Scotchtown is a plantation located in Hanover County, Virginia, that from 1771 to 1778 was owned and used as a residence by U.S. Founding FatherPatrick Henry, his wife Sarah and their children. He was a revolutionary and elected in 1778 as the first Governor of Virginia. The house is located in Beaverdam, Virginia, 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Ashland, Virginia on VA 685.[1] The house, at 93 feet (28 m) by 35 feet (11 m), is one of the largest 18th-century homes to survive in the Americas. In its present configuration, it has eight substantial rooms on the first floor surrounding a central passage, with a full attic above and English basement with windows below.[1] It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965.[4]
The Scotchtown property was given as a land grant to Charles Chiswell, a prominent planter and iron mine owner, in 1717. Chiswell built a small house on the property, probably in the 1720s. It was expanded to its present size around 1760.[5] It was first given the name "Scotch Town" in a 1757 deed of sale. At this time the house also was used as a store that bought and sold local tobacco.[6]
Patrick Henry purchased the house in 1771 and lived there with his wife, Sarah Shelton Henry, and their six children. This was his home during his most influential period, including his famous "Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death!" speech at St. John's Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia. It was also his residence when he was elected Governor of Virginia in 1776. His wife Sarah, who suffered from mental illness, died at the site in 1775.[1][6] He resided at Scotchtown until 1777. That year he married his second wife and in 1778 they relocated, after his election, to the Governor's Palace in Williamsburg.
The house was purchased by the Wilson Miles Cary family after their original home had been taken over as a small-pox rest camp. They briefly resided there until attempting to sell it in December 1781. The house and land were transferred to Benjamin Forsythe in Hanover County's 1787 tax records, but Cary is charged once more in 1792. An ad in a 1794 Richmond paper announces, "Scotch-Town Grammar School will be conducted the present year by Peter and Thomas Nelson. Peter Nelson, Rector, St. Martin's, Hanover".[7]
Beginning in 1801, the property was owned by John M. Sheppard-Taylor. Little is known about the Sheppard-Taylor family, other than the changes they made to the appearance of the house over the generations.[6] Sheppard divided the land between his children, leaving his daughters Lavinia and Sally Taylor the house and a few acres. The house was abandoned after the death of Sally Taylor, until Hanover circuit court Judge Leon M. Bazile ordered the house to be auctioned. The house was sold to Preservation Virginia (formerly known as the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities) in 1958.[7]
Scotchtown was long believed to have been the girlhood home of Dolley Madison, wife of president James Madison, who was a relative of Patrick Henry. But, there is little evidence beyond Madison's own recollections of the house as a child to support this fact. Dolley Madison's recollections may have been memories of visits to the house during her childhood.[6]
Preservation
The property was sold at auction in July 1958, when it was purchased by Preservation Virginia for $37,000.[8] Extensive archaeological work has taken place in the decades following. A number of projects have restored the house to its late 18th-century appearance, including rebuilding outbuildings such as the icehouse, kitchen, and law office.[6]
Scotchtown was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965 as an unusual 18th-century structure associated with a Founding Father.[1][4] The property received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in 1993 to "reexamine its policies, procedures, and the current condition of its collection and structures,"[6] including restructuring its programming. It is currently open for visitors seasonally or by appointment.[6]
^ abcdeStephen Lissandrello (February 12, 1975). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Scotchtown / Patrick Henry Home (Scotchtown)" (pdf). National Park Service. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) (includes a map of the property)
^"Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
^ abc"Scotchtown (Patrick Henry House)". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
^Bryan Clark Green and Bryan Townes (February 2009). "Historic Structure Report for Scotchtown". Commonwealth Architects. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ abcdefgDean, Catherine. "History of Scotchtown". Preservation Virginia. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
^ abShaw-English, Virginia. "Scotchtown" Hanover County Historical Society Bulletin, Nov. 1993, Vol. 49, pp. 1,6.
^“Review of 1958 Events.” Ashland Herald-Progress, January 1, 1959, sec. 1.
