Patrick Henry
Portrait by George Bagby Matthews after Thomas Sully, c. 1891
1st and 6th Governor of Virginia
In office December 1, 1784 – December 1, 1786
Preceded by	Benjamin Harrison V
Succeeded by	Edmund Randