- 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.
Richard Henry Lee
LEE, Richard Henry, statesman and signer of the Declaration of Independence, born in Westmoreland County, Va., 20 January, 1732; died in Chantilly, Va., 19 June, 1794.
He was educated in England and returned to Virginia to become a leader in colonial resistance. Lee served in the House of Burgesses and was a vocal opponent of British policies. In 1776, he introduced the resolution for independence in the Continental Congress, which led to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.
He signed the Declaration and later served as president of Congress. Lee was a U.S. Senator under the new Constitution and advocated for the addition of a Bill of Rights.
Known for his eloquence and republican principles, Lee helped shape both the revolutionary movement and the early federal government. His family included other prominent patriots, including Francis Lightfoot Lee.
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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