General Notes

Name Suffix:<NSFX> Statesman
"Campbell Chronicles and Family Sketches," by Ruth Hairston Early, Chapter X:
Last Homes of Patrick Henry:  John Henry, son of Alexander and Jean Robertson-Henry came to Virginia in 1728.  He seems to have been a relative (and became a friend) of Colonel John Syme, a Hanover Burgess, who live at Studley, Hanover, and there Henry visited him.  Col Syme married, Sarah, dau. of Isaac and Mary Dabney-Winston, but died in 1731, and several years afterwards his widow married John Henry.  They continued to live at Studley, a frame house with beautiful grounds, on the Tottipottimoi River and there three sons, John Syme, of her first marriage, William and Patrick Henry were born, thast named, in 1736, and a few months afterwards his parents moved to Mt. Brilliant in the Rocky Mills neighborhood near the South Anna River.  In 1765, though living in Hanover, Patrick Henry filled the vacancy in the representation of Louisa, in the Assembly.  In 1779, he purchased a large tract of land in Henry, the county named for him, an estate called Leatherwood, which numbered 10,000 acres and there he resided until 1784.  Retiring from the governorship in 1786, his next move was to Prince Edward County.  At this time he was poor and in debt; then - though he had reached the age of 50 years, - he set himself the task of repairing his fortunes; this was accomplished principally by investments in land.  In 1794 he purchased Long Island, Campbel County, upon which he lived before settling at Red Hill, and even afterwards he alternated between the two places for some years.  As his last and preferred abode, Red Hill became a historic place.  Standing but a few miles from Brookneal and on the Staunton River, was the old one story and a half house with a lean-to, in which Henry was content to spend his last days, for he liked to hear the rain pattering on the roof; and he appears to have been a man of simple tastes, with no desire to build a mansion having many rooms like those of his neighbors.
His home was much enlarged afterwards and several generations of descendants occupied it, but it burned down and was never rebuilt.  He, and members of his family, are buried in an adjoining enclosure where tombstones mark each burial place.  To the patriot's old homestead and last resting place many visitors have mad pilgrimages.
In the neighborhood of Red Hill, beside an old road leading through the woods, there stands Cub Creek Presbyterian Church, a building of unusual style of architecture - erected for the Charolette Presbyterian colony from Pennsylvania, - which is still in a good state of preservation.  In colonial days people drove many miles to attend worship there, and among its congregation were a number of large land owners from adjoining counties: also in the nearby churchyard there are grave of many who had been prominent in their generation.  Founded about 185 years ago the church took its name from the adjoining stream.

THE WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA

Patrick Henry was a distinguished statesman and orator of the time of the Revolutionary War in America.  He is remembered most for his words "Give me Liberty or Give me Death," which were spoken in 1775 before the Virginia Provincial Convention.  Henry was urging that the Virginia militia be armed for defense of the colony against England.  A man who heard many of Henry's speeches once said of him: "He is by far the most powerful speaker I ever heard.  Every word he says not only engages but commands the attention."  But Henry was also an excellent politician and administrator.  He served as governor of Virginia during the Revolutionary War.

Early Life:

Henry was born in Hanover County, Virginia.  He attended public school for only a short while, but was taught by his father, who had a good education.  Henry was a storekeeper for a time as a young man.  But he was a poor businessman and was soon hopelessly in debt.  He then studied law, and was licensed to prac