Mercy Adams Writes

 Liberty Fund has made available History of the Rise, Progress, and Termination of the American Revolution written by Mercy Otis Warren . According to the book's description, Mrs. Warren had a unique perspective on the historical events unfolding in her lifetime and was "Steeped in the classical, republican tradition, Warren was a strong proponent of the American Revolution. She was also suspicious of the newly emerging commercial republic of the 1780s and hostile to the Constitution from an Anti-Federalist perspective, a position that gave her history some notoriety." You can purchase Mrs. Warren's book here:  History of the Rise, Progress, and Termination of the American Revolution - Liberty Fund . Kirsten Anderson Birkhaug has written a review of the book which is posted at Law & Liberty .  Here are some highlights from her review  Enduring Memories of the American Revolution: Alexis de Tocqueville metaphorized his thoughts on nations when he wrote that “the...

 Encyclopedia Virginia gives us a snapshop into the life of Virginia Statesman and great orator Patrick Henry. Let's take a look at his formative years: Patrick Henry was born on May 29, 1736, at Studley plantation in Hanover County. His father, John Henry, was a planter, mapmaker, and justice of the peace who was educated at Kings College, Aberdeen; his mother, Sarah Winston Syme Henry, was a former widow from a prominent family. Henry was the second of their nine children. He was educated by his father and by his uncle the Reverend Patrick Henry, rector of the Hanover parish , Saint Paul’s. Though Henry held true to his Anglican beliefs throughout his life (becoming an Episcopalian after the American Revolution), as a youth he regularly accompanied his mother to sermons given by the evangelical Presbyterian Samuel Davies , whose oratorical example had a strong influence on Henry. Here we have a hint of the Christian foundation that guided Mr. Henry throughout his amazing life, ...

Patrick Henry (1736 - 1799) was a firebrand from Virginia during the early formation of our nation and the author of the Virginia Resolves . It's been said he was best known as a "fiery orator" and, in my opinion, he was a true Christian Statesmen. Let's take a closer look at his religious beliefs which shaped his character and the mark he left upon Virginia and our nation. Source:  Patrick Henry Before the Virginia House of Burgesses (Illustration)  World History Encyclopedia   Historic St. John's Church has a brief biography of Mr. Henry on their website and tells us this about his religious background: "He was born in Hanover County to John and Sarah Syme Henry. Henry belonged to the Anglican Church and his uncle was an Anglican minister. Members of his mother’s family, however, were religious dissenters." (Source:  Patrick Henry, Delegate, Governor of Virginia — Historic St. John's Church, 1741 (historicstjohnschurch.org) Source:  Patrick Henry...

  Encyclopedia Virginia tells us Patrick Henry was the author of the Virginia Resolves on the Stamp Act written in 1765: Patrick Henry wrote the following five resolutions against the Stamp Act and introduced them to the House of Burgesses on May 29, 1765. The House passed them after a heated debate, but rescinded the fifth resolution the following day. This iteration of the Virginia Stamp Act resolves comes from a handwritten document that was found inside a small envelope that Henry included with his last will and testament. Virginia Resolves on the Stamp Act - Encyclopedia Virginia Here is the full text of that marvelous document: Resolved , That the first Adventurers and Settlers of this his Majesties Colony and Dominion brought with them and transmitted to their Posterity and all other his Majestie’s Subjects since inhabiting in this his Majestie’s said Colony all the Priviledges, Franchises & Immunities that have at any Time been held, enjoyed, & possessed by the ...

Image Source:  Gen Thomas Polk (1730-1794) - Find a Grave Memorial "The Resolves were a bold set of anti-British resolutions, adopted on May 31, 1775, at a meeting in Charlotte organized by Thomas Polk and they helped to fire a spirit of independence." (Source: Mecklenburg Resolves | NCpedia )  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Story gives us this brief biography of Thomas Polk: "In 1755, surveyor Thomas Polk (1732-1794) built his home where two Indian trading paths met. Many years later this crossroads would become the Square, the intersection of Charlotte's busy Trade and Tryon streets. Polk married Susannah Spratt, whose family was one of the first to make their way through the wilderness to what would become Charlotte Town. With Abraham Alexander and John Frohock, Polk bought 360 acres of land from Britain's Lord Augustus Selwyn. The land lay where the future downtown Charlotte would flourish. "In the 1770s, conflicts grew between settlers an...

Resolves Adopted in Charlotte Town, Mecklenburg County,  North  Carolina,  May 31, 1775 This Day the Committee met, and passed the following RESOLVES: Whereas by an Address presented to his Majesty by both Houses of Parliament in February last, the American Colonies are declared to be in a State of actual Rebelion, we conceive that all Laws and Commissions confirmed by, or derived from the Authority of the King or Parliament, are annulled and vacated, and the former civil Constitution of these Colinies for the present wholly suspended. To provide in some Degree for the Exigencies of the County in the present alarming Period, we deem it proper and necessary to pass the following Resolves, viz. 1. That all Commissions, civil and military, heretofore granted by the Crown, to be exercised in these Colonies, are null and void, and the Constitution of each particular Colony wholly suspended. 2. That the Provincial Congress of each Province, under the Direction of the Great Co...

Mecklenburg County Courthouse  Source:  History of Mecklenburg County and the city of Charlotte - from 1740 to 1903  - Wikimedia Commons Previously we looked at Rev. Hezekiah James Balch  believed to be one of the committee of three who wrote the Mecklenberg Declaration of Independence . The other two men believed to be on the committee are William Kennon and Dr. Ephraim Brevard. Today we will take a closer look at these men of liberty and freedom: The website The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Story tells us: "William Kennon (circa 1735 - ?) was one of the original signers of the Meckenburg Declaration of Independence. Although most of the signers were Presbyterians, William Kennon was Anglican and not even a citizen of the county. Although born and raised near Petersburg, Virginia, he went to the College of New Jersey, now known as Princeton University, to finish his formal education. "After his time there, he moved to Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina. Why he was in...