Notes
Patrick Henry wrote this letter to his fifth child, Elizabeth "Betsey" Aylett (1769-1842) from Red Hill on March 5, 1795. She was married to Philip Aylett and had four children at the time. In the letter, Henry provides updates on her half-siblings, "Dolly" and "Kitty," and sends greetings to her family.
The letter came from Antonio Raimo Rare Books in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where it was unofficially authenticated by Mary Benjamin of Walter R. Benjamin, "the foremost authority on American historical letters," according to Raimo. Raimo purchased the letter from a private collector in the summer of 1988.
This letter was purchased with a partner engraving (89.1.2) by the PHMF in January 1989 from the previously closed Patrick Henry Memorial Commission account.