10 Key Facts About Patrick Henry

Born on May 29, 1736, Patrick Henry is celebrated as an American patriot, famously associated with the phrase 'Give me liberty or give me death,' spoken at the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775. However, the authenticity of this quote remains debated. Regardless, Henry's pivotal role in shaping the nation he helped establish is undeniable. Here are 10 fascinating facts about his life.

1. Patrick Henry’s father was an immigrant.

John Henry, Patrick’s father, was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, into a respected and prosperous family. His academic prowess and skill in Latin earned him a scholarship. A childhood friend, John Syme, had achieved success in Virginia, prompting John Henry to join him. In 1727, he traveled to the colony and began working alongside Syme.

Within his first four years in Virginia, Henry amassed more than 15,000 acres of land. After Syme's death in 1731, Henry married Syme’s widow, Sarah, two years later. Together, they had 11 children, with nine surviving to adulthood, one of whom was Patrick Henry.

2. Patrick Henry was skilled in playing multiple musical instruments.

Patrick Henry spent his early years at Studley, the family farm in Hanover County, Virginia, until he turned 14. He enjoyed various pastimes, such as hunting—described by an acquaintance as 'remarkably fond of his gun'—and playing the flute and violin. As an adult, he developed a fondness for comedic novels, particularly Laurence Sterne’s satirical work, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman.

3. He struggled with tobacco farming.

Henry’s early career was marked by a series of failed business endeavors. In 1752, his father, John Henry, established a shop for Patrick and his brother William to manage independently. However, the venture closed its doors after just two years.

Marriage prompted Patrick Henry to shift his career path. At 18, in 1754, he married Sarah Shelton, whose dowry included a 300-acre farm. Henry cultivated wheat, barley, and tobacco there until a fire destroyed the family home in 1757. He then took up work at his father-in-law’s tavern.

The Hanover County Courthouse was located across from the tavern, where lawyers often gathered after court sessions. Henry befriended them and grew fascinated with the law. By 24, he passed the bar exam and established a thriving legal practice.

4. The landmark case known as the 'Parsons’ Cause' catapulted him to fame.

A severe three-year drought in the mid-1750s devastated Virginia’s tobacco farms, the backbone of the colony’s economy. This crisis affected everyone, including Anglican ministers, who were traditionally compensated in tobacco, typically receiving 16,000 pounds annually.

In 1755, the House of Burgesses, Virginia’s elected legislature, enacted the Two Penny Act to revise the payment system. The law stipulated that clergy would receive two pence in cash for each pound of tobacco they were owed. However, due to tobacco’s market value, this amounted to a significant pay reduction. King George II sided with the outraged clergy and vetoed the law in August 1759.

In 1763, Reverend James Maury, central to the 'Parsons’ Cause,' sued his church for unpaid wages. Representing the church, Patrick Henry seized the opportunity to criticize the king’s interference in Virginia’s governance. He declared, 'A king, by nullifying beneficial laws, transforms from a father of his people into a tyrant.' This bold rhetoric elevated Henry’s popularity across Virginia.

5. The true origin of Patrick Henry’s 'Give Me Liberty' speech remains uncertain.

On March 23, 1775, Henry delivered a speech that embodied the fervor of the American Revolution. Speaking at the Second Virginia Revolutionary Convention in Richmond, he asserted that conflict with Britain was unavoidable and stressed the necessity of a well-organized militia to protect the colonies.

Like all masterful speakers, he concluded with a powerful statement: 'I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!'

However, there is doubt whether Henry actually uttered these iconic words. No transcript of the speech exists from the time it was delivered. The text was first published in 1817 in a biography of Henry by William Wirt, who later served as attorney general under James Monroe. Wirt reconstructed the speech by interviewing eyewitnesses and relied heavily on the account of federal judge St. George Tucker.

Were those stirring words truly Henry’s? Or did Wirt or his sources embellish them? While most historians agree that Wirt’s reconstruction is somewhat accurate to Henry’s original speech, the exact truth may remain a mystery.

6. Patrick Henry became Virginia’s first elected governor.

In 1776, Henry secured the first of three consecutive terms as governor, serving until June 1, 1779. During his tenure, he married his second wife, Dorothea Dandridge, following the death of his first wife, Sarah, in 1775 after years of battling mental illness. He was re-elected in 1784 and served an additional two years.

7. Patrick Henry was a vocal opponent of the U.S. Constitution, though his efforts to block its adoption were unsuccessful.

Despite being invited to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Henry refused to attend and later emerged as one of the Constitution’s most prominent critics.

He believed the document’s provisions leaned 'towards monarchy,' granting excessive authority to the federal government. In a letter to George Washington, he expressed, 'The concern I feel on this account is truly greater than I can put into words.'

During the Virginia Ratification Convention in 1788, Henry passionately argued against the Constitution’s adoption. He dominated the floor, speaking for nearly 25% of the total time over the three-and-a-half-week event. Despite his efforts, Virginia ratified the Constitution by a narrow 10-vote margin on June 25.

8. Henry was a strong early proponent of the Bill of Rights.

During Virginia’s 1788 ratification debate over the Constitution, Henry insisted on including a bill of rights, a proposal most delegates, including James Madison, deemed unnecessary. Henry viewed its omission as a dangerous expansion of federal power.

To secure Virginia’s ratification, Madison promised to add a bill of rights after the Constitution’s approval. The first U.S. Congress drafted 12 amendments, but Henry remained unsatisfied. He expressed his frustration to Richard Henry Lee, arguing that without reducing the federal government’s size, the amendments would 'harm rather than protect liberty.' Ultimately, 10 amendments were ratified and added to the Constitution in 1791.

9. Henry declined George Washington’s offer to serve as secretary of state.

After Edmund Randolph Jennings resigned in 1795, Washington offered the position to Henry, who refused, citing his domestic responsibilities. He explained that his large family—including eight children from his current marriage and a widowed daughter from his first—made relocation to Philadelphia, the nation’s capital, impossible. Washington later appointed Timothy Pickering to the role.

10. Henry’s political loyalties shifted significantly over time.

Henry typically aligned with the Democratic-Republicans led by Jefferson, but in his later years, he moderated his opposition to certain Federalist policies and figures. In 1799, he even campaigned for the Virginia state legislature as a member of Alexander Hamilton’s party.

During his campaign, Henry delivered his final public speech at the Charlotte County courthouse in Virginia. In a debate with Democratic-Republican John Randolph, he argued that while citizens had the right to overthrow the government, such action should only be taken as a last resort to avoid plunging the nation into monarchy. 'United we stand, divided we fall,' Henry declared. 'Let us not divide into factions that would destroy the union essential to our survival.'

Henry won the legislative seat but passed away on June 6, 1799, before he could begin his term.

This article was originally published in 2017 and has been updated for 2023.