Patrick Henry: A Biography

by Richard Beeman

Patrick Henry;: A biography [hardcover] Beeman, Richard R [Jan 01, 1974]

229 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Richard Roy Beeman was an American historian and biographer specializing in the American Revolution. Born in Seattle, he published multiple books, and was the John Walsh Centennial Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Todd Price]

Among the most famous quotes in American history is that of Patrick Henry’s statement: “Give me liberty, or give me death!” Despite the fame of this passionate display of the love of freedom, Patrick Henry is a very little known figure from the American Revolution generation. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress, governor of the state of Virginia, and as one of the most persuasive political voices from the creation of the United States. Yet, Henry is still a largely unknown figure. Professor Richard Beeman made an attempt to explore Henry, but chose to focus on the political landscape of Virginia during the late 18th Century and find Henry’s place among it, rather than write a more detailed, traditional biographical account of his life.

Beeman regularly cites the lack of documentation written by Henry throughout his life as the greatest obstacle to an accurate portrayal of the man. Even Henry’s most famous speeches are often recounted second or third hand, frequently many years after they were given. Typically, it was his political opponents that had the most to say, frequently portraying him in a negative light. Yet, even his most vocal critics couldn’t help but praise Henry’s oratory abilities. That seemed to be his greatest gift, the spoken word. Descriptions of his speeches left many in awe of his verbal acumen. Yet, while he could put into words the thoughts and feelings of many in ways they themselves were incapable of, Henry lacked the procedural talents to create strong legislative initiatives.

Patrick Henry was largely a land owner. He attempted business and agriculture without success early in life. And even his initial attempts in entering a legal career as a lawyer were not particularly successful. However, through a combination of persistence and patronage by well connected family members, he eventually rose to become one of the most successful practitioners of law in the history of Virginia. His personal political positions also seemed to fluctuate over the years, making it difficult to identify him specifically with any particular political philosophy. He was always first and foremost dedicated to the local concerns of his community(mostly, the county in which he lived). Yet, as Beeman points out, although Henry left little of tangible accomplishments in legal history, his impact was felt both in Virginia and throughout the United States.

This work is quite dated. It was published in 1974, by a man who was a product of his time. Therefore, the writing comes across stiff and stilted, seemingly dropping the dust of mid 20th Century historical and legal writing. However, Beeman’s perspective of using Virginia’s political development during the period of the American Revolution was creative, and likely made for a more impactful consideration of Henry’s legacy than attempting to piece together an intimate portrait of the man’s personal life.