Charlottesville: Printed by John Dunlap and James Hayes, printers to the commonwealth. [1781] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA25 7285]
 
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
[19] р. 34 by 21 cm.
 
 
 
In a bound volume of session laws, 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in the state law library. The library has a second copy in a bound volume of session laws, May, 1781-May, 1783. Size of leaf, 33 by 21 cm. Title-page wanting. The library has a third copy, formerly in the state law library. In a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784.
 
 
 
Reprinted in Hening, v. 10, p. 407-437.
 
</blockquote>
 
 
 
*Acts passed at a general assembly of the commonwealth of Virginia, begun and held at the public buildings in the town of Richmond, on Monday the fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one. [State arms] Richmond: Printed by John Dunlap and James Hayes, printers to the commonwealth. [1781] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA27 7310]
 
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
32p. size of leaf, 36 by 22 cm. In a bound volume of session laws 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in the state law library. The library has a second copy in a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784. Size of leaf 40 by 23 cm. On the fly leaf appears "Auditor's office, 4th May, 1799." This copy has some manuscript notes. The library has a third copy in a bound volume of session laws, May, 1781-May. 1783. Size of leaf, 40 by 24 cm. The library has a fourth copy, with the signature of Edmund Pendleton on the title-page, in a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1786. Size of leaf, 38 by 22 cm. The library has a fifth copy, which was formerly in the state law library. In a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784, belonging to the council. The library has a sixth copy, which was formerly in the state law library. In a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784.
 
 
 
Reprinted in Hening, v. 10, p. 439-517.
 
 
 
This session of the assembly convened on Oct. 1, but on Oct. 3 adjourned until Nov. 5
 
</blockquote>
 
 
 
==1782==
 
*Acts passed at a general assembly of the commonwealth of Virginia, begun and held at the public buildings in the town of Richmond, on Monday the sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two. [State arms] Richmond: Printed by John Dunlap and James Hayes, printers to the commonwealth. [1782] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA29 7320]
 
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
38p. size of leaf, 36#189; by 22 cm. Title-page wanting. In a bound volume of session laws, 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in the state law library. The library has a second copy, with title-page wanting, in a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784. Size of leaf, 40 by 23 cm. On the fly leaf appears "Auditor's office, 4th May, 1799." This copy has some manuscript notes. The library has a third copy with the signature "David Jameson, of York county" on the title-page. In a bound volume of session laws, May, 1781-May, 1783. Size of leaf, 40 by 24 cm. The library has a fourth copy, without title page, which was formerly in the state law library. In a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784, belonging to the council. formerly in the state law library. 1784. The library has a fifth copy, which was formerly in the state law library. In a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784.
 
 
 
Reprinted in Hening, v. 11, p. 9-103.
 
</blockquote>
 
 
 
*Acts passed at a general assembly of the commonwealth of Virginia begun and held at the public buildings in the city of Richmond, on Monday the twenty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two. [State arms] Richmond: Printed by John Dunlap and James Hayes, printers to the commonwealth. [1783] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA30 7338]
 
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
32p. size of leaf, 37#189; by 23 cm. In a bound volume of session laws, 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in the state law library. The library has a second copy in a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784. Size of leaf, 40 by 23 cm. On the fly leaf appears "Auditor's office, 4th May, 1799." The library has a third copy in a bound volume of session laws, May, 1781-May, 1783. Size of leaf, 40 by 21#189; cm. The library has a fourth copy which was formerly in the state law library. In bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784, belonging to the council. The library has a fifth copy, which was formerly in the state law library. In a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784.
 
 
 
Reprinted in Hening, v. 11, p. 105-184.
 
</blockquote>
 
 
 
==1783==
 
*Acts passed at a general assembly of the commonwealth of Virginia. Begun and held at the public buildings in the city of Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three. Richmond: Richmond, on Monday the fifth day of May, in the year of our Printed by John Dunlap and James Hayes, printers to the commonwealth. [1783] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA31 7350]
 
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
[46] p. size of leaf, 37 by 23 cm. In a bound volume of session laws, 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in the state law library. The library has a second copy in a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784. Size of leaf, 40 by 23 cm. On the fly leaf appears "Auditor's office, 4th May, 1799," The library has a third copy in a bound volume of session laws, May, 1781-May, 1783. Size of leaf, 40 by 24&#189; cm. The library has a fourth copy, which was formerly in the state law library. On the title page is the signature of J. Battaile. In a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784. The library has a fifth copy, which was formerly in the state law library. In a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784.
 
 
 
Reprinted in Hening, v. 11, p. 185-297.
 
</blockquote>
 
 
 
*Acts passed at a general assembly of the commonwealth of Virginia. Begun and held at the public buildings in the city of Richmond, on Monday the twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three. Richmond: Printed by John Dunlap and James Hayes, printers to the commonwealth. [1783] [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA34 7377]
 
<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;">
 
26 р. size of leaf, 36 by 22 cm. In a bound volume of session laws, 1776-1783, with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf. Copy formerly in the state law library. The library has a second copy in a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784. Size of leaf 40 by 23 cm. On fly leaf appears "Auditor's office, 4th May, 1799." The library has a third copy, with the signature of Edmund Pendleton on the title-page, in a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1786. Size of leaf, 38 by 22 cm. The library has an imperfect copy (p. 3-22), which was formerly in the state law library. In a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784. The library has a fifth copy, which was formerly in the state law library. In a bound volume of session laws, 1781-1784.
 
