Notes
This palette knife comes from a larger set in the Henry family medicine chest (01.31.1).
The knife would have been used to take cuts of medicine so they could be weighed on a scale. It was most likely crafted by Sheffield Knives in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. As a city, Sheffield is called the birthplace of historic knife-making. The first record of a Sheffield cutler was in 1297.
This chest and its contents belonged originally to John (1796–1868) and Elvira McClelland Henry (1808–1875) during their years at Red Hill. The chest was passed down in the family to John and Elvira's daughter, Margaret Ann Henry Miller (1827–1881), and then to her daughter, Elvira Henry Miller (1850–1955). It was then given to Rose Miller Gammon Garrett (1946–) through her father, William Miller Gammon Sr. (1900–1970). William Gammon Sr. was a nephew to Elvira Miller. His daughter, Rose Garrett, is a third great-great-granddaughter of Patrick Henry.
On September 4, 2001, Rose Gammon Garrett donated the medicine chest (01.31.1) and its contents (01.31.2-25) to the Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation.