Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/25

 SKETCHES

��OF THE

��LIFE OF PATRICK HENRY

��SECTION I.

��Patrick henry, the second son of John and Sarah Henry, and one of nine children, was born on the 29th of May 1736, at the family seat, called Studley, in the county of Hanover and colony of Virginia. In his early childhood, his parents removed to another seat in the same county, then called Mount Brilliant, now the Retreat; at which latter place, Patrick Heniy was raised and educated. His parents, though not rich, were in easy circumstances; and, in point of personal character, were among the most respectable inhabitants of the co- lony.

His father, col. John Henry, was a native of Aberdeen, in Scotland. He was, it is said, a first cousin to David Henry, who was the brother-in-law and successor of Edward Cave, in the publication of that celebrated work, The Gentleman's Magazine, and, himself, the author of several literary tracts : John Henry, is, also said to have been a nephew, in the maternal line, to the great histo- rian Dr. William Robertson. He came over to Virginia, in quest of fortune, some time prior to the year 1 730, and

A

�� �