George Cabell Greer

Early Virginia Immigrants 1623-1666 George Cabell Greer

Subsequent to the publication of Hotten's Immigrants, no successful effort had been made to gather together, in one volume, a list of the thousands of persons who came into Virginia during the early period of her life. When the author began his endeavor to supplement Hotten, the records of the Land Office in Richmond remained the only source from which these names could be obtained. Prior to the publication of this work, it was simply impossible, without the most extensive and expensive research, to obtain names of persons who came to Virginia, unless they themselves were patentees of land; and the great majority of immigrants to the colony do not appear as patentees. A list of the immigrants to Virginia has always been a desideratum to the genealogist. To descendants of early Virginia immigrants this work will, in many cases, offer an opportunity to trace their ancestry. It will often be the means of forming the "Missing Link," which is the genealogists' bane. Nearly 25,000 names have been collected from the original records and arranged in alphabetical order. The author's research efforts were systematic and thorough, and, according to Mr. Greer, every name from 1623 (when the records begin) down to 1666 has been noted, with date of appearance. It is believed that this work will be of interest to the general public and invaluable to the historian and antiquarian.