Person:Earl Swem (1)

Dr. Earl G, Swem A Noted Librarian and Genealogist

Dr. Swem, son of Edward Lawrence Swem and Emeline (Luse) Swem, was born in Belle Plaine, Iowa, on December 29, 1870. He held a number of scholastic degrees. Among these were: B. A. (1893), M. A. (1896), Litt. D. (1926) from Lafayette College and an L. L. D. from William and Mary College (1941). He began his library career with the Iowa Masonic Library, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After serving at a number of other libraries, he became Librarian of the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia in 1920, from which position he retired in 1944.

He was a member of various historical and library associations; the editor of numerous historical works; and the compiler of a number of works on Virginia history, among them being his "Bibliography of the Conventions and Constitutions of Virginia" (1910), "Official Publications of the Confederate States Government," "Analysis of Ruffin's Farmers' Register," "Register of the General Assembly of Virginia, 1776- 1918," and his outstanding genealogical resource work, "The Virginia Historical Index."

"The Virginia Historical Index," commonly called "Swem's," consists of a two volume index of the following publications: "Virginia Magazine of History and Biography" (38 Vols.), "The William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine" (37 Vols.), "Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine" (10 Vols.), "Virginia Historical and Literary Advisor" (6 Vols.), "Lower Norfolk County Virginia Antiquary" (5 Vols.), "Hennings Statutes of (Virginia ) State Papers" (11 Vols.). "Swem's" is an invaluable and indispensable aid to both Historians and genealogist in performing research in the State and Colony of Virginia.

1. ↑ Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).