Notes
Patrick Henry wrote this letter to Bartholomew Dandridge (1737–1785) on January 21, 1785. He likely penned it at his Leatherwood plantation in Henry County, Virginia.
Bartholomew Dandridge was an early American planter, lawyer, and patriot, born December 25, 1737, at Chestnut Grove in New Kent County in the Colony of Virginia. He was the fourth child of Col. John Dandridge (1700–1756) and his wife Frances Jones Dandridge (1710–1785) of New Kent County. Bartholomew had seven siblings including Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (1731–1802), John Dandridge (1732/33–1749), William Dandridge (1734–1776), Anna Maria Dandridge (1739–1777), Francis Dandridge (1744–1758), Elizabeth Dandridge (1749–18??), and Mary Dandridge (1756–1763).
Bartholomew Dandridge married twice. With his first wife, Elizabeth Macon (1742–ca.1764), he had one daughter, Anne. Secondly, he married Mary Burbidge (1741–1809), the daughter of Julius King Burbidge (ca.1712–1785). In 1782, Bartholomew Dandridge paid taxes on the land where he lived with his second wife, family, and mother-in-law. Bartholomew and Mary had seven children, including his son John (?–?)
Bartholomew received a private education. He then studied law, and operated his mother-in-law’s estate, Pamocra, using enslaved labor. He represented New Kent County in the House of Burgesses, all five Virginia Revolutionary Conventions, and once in the Virginia House of Delegates before fellow legislators selected him as a judge of what later became known as the Virginia Supreme Court. He was also elected on June 29, 1776, to the Council of State, which held administrative powers and advised Governor Patrick Henry. Dandridge resigned from his position to attend to family business on January 8, 1778.
Bartholomew and his mother died within days of one another in April 1785. His sister, Martha Washington, received notice of both deaths in the same notice at her home, Mt. Vernon. His will left lands to his wife Mary, and four sons. Julius, Bartholomew, and William received lands in North Carolina purchased from Patrick Henry.
Bartholomew Dandridge and Dorothea Dandridge Henry (1757–1831) share common ancestors, John Dandridge (1655–1731) and Bridget Dugdale Dandridge (1656–1731).
Dorothea Dandridge Henry is the daughter of Nathaniel West Dandridge (1729–1786) and Dorothea Spotswood (1733–1773). Her mother is the daughter of the colonial governor, Alexander Spotswood (1676–1740) and Anne Butler Brayne (1704–1758). Dorothea Henry's father, Nathaniel West Dandridge, is the son of William Alexander Dandridge (1689–1744) of Elsing Green, King William County, and his wife, Unity West (1703–1753). Both Col. John Dandridge of Chestnut Grove and William Alexander Dandridge of Elsing Green were sons of John and Bridget Dugdale Dandridge.
In his letter, Patrick Henry mentions "the Death of Mr. Burbidge," referring to the recent death of Dandridge's father-in-law, Julius King Burbidge. Henry's postscript mentions Dandridge's eldest son, John.
This letter was known to exist as early as 1891 when it was included by William Wirt Henry (1831–1900), a grandson to Patrick Henry, in his biography, "Patrick Henry: Life, Correspondence and Speeches." It was passed down through Bartholomew Dandridge's descendants until it came into the possession of Julia Halyburton Suits (?–living), who informed PHMF that this letter was recently in her possession.
Walter Cart Jr., a former PHMF board member, donated funds for PHMF to purchase this letter. The letter was purchased from the historical document seller Signaturist, Inc. on August 15, 2024.