Another Petersburg first

Dinwiddie resident and historian Ronald Seagrave, PhD is currently writing a book to be entitled The Early Artisans & Mechanics of Petersburg Virginia, 1752-1860: Building of a Multicultural Maritime Community. In conducting research on the early Scottish influence on Petersburg’s literary base, he has found that the General Assembly granted Petersburg’s Speculative Society – […]

May 3, 2008; 9:31 AM • by brenda p

Dinwiddie resident and historian Ronald Seagrave, PhD is currently writing a book to be entitled The Early Artisans & Mechanics of Petersburg Virginia, 1752-1860: Building of a Multicultural Maritime Community. In conducting research on the early Scottish influence on Petersburg’s literary base, he has found that the General Assembly granted Petersburg’s Speculative Society – a library association formed in 1793 – a charter in 1795. Per conversations with folks at the Library of Virginia, this appears to be “the earliest now known” library company in Virginia.

Here is an excerpt of draft-form text on the subject:

As a further testament to Petersburg’s early literary status and value it placed on education, Petersburg as early as 1793 formed a library association named the Speculative Society of the Town of Petersburg. …

… In 1795 the Petersburg’s Speculative Society had come to grips with an age-old library problem, for it labored “under considerable disadvantages from want of coercive jurisdiction over delinquent members.”[1]

An Act of the General Assembly in 1795 addressed the problem by granting the society a charter which enabled it to inflict pecuniary penalties, not exceeding $20, upon members and allowing the society, if a member did not pay, to seek judgment and penalty in the Husting Court after ten days’ notice. The society was to have a president, a vice president, a treasurer who was to be bonded for $1,000, and a librarian who was to be made responsible for the books in his custody. Little is known of matters more germane to its mission and success. However, by 1830 it had been disbanded and its books had been sold.[2] Pre-dating Alexandria’s charter (1797/1789, session of the General Assembly) by two years, thus making it the first formal public library system in the Commonwealth.

[1] Petersburg’s Story, p. 121.
[2] Ibid., p. 121.

The above image is a Speculative Society’s book plate found in a 1796 first printing of “An Historical, Geographical, And Philosophical View of the Chinese Empire… Comprehending a Description of the Fifteen Provinces of China, Chinese Tartary, Tributary States, Natural History of China, Government, Religion, Laws, Manners and Customs, Literature, Arts, Sciences, Manufactures, &c.”

Dr. Seagrave would be delighted to hear from anyone who may hold early family letters, journals, artifacts, etc., relating to any artisan or mechanic working in Petersburg prior to the War Between the States… his email is seagraver@hughes.net. To check his blog on area history, click here.

May 3, 2008 9:31 AM 0