Dictionary of Virginia Biography
Encyclopedia
The Dictionary of Virginia Biography (ISBN 0-88490-206-4) is a multivolume biographical reference work published by the Library of Virginia
covering all aspects of Virginia's
history and culture since 1607.
Publication began in 1998 with a volume covering surnames from Aaroe through Blanchfield. Volume 2 (2001) covered Bland through Cannon, and volume 3 (2006) covered Caperton through Daniels. When completed, the projected fourteen volumes will contain approximately 6,000 biographies of Virginians who, regardless of their place of birth or death, made significant contributions to the history or culture of their locality, state, and nation or who achieved particular distinction in their professions or chosen fields. No persons living at the time of publication are included.
Because for two and a half centuries of its history Virginia encompassed a much larger territory
than it does today, the DVB defines Virginia as the current state boundaries plus Kentucky
before its separate statehood in 1792 and West Virginia
before its separate statehood in 1863.
Many of the DVB's entries offer the first reliable biography ever printed about their subjects. The DVB's contributors and editors research every biography in primary sources and verify all facts found in the extant secondary literature, which can sometimes prove to be inexact, incomplete, or incorrect. Virtually every biography so far published contains corrections or additions to life histories previously available. For example, the standard literature renders the names of the leaders of a 1671 expedition seeking a passage beyond the Appalachian Mountains
as Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam. The DVB editors' deep excavation in early Henrico County
records, careful examination of signatures on contemporary documents, and reference to the original 1674 letter from a sponsor of the expedition, rather than to faulty published transcriptions, correctly renders the names of the explorers as Thomas Batte (not Batts) and Robert Hallom or Hallam (not Fallam). The DVB biography of Lott Cary
, the Baptist missionary and founder of Liberia
, for the first time identifies his second wife by name and the year of their marriage and in addition establishes a previously unknown fourth marriage that took place in Liberia.
The DVB is also fundamentally changing the study of Virginia history by reintroducing people whose accomplishments have been ignored or written out of the historical record.
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia, is the library agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia, its archival agency, and the reference library at the seat of government. The Library moved into a new building in 1997 and is located at 800 East Broad Street, 2 blocks from the Virginia State...
covering all aspects of Virginia's
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
history and culture since 1607.
Publication began in 1998 with a volume covering surnames from Aaroe through Blanchfield. Volume 2 (2001) covered Bland through Cannon, and volume 3 (2006) covered Caperton through Daniels. When completed, the projected fourteen volumes will contain approximately 6,000 biographies of Virginians who, regardless of their place of birth or death, made significant contributions to the history or culture of their locality, state, and nation or who achieved particular distinction in their professions or chosen fields. No persons living at the time of publication are included.
Because for two and a half centuries of its history Virginia encompassed a much larger territory
Territorial evolution of the United States
This is a list of the evolution of the borders of the United States. This lists each change to the internal and external borders of the country, as well as status and name changes. It also shows the surrounding areas that eventually became part of the United States...
than it does today, the DVB defines Virginia as the current state boundaries plus Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
before its separate statehood in 1792 and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
before its separate statehood in 1863.
Many of the DVB's entries offer the first reliable biography ever printed about their subjects. The DVB's contributors and editors research every biography in primary sources and verify all facts found in the extant secondary literature, which can sometimes prove to be inexact, incomplete, or incorrect. Virtually every biography so far published contains corrections or additions to life histories previously available. For example, the standard literature renders the names of the leaders of a 1671 expedition seeking a passage beyond the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
as Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam. The DVB editors' deep excavation in early Henrico County
Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
records, careful examination of signatures on contemporary documents, and reference to the original 1674 letter from a sponsor of the expedition, rather than to faulty published transcriptions, correctly renders the names of the explorers as Thomas Batte (not Batts) and Robert Hallom or Hallam (not Fallam). The DVB biography of Lott Cary
Lott Cary
Lott Cary was an African-American Baptist minister and lay physician, who was instrumental in the founding of the Colony of Liberia in Africa. Born into slavery, he purchased his freedom...
, the Baptist missionary and founder of Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, for the first time identifies his second wife by name and the year of their marriage and in addition establishes a previously unknown fourth marriage that took place in Liberia.
The DVB is also fundamentally changing the study of Virginia history by reintroducing people whose accomplishments have been ignored or written out of the historical record.