- March 6, 1809, 217 years ago — Death of Thomas Heyward Jr..
- March 6, 1724, 302 years ago — Birth of Henry Laurens, President of the Continental Congress.
- March 7, 1707, 319 years ago — Birth of Stephen Hopkins, signer of the Declaration of Independence.
- March 7, 1699, 327 years ago — Birth of Susanna Boylston Adams, mother of John Adams.
Patrick Henry
HENRY, Patrick, orator and patriot, born in Hanover County, Va., 29 May, 1736; died in Charlotte County, Va., 6 June, 1799.
He was largely self-educated and began his career as a lawyer. Henry gained fame in 1763 for his defense in the “Parson’s Cause,” challenging royal authority. His fiery speech against the Stamp Act in 1765 included the famous words “If this be treason, make the most of it!”
He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a five-time governor of Virginia. His most celebrated speech, delivered in 1775 at St. John’s Church in Richmond, ended with the immortal line: “Give me liberty, or give me death!”
Henry opposed the U.S. Constitution, fearing centralized power, but later supported the Bill of Rights. He declined appointments as Secretary of State and Chief Justice, preferring retirement.
He remains one of the most iconic voices of the American Revolution, revered for his eloquence and unwavering commitment to liberty.
Source:
Wilson, James Grant, and John Fiske, eds. Appleton’s Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1887. Patriot Echoes Archive
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