External links
Scotchtown at Preservation Virginia
at Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial website
Scotchtown - A Place Of Celebration, Grief
Scotchtown, Hanover County, single photo at Virginia DHR
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. VA-117, "Scotchtown, State Route 685 vicinity, Beaverdam, Hanover County, VA", 12 photos, 11 measured drawings, 6 data pages, supplemental material
April 01, 2023
scotchtown, plantation, scotchtown, plantation, located, hanover, county, virginia, that, from, 1771, 1778, owned, used, residence, founding, father, patrick, henry, wife, sarah, their, children, revolutionary, elected, 1778, first, governor, virginia, house, . Scotchtown is a plantation located in Hanover County Virginia that from 1771 to 1778 was owned and used as a residence by U S Founding Father Patrick Henry his wife Sarah and their children He was a revolutionary and elected in 1778 as the first Governor of Virginia The house is located in Beaverdam Virginia 10 miles 16 km northwest of Ashland Virginia on VA 685 1 The house at 93 feet 28 m by 35 feet 11 m is one of the largest 18th century homes to survive in the Americas In its present configuration it has eight substantial rooms on the first floor surrounding a central passage with a full attic above and English basement with windows below 1 It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965 4 Patrick Henry s ScotchtownU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S National Historic LandmarkVirginia Landmarks RegisterScotchtown PlantationShow map of VirginiaShow map of the United StatesLocation10 mi NW of Ashland on VA 685 Ashland VirginiaCoordinates37 50 39 7 N 77 35 4 4 W 37 844361 N 77 584556 W 37 844361 77 584556 Coordinates 37 50 39 7 N 77 35 4 4 W 37 844361 N 77 584556 W 37 844361 77 584556Area41 acres 170 000 m2 1 Builtafter 1717 expanded ca 1760sArchitectural styleGeorgian first period colonialNRHP reference No 66000835VLR No 042 0030Significant datesAdded to NRHPOctober 15 1966 3 Designated NHLDecember 21 1965 4 Designated VLRSeptember 9 1969 2 The house is owned and managed by Preservation Virginia which operates a number of other historic properties across the Commonwealth including the John Marshall House the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse Bacon s Castle and Historic Jamestowne Contents 1 History 2 Preservation 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditThe Scotchtown property was given as a land grant to Charles Chiswell a prominent planter and iron mine owner in 1717 Chiswell built a small house on the property probably in the 1720s It was expanded to its present size around 1760 5 It was first given the name Scotch Town in a 1757 deed of sale At this time the house also was used as a store that bought and sold local tobacco 6 Patrick Henry purchased the house in 1771 and lived there with his wife Sarah Shelton Henry and their six children This was his home during his most influential period including his famous Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death speech at St John s Episcopal Church in Richmond Virginia It was also his residence when he was elected Governor of Virginia in 1776 His wife Sarah who suffered from mental illness died at the site in 1775 1 6 He resided at Scotchtown until 1777 That year he married his second wife and in 1778 they relocated after his election to the Governor s Palace in Williamsburg The house was purchased by the Wilson Miles Cary family after their original home had been taken over as a small pox rest camp They briefly resided there until attempting to sell it in December 1781 The house and land were transferred to Benjamin Forsythe in Hanover County s 1787 tax records but Cary is charged once more in 1792 An ad in a 1794 Richmond paper announces Scotch Town Grammar School will be conducted the present year by Peter and Thomas Nelson Peter Nelson Rector St Martin s Hanover 7 Beginning in 1801 the property was owned by John M Sheppard Taylor Little is known about the Sheppard Taylor family other than the changes they made to the appearance of the house over the generations 6 Sheppard divided the land between his children leaving his daughters Lavinia and Sally Taylor the house and a few acres The house was abandoned after the death of Sally Taylor until Hanover circuit court Judge Leon M Bazile ordered the house to be auctioned The house was sold to Preservation Virginia formerly known as the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities in 1958 7 Scotchtown was long believed to have been the girlhood home of Dolley Madison wife of president James Madison who was a relative of Patrick Henry But there is little evidence beyond Madison s own recollections of the house as a child to support this fact Dolley Madison s recollections may have been memories of visits to the house during her childhood 6 Preservation EditThe property was sold at auction in July 1958 when it was purchased by Preservation Virginia for 37 000 8 Extensive archaeological work has taken place in the decades following A number of projects have restored the house to its late 18th century appearance including rebuilding outbuildings such as the icehouse kitchen and law office 6 Scotchtown was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965 as an unusual 18th century structure associated with a Founding Father 1 4 The property received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in 1993 to reexamine its policies procedures and the current condition of its collection and structures 6 including restructuring its programming It is currently open for visitors seasonally or by appointment 6 See also EditList of National Historic Landmarks in Virginia National Register of Historic Places listings in Hanover County Virginia Birthplace of Patrick Henry Pine Slash Leatherwood Plantation Red Hill Patrick Henry National MemorialReferences Edit a b c d e Stephen Lissandrello February 12 1975 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Scotchtown Patrick Henry Home Scotchtown pdf National Park Service a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help includes a map of the property Virginia Landmarks Register Virginia Department of Historic Resources Retrieved 5 June 2013 National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service January 23 2007 a b c Scotchtown Patrick Henry House National Historic Landmark summary listing National Park Service Retrieved 2008 04 11 Bryan Clark Green and Bryan Townes February 2009 Historic Structure Report for Scotchtown Commonwealth Architects a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help a b c d e f g Dean Catherine History of Scotchtown Preservation Virginia Retrieved 13 June 2011 a b Shaw English Virginia Scotchtown Hanover County Historical Society Bulletin Nov 1993 Vol 49 pp 1 6 Review of 1958 Events Ashland Herald Progress January 1 1959 sec 1 External links EditScotchtown at Preservation Virginia Patrick Henry timeline at Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial website Scotchtown A Place Of Celebration Grief Scotchtown Hanover County single photo at Virginia DHR Historic American Buildings Survey HABS No VA 117 Scotchtown State Route 685 vicinity Beaverdam Hanover County VA 12 photos 11 measured drawings 6 data pages supplemental material Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Scotchtown plantation amp oldid 1110613074, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
