Records of the Virginia Company of London, Volume I-IV

This database contains Volumes I-IV of a series called The Records of the Virginia Company of London. Volume I is the introduction to the series and provides a general background of the Company and its records. It describes things such as the character of the Company, the document collections of the Company, and the fate of the Company's original records. Volume II contains the Company's court book from 20 May 1622 to 7 June 1624. Volumes III and IV contain the original papers, official and others, of the Company, including Records of Proceedings Upon Information of Quo Warranto. Much of the original manuscript of this series is held at the Library of Congress. This series would be of value to people with ancestors who might have been involved with this Company or to people who are simply interested in the history of Virginia and early American settlements.

"The Virginia Company was formed with a charter from King James I in 1606. The Company was a joint stock corporation charged with the settlement of Virginia. It had the power to appoint the Council of Virginia, the Governor and other officials, and the responsibility to provide settlers, supplies and ships for the venture. The initial reaction to the Company was favorable but as the mortality rate rose and the prospect for profit grew dim, the support for it waned. The leadership resorted to lotteries, searching for gold, and silkworm production to increase profits. The charter was finally revoked in 1624 and Virginia became a Crown colony, largely as a result of the Indian Massacre of 1622."

Taken from: www.apva.org/history/vaco.html