The Journal of the House of Burgesses
Virginia. House of Burgesses.
| The Journal of the House of Burgesses | ||
 at the College of William & Mary. |
||
| Author | Virginia. House of Burgesses. | |
| Published | Williamsburg: Samuel Harrison Smith | |
| Date | 1732-1775 | |
| Language | English | |
The Journal of the House of Burgesses recorded the occurrences of each session of the House.
The House of Burgesses was part of Virginia’s General Assembly, which was the first legislative body in British North America.[1] It filled a similar role to the British House of Commons, for it "granted supplies and originated laws."[2] The governor and council filled the role of the king and House of Lords, as they "enjoyed the right of revision and veto."[3]
The House of Burgesses was reformed into the House of Delegates by the first Virginia Constitution. [4] On May 6,1776, during the last session of the House of Burgesses, the House’s journal entry for that day simply read "several Members met, but did neither proceed to business, nor adjourn, as the House of Burgesses : Finis."[5] "The assistant clerk may have intended to dramatically illustrate the conclusion of royal government in Virginia and filled the page so nothing else could be written there."[6] However, this volume owned by Wythe concluded in 1775 and would not have included this entry.
Wythe held several roles in the House of Burgesses, including Committees Clerk (1748), the Williamsburg seat (1754-1756), the William & Mary Representative Seat (1758-1761), and the Elizabeth City County Seat (1761-1768). His personal connection to the body, as well has his interest in Virginia’s history and government, would give him reason to own these volumes in his personal library.
Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library
See also
- Wythe to John Norton, 13 June 1768
- Wythe to John Norton, 8 August 1768
- Wythe to John Norton, 18 August 1768
- Wythe's Library
References
- ↑ "House of Burgesses," Matthew Gottlieb, Encyclopedia Virginia, last modified August 26, 2024, https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/house-of-burgesses/
- ↑ "House of Burgesses," Britannica, last modified Sep 06, 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/House-of-Burgesses
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ "The Constitution of Virginia," Randolph-Macon College, accessed Sept 9, 2026, https://amendments.rmc.edu/constitutionva/
- ↑ "Preface," in Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia 1773-1776, ed. John Pendleton Kennedy (Richmond, Virginia, 1905), vii. https://archive.org/details/journalsofhouse1773c1776virg/page/n13/mode/2up
- ↑ “Final Meeting of the House of Burgesses, 1776," DBVa Library of Virginia, accessed September 14, 2026, https://www.lva.virginia.gov/collections/educator-resources/dbva/items/show/189</