 
 
Reprinted in Hening, v. 11, p. 299-359. According to senate journal [reprint] of Nov. 26, 1785, p. 25, 26, Nicolson & Prentis were paid for printing the laws of the session of assembly of 1783. The imprint, however, of both the May and October sessions reads "John Dunlap and James Hayes."
 
</blockquote>
 
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
Line 158: Line 70:
 
==References==
 
==References==
  
 +
__NOTOC__
 
[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]
 
[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]
 
[[Category:Virginia Reports]]
 
[[Category:Virginia Reports]]

Revision as of 11:19, 25 April 2025

Session Laws
George Wythe bookplate.jpg
Title not held by The Wolf Law Library
at the College of William & Mary.
 
Author Virginia
Editor
Translator
Published :
Date 1776-1783
Edition
Language
Volumes volume set
Pages
Desc.

Prior to the American Revolution, as a clerk of the House of Burgesses, and an elected Burgess, Wythe would have owned printed copies of the records of every session of the House of Burgesses. Later, as a member of Virginia's House of Delegates and a Chancery Court judge, he would have owned printed copies of Virginia's session laws: the Acts of Assembly.

Detail from page six of Thomas Jefferson's inventory of books received from the estate of George Wythe (September, 1806), listing "Laws of Virginia, various editions." Massachusetts Historical Society.

In the list of books he inherited after Wythe's death in 1806, Thomas Jefferson made an entry in his inventory for "Laws of Virgā. various edns." As Jefferson himself kept an extensive collection of Virginia laws, many of these volumes would have been duplicates, and and may have passed to the state law library, eventually incorporated into the Library of Virginia.

Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library

Earl Gregg Swem's "Bibliography of Virginia, Part II" (1917) lists a bound volume of session laws from 1776-1783 in the Library of Virginia, which formerly belonged to the state law library, "with the name of George Wythe on the fly leaf."[1] Since Swem's inventory of the copy in 1917, however, the volume was dis-bound, the individual sessions restored and cataloged, and the flyleaf with Wythe's signature lost.[2]

Notably absent from Swem's inventory of the 1776-1783 volume are session laws for 1776. Jefferson may have removed the October, 7, 1776 Acts and kept them for his own collection, before passing along the rest of the volume.[3]

1776-1783

  • At a General Assembly, Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg, on Monday, the Seventh Day of October, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Six, and in the First Year of the Commonwealth (Williamsburg: Alexander Purdie, 1777). Sowerby 1846
  • At a General Assembly, Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg, on Monday, the Twentieth Day of October, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Seven, and in the Second Year of the Commonwealth (Williamsburg: Alexander Purdie, 1770). Swem 7080
  • At a General Assembly Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg, on Monday, the Fourth Day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Eight (Williamsburg: Alexander Purdie, 1778). Swem 7094
  • Acts Passed at a General Assembly, Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg, on Monday, the Third Day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Nine (Williamsburg: John Dixon & Thomas Nicolson, 1779). Swem 7128
  • Acts Passed at a General Assembly, Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg, on Monday, the Fourth Day of October, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Nine (Williamsburg: John Dixon & Thomas Nicolson, 1779) Swem 7166
  • Acts Passed at a General Assembly, Begun and Held in the Town of Richmond, on Monday, the First Day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty (Richmond: John Dixon & Thomas Nicolson, 1780). Swem 7223
  • Acts Passed at a General Assembly, Begun and Held in the Town of Richmond, on Monday, the Sixteenth Day of October, in the Year of Our Lord, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty (Richmond: John Dixon & Thomas Nicolson, 1781). Swem 7240
  • Acts Passed at a General Assembly, Begun and Held in the Town of Richmond, on Thursday the 1st Day of March, in the Year of Our Lord, 1781. (Richmond: John Dixon & Thomas Nicolson, 1781). Swem 7263
  • Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Begun and Held at the Public Buildings in the Town of Richmond, on Monday the Seventh Day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-One, and from Thence Continued by Adjournment to the Town of Staunton, in the County of Augusta (Charlottesville: John Dunlap and James Hayes, 1781). Swem 7285
  • Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Begun and Held at the Public Buildings in the Town of Richmond, on Monday the Fifth Day of November, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-One (Richmond: John Dunlap & James Hayes, 1781). Swem 7310
  • Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Begun and Held at the Public Buildings in the Town of Richmond, on Monday the Sixth Day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Two (Richmond: John Dunlap & James Hayes, 1782) Swem 7320
  • Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia Begun and Held at the Public Buildings in the City of Richmond, on Monday the Twenty-First Day of October, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Two (Richmond: John Dunlap & James Hayes, 1783. Swem 7338
  • Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Begun and Held at the Public Buildings in the City of Richmond, on Monday the Fifth Day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Three (Richmond: John Dunlap & James Hayes, 1783). Swem 7350
  • Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Begun and Held at the Public Buildings in the City of Richmond, on Monday the Twentieth Day of October, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Three (Richmond: John Dunlap & James Hayes, 1783). Swem 7377

See also

References

  1. Earl G. Swem, "A Bibliography of Virginia, Part II, Containing the Titles of the Printed Official Documents of the Commonwealth, 1776-1916," Bulletin Virginia State Library 10, nos. 1-4 (January, April, July, October, 1917).
  2. Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012), 235-236. Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available online at the Swem Library's Special Collections Research Center.
  3. E. Millicent Sowerby, Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson (Washington, D.C.: The Library of Congress, 1952-1959), 2:252 [no. 1846]. See Brown, 236.