Axton High School - Axtonian Yearbook (Axton, VA)

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THE AXTONIAN Within a short time, the Revolutionary War began. Patrick Henry was made com- mander of Virginia’s forces, but he was needed more in the councils of men than on the fields of battle. In 1776, he was elected the first governor of Virginia, re-elected the following year, and appointed by the legislature in 1778 for a third year. While governor in 1777, he married a second wife, Dorothea Dandridge. After he had served as governor of Virginia and had become familiar with all the lands of the domain, in 1778, he bought large tracks of land in Henry County from Lomax and Company. His many land transactions are on the records in the clerk’s office of this county in Martins- ville. In deed book 2, page 356, it is stated that he bought of John and Suzanna Minter 240 acres of land lying on Leatherwood Creek in Henry County. Patrick Henry’s young wife learned what pioneering meant when Henry left Wil- liamsburg at the end of his third term as governor and migrated to Henry County. Ac- companying them were his son-in-law. Col. John Fontaine and family. We can imagine the picturesque movement of this covered wagon and slaves into this section which was a wild country. Some historians think that sentimental reasons attracted Patrick Henry into Henry County. In 1776 it had been set off from Pittsylvania and named in his honor. This attractive section filled with rivers, streams and forest brought back to Henry the wild hunts of boyhood. He delighted in this wilderness where he could fish and hunt. Here he built a home which he called “Leatherwood”, about nine miles from the court house in Martinsville on Leatherwood Creek, which flows south into the Smith River and thence into the Dan. In accordance with his will, a vast tract of his Leatherwood lands was sold after his death to George Hairston. For many years Jesse Wooten, Sheriff of Henry County lived on the five-hundred acre home place. It was owned for awhile by the late James Bark- er who sold it to W. A. Holland of Danville, from whom Mr. S. H. Hooker, the present owner bought it. The only remnant of the buildings which Patrick Henry constructed there is an outhouse, which has been restored by Mr. Hooker. Patrick Henry lived for four years on this plantation which adjoins the farm on which I now live. Evidently this American patriot’s fiery blood was too hot for farming because during the time he lived here he served as leader of Assembly in 1780 ; and in 1785, he answered the call from his farm to serve his fourth one-year term as governor of Virginia. When Patrick Henry left this county for Richmond, he did not return as a resident. He left his son-in-law and daughter. Col. John and Martha Fontaine in charge of his home, “Leath- erwood”. He continued as governor of Virginia to the fall of 1786 serving a fifth term but re- fused a sixth term. He was elected a delegate to the Constitutional Convention which met in Philadelphia in 1787, but he refused to sign the constitution because he thought it gave the central gov- ernment too much power. His opposition brought about the ten amendments of 1791 which constitutes our Bill of Rights. Henry lived in several counties of Virginia for short periods. He seemed to enjoy mi- grating from one section to another. Finally, in 1794, he built a home on a bluff overlook- ing the Roanoke River in Charlotte County, Virginia. This home he called “Red Hill”, from the red-brown soil of that section. Here he spent most of his last days. The last year of his life, 1799, he was elected to the Virginia Assembly, but he died be- fore this body met. Recently, I saw the graves of Patrick Henry and his wife Dorothea at “Red Hill” over which marble slabs rest. His residence, which was originally a short distance from the tomb, was destroyed by fire a few years ago, but his law office still stands. The last de- scendant of Patrick Henry to live at “Red Hill” was his great-grand-daughter, Mrs. Lucy Gray Harrison, who died a year or two ago. Henry County before 1791 included both Patrick and Henry Counties. The part that was nearest the Blue Ridge in 1791 became the county of Patrick from Henry’s first name. These two counties were the first two in Virginia to be named after native citizens. The Patrick Henry Chapter of D.A.R. some time ago placed a portrait of Patrick Henry in our courthouse in Martinsville which was painted by G. E. Schlueter, a Henry Countian, who copied it from other portraits of Patrick Henry. Emmett and Mary Mor- Page Twenty-three

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THE AXTONIAN Patrick Henry OT very far from Axton High School stands a monument in memory of a man who is an inspiration to any one of the 1946 graduates. That monument is in honor of Patrick Henry, who lived in the midst of our Henry County fore- fathers for about four years . Our local D.A.R. organization placed this monu- ment there because the first governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, at the age of 44, wished to withdraw from public life at end of his third term and live in this county which perpetuates his name. We naturally are interested in the life of a man so distinguished, who left his imprint and name on Henry County. Patrick Henry was born in Hanover County, Virginia, May 29, 1736, son of John Henry of Scotch ancestry, a man of affairs in Hanover County. Pat- rick Henry’s mother was of Welsh descent, from whom it is said he inherited his gift of oratory. As a boy, Patrick was sent to a common English school until he was ten. Then he was tutored by his father until he was fifteen. He was taught the ancient languages, mathematics, and was well versed in both ancient and modern history. He enjoyed lazi- ness and the company of hunters and fishermen. He loved music and played both the flute and fiddle. His free-going life developed the fiercely independent spirit which he inherited from his Scotch ancestors. Henry began work in Hanover County as a storekeeper, in which he was a financial failure, but he laid the basis of knowledge of men, which later made him a success. He married Sarah Shelton when he was only 18. His parents gave the young couple a small farm and a few slaves, but the young farmer, without markets for his farm products, found himself again in adverse circumstances. After the loss of his home by fire, he sold his farm to pay his debts. For six years he tried various employment, but he did not find his work. When all other experiments failed, he decided to study law. His method of studying law was by reading. During a short period, some say six weeks, others six months, he read “Coke on Littlejohn”, in order to have the knowledge of land law. He secured a license to practice law but not because of his knowledge of law, which was scant, but because he was an “in- fallible born lawyer”. He leaped into fame when he argued and won the Parsons’ Case which involved the principle of taxation without representation. It is said that the fiery words he spoke in this case were the sparks that started the American Revolution. Patrick Henry’s father was a member of the court before which Patrick Henry ap- peared. When the son arose to speak, the father hung his head in shame because his son was so awkward. But before Patrick Henry finished his speech, tears of pride and joy rolled down the cheeks of the father ! After this celebrated Parsons’ Case, Henry became well-known as a leading lawyer of colonial days. In a speech to the House of Burgesses in 1765 in which he introduced resolutions on the Stamp Act that the British were imposing on the colonies, he uttered,, “Caesar had his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and George the Third ...” “Treason, trea- son !” was shouted through the assembly room. The orator glanced at the angry and ex- cited burgesses and continued. “George the Third may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it!” The resolutions were passed. Henry was opposed to all the acts that Great Britain imposed on the American citi- zens because the colonists were not represented in Parliament. He became a pov er in America. At the First Continental Congress, he made the open- ing speech in which he said, “I am not a Virginian, but an American.” In March, 1775, the Virginia Assembly met in Richmond at St. John’s Church. In his speech to the assembly, Patrick Henry gave the American nation its cry for freedom when he said, “Is life so dear or peace so swee t as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it. Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.” He was a member of the Second Continental Congress which met in May, 1775, at Philadelphia. This year his wife died and Martha, wife of Col. John Fontaine took charge of her father’s home, “Scotchtown”, in Hanover County. Page Twenty-two

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THE AXTONIAN ton Fontaine, children of Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Fontaine of Martinsville, unveiled the por- trait. They are direct descendants of Patrick Henry, their father being Patrick Henry’s great, great, great, great, grandson. Henry County citizens are proud that one of Patrick Henry’s many Virginia homes was once here. The D.A.R. had quite a celebration in 1922 unveiling the monument honor- ing Patrick Henry, which is located on the old Danville-Martinsville road, route 620, a few miles west of Axton, near Carlisle. Mr. Hooker, who now owns “Leatherwood” gave the tract of land for the monument ; the slab was presented by the late Mrs. C. B. Keesee, and the plaque with the inscription, by the D.A.R.. The plaque disappeared, in some way, from the monument a number of years ago. John and Nancy Fontaine, children of Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Fontaine unveiled the monument. Dr. Kate Waller Barrow, celebrated wo- man suffragist, made a speech at this celebration. There is now a movement on the part of the federal government to acquire the Pat- rick Henry “Red Hill’’ farm in Charlotte County as a public park, and to restore his grave, rebuild his home, and to see that proper monuments honor Patrick Henry in his native state. Of course, when called upon in the spring, we young people of Henry County did our part in contributing to this Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation. His largest service to his day and generation was that he aroused in the colonists a love for liberty. This love of liberty is a part of the heritage of the young citizens of Henry County who have graduated tonight. We shall carry this with us and glory in the fact, as we bid you farewell, that such patriots as Patrick Henry have preserved for us for more than one and one-half centuries this “Land of the free and home of the brave.’’ Farewell — JOANNE CRAIG Valedictorian Bibliography : The True Patrick Henry by George Morgan (Lippincott, 1907) “Patrick Henry — Genius of Liberty’’, The Reader’s Digest (August, 1945) History of Henry County, Virginia by J. P A. Hill (Martinsville Bulletin Printing and Publishing Company, 1925) History of Patrick arid Henry Counties, Virginia by Virginia and Lewis Pedigo (Stone Printing Co., Roanoke, Virginia, 1933) Acknowledgement is also made for information from the following Henry County citizens : Honorable John R. Smith Mrs. R. A. Fontaine Mr. S. H. Hooker A LITTLE FUN IN AXTON HIGH Mrs. Barker: Who can name one important thing we have now that we Hid not have a hun- dred years ago? Carl Eggleston : Me. Bobby: I tore my expensive handkerchief yes- terday. Willai’d: That must have been quite a blow. Henry: What is the noblest kind of dog? Wilbert: I give up. Henry: The hot dog. It not only don’t bite the hand that feeds it. It feeds the hand that bites it. Mrs. Bryan: Pauline, what does HNO signify? Pauline: Well, ah, er — I’ve got it right on the end of my tongue. Mrs. Bryan: Well, you’d better spit it out. It’s nitric acid. Miss Norvell: When was Rome built, Irena? Irena: At night. Miss Norvell: Who told you that? Irena: You did. You said Rome wasn’t built in a day. Miss Norvell : Why are you late for English again. Gene? Gene: You started class before I got here! Faye: Do you believe that Washington really threw a dollar across the Rappahannock? Rosie: I don’t know. I heard he pitched his camp across the Delaware. Clifton Wells (to Ramey Burgess running the campus) : What’s the hurry? Ramey: I’m trying to stop a fight. Clifton : Who’s fighting? Ramey: Me and another guy. Page Twenty-four