Harrison Henry

Photograph

Patrick Henry's Red Hill

Name/Title

Harrison Henry

Entry/Object ID

2023.43

Description

Black-and-white cabinet card photograph of Harrison Henry. Subject is seated in a chair and facing the camera, hands joined in lap. He has a thick white beard and white hair. No smile. He wears a heavy dark jacket over a vest, white collared shirt, and tie. His pants are lighter in color but heavy. Dark leather shoes resembling brogans. The subject sits in front of a large boxwood hedge interspersed with vines. He rests his feet atop a stone path. The image is mounted on a dark green cardstock. The reverse bears a handwritten note in black ink.

Made/Created

Date made

1880 - 1900

Notes

Material: ["Photographic Paper","Paper"] Original

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Label

Location

Reverse

Transcription

Harrison Henry "Uncle Harrison" was devoted slave, servant & friend of all the "Red Hill" Henrys - He was dining room boy for Dorothea Henry the widow of Patrick Henry. He was born at Red Hill about the year 1810 & died about 1905. His grandfather was an Indian living at Red Hill when P. Henry first went there. "Uncle Harrison" was never away from Red Hill except for a few weeks. He was an old time gentleman in manner & character & I feel keenly the incompleteness of the above to faithfully portray his character & services - [signed] W. W. Henry To my cousin Virginia Tutwiler

Language

English

Material/Technique

Ink

Provenance

Notes

This is a photograph of Harrison Henry (ca. 1798-ca. 1906), formerly enslaved by the Henry family at Red Hill. Born enslaved by Patrick Henry in ca. 1798, Harrison was the son of Critty (1755-1860), who was also enslaved by the Henrys. Harrison was trained as a coachman during John Henry's (1796-1868) ownership of Red Hill and would have been the chauffeur for the Henry family members. Upon emancipation in 1865, Harrison was given a cabin and a "bit of land" by John's son William Wirt Henry (1831-1900) as a thank you for his years of service to the family. The restored cabin still stands today at Red Hill. Harrison and his wife Milly (?-?) lived out the rest of their days at Red Hill until his death around the age of 108 in ca. 1906. Harrison is seen here in his later years in the late 19th century. The image was taken at Red Hill in front of the boxwood hedges planted by John and Elvira McClelland Henry (1808-1875). On the reverse is a note handwritten by William Wirt Henry, Jr. (1860-1941), a great-grandson to Patrick Henry and grandson to John Henry. Wirt Henry, Jr. addresses this note to "my cousin," Virginia Tutwiler (1878-1937). Virginia Tutwiler, née Motter, married Wirt Henry Tutwiler (1874-1959) on October 8, 1902. Wirt Henry Tutwiler is a son of Eli Shores Tutwiler, Sr. (1826-1891) and his wife Martha Edmonia Preston Tutwiler, née McClelland (1831-1901). Martha Tutwiler is a sister to Elvira Bruce McClelland, the wife of John Henry of Red Hill. This makes Virginia Tutwiler a second cousin-in-law to William Wirt Henry, Jr. Martha "Marti" B. Peithman donated this photograph to PHMF on October 13, 2023. Ms. Peithman is a step-granddaughter to Wirt Henry Tutwiler and received this photograph after Tutwiler's death in 1959.