In 1831, Red Hill was divided and passed from Patrick Henry’s widow, Dorothea Henry Winston, to their two youngest sons. Edward Winston Henry received about 1,500 acres of undeveloped land, comprising the southeastern half of the property, and John Henry received the half that contained the family home. The focus of this article will be … More 10 John and Elvira Henry’s Red Hill
Patrick Henry passed away at his home at Red Hill on June 6, 1799, just a week after turning 63 years of age. (There are blog entries on this site that tell the events surrounding Patrick Henry’s death.) Twenty years younger than her husband, Dorothea Henry inherited the Red Hill property, per the instructions of … More 9 Red Hill-Upon Patrick Henry’s Death
During Patrick’s few years at Red Hill, the property grew from 700 to nearly 3,000 acres. The farm became a prosperous, self sustaining plantation with bountiful harvests of various crops, including the primary cash crop; tobacco. Patrick had achieved his goal of becoming debt free with the success of his legal practice, purchases and sales … More 8-The Red Hill Labor Force
While the relatively small Henry house was the home of nearly a dozen family members, there sometimes arises the question as to whether or not Patrick made any additions to the structure. Morgan, in his 1907 biography, does add to the possible history of the house during Patrick’s time, but is it accurate? Perhaps through … More 7-Red Hill The Patrick Henry Era
Most visitors to Red Hill learn quickly that Patrick Henry was the father of 17 children. It seems to make more sense to people when they learn that Patrick was married twice, although six children with Sarah and eleven children with Dorothea is still a lot of babies! Looking at the size of the Red … More 6 Henry Family at Red Hill
5 Patrick Henry’s Red Hill House In 1794, the house at Red Hill was little more than a well equipped cabin. Today, Red Hill visitors face a structure that is nearly twice the size of the home Patrick Henry moved into with his large family. Accepted evidence seems to indicate the home of Patrick Henry … More 5-Patrick Henry’s Red Hill House
Oftentimes people wonder why Patrick Henry moved to Red Hill, which appears to be “in the middle of nowhere”. The question is fair, due to the fact the place is far removed from other notable historical sites and thoroughfares, but as visitors also note, well worth the little effort it takes to get to the … More 4-Patrick Henry Buys Red Hill
For a moment, let’s jump back to the earlier quote from Patrick Henry’s brother in law, Samuel Meredith.“He regarded as nothing the trouble of moving, and would change his dwelling with as little concern as a common man would change a coat of which he was tired.” Here is a list of Patrick Henry’s residences … More Patrick Henry Residences 1736-1799
This article presents a timeline of Red Hill as it passed down through the years. Included are the dates and the owner and how the property was passed along. Therefore, as I may jump around in future articles, the reader will at least have an idea of where in the “history of Red Hill”, a … More Red Hill-List of Owners 1794-Present
There are several facts that make Patrick Henry’s Red Hill a very special place. The connection to Patrick Henry, the modesty of the home, the sheer beauty of the property. Often overlooked though, and somewhat unique among historic homesteads in Virginia, is the fact that from 1794, the time Patrick Henry purchased Red Hill, until … More Red Hill-Intro
Patrick Henry: His Life 