The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography Volume 21

The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Volume 21, was originally published in 1913 by the Virginia Historical Society. This volume serves as a primary scholarly record of the Commonwealth's early history, continuing the society's long-standing mission to collect and preserve documents related to the colonial, Revolutionary, and antebellum eras of Virginia. It emerged during an era when historical societies were increasingly focused on formalizing the curation of genealogical records and official state correspondence for academic study.

The publication was overseen by the editorial staff of the Virginia Historical Society, which maintained a commitment to rigorous, document-heavy reporting. The design and presentation were intended to be utilitarian and dignified, favoring traditional typography and authoritative sourcing to cater to historians and researchers of the early 20th century. Upon its release, it was well-received within academic circles as a vital, peer-reviewed repository of primary source material that allowed scholars to bypass secondary interpretations and examine firsthand accounts of Virginia's development.