Earl Gregg Swem
A meticulous historian and librarian whose obsessive cataloging preserved the foundational documents of early Virginia and American history.
1870–1965 (age 95)·American historian and librarian·Birthday: December 29·The Gilded Age
Biography
Earl Gregg Swem compiled the 'Virginia Historical Index' — 'Swem's Index' — a master key to early Virginian history indexing thousands of pages from key historical journals. Born in 1870, he worked at the Library of Congress before joining the College of William & Mary in 1919. Over two decades, he transformed its library from a modest collection into a major research institution. He tracked down lost documents, compiled exhaustive lists, and set standards for citation and organization that became a model. The library bearing his name testifies to his belief that history is only as reliable as the accessibility of its sources. He died in 1965.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Earl was born in 1870, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Earl Was Born
The biggest hits of 1870
Earl's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1870Born
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1875Started school
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1883Became a teenager
President: Chester A. Arthur
1886Could drive
Statue of Liberty dedicated in New York Harbor
President: Grover Cleveland
1888Could vote
President: Grover Cleveland
1891Turned 21
President: Benjamin Harrison
1900Turned 30
Boxer Rebellion in China
President: William McKinley
1910Turned 40
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1920Turned 50
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1930Turned 60
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1940Turned 70
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1950Turned 80
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1965Died at 95
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
Key Achievements
- Compiled the essential 'Virginia Historical Index' (Swem's Index), a foundational tool for researchers of early Virginia.
- Served as the Librarian at the College of William & Mary for 25 years, dramatically expanding its collections.
- Was a founding member and officer of the Bibliographical Society of America.
- His bibliographic work on the writings of Thomas Jefferson and other Founding Fathers remains authoritative.
Did You Know?
The Earl Gregg Swem Library at William & Mary is the only academic library in the U.S. named for a librarian.
He began his career as a high school principal in Kentucky before turning to library science.
He was an avid collector of bookplates (ex-libris) and authored works on the subject.
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