author
Charles Campbell
1807–1876
Best known for bringing early Virginia history to a wider audience, this 19th-century historian and editor spent years collecting documents, papers, and local records. His books helped preserve stories of colonial Virginia that might otherwise have been lost.
1 Audiobook
History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia
by Charles Campbell
About the author
Born in Petersburg, Virginia, in 1807, he became known as a historian, editor, and collector of historical manuscripts with a strong interest in Virginia's colonial past. Archival and library sources describe him as a prolific writer on state history, and his surviving papers reflect interests that ranged from genealogy and politics to teaching, newspaper editing, and publication.
His best-known works include The Bland Papers, Introduction to the History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia, and The History of Virginia. Rather than writing only from memory or legend, he worked closely with original documents, which gave his histories a lasting value for later readers and researchers.
He died in 1876. Even now, he is remembered mainly for helping preserve the documentary record of early Virginia and for turning that research into readable historical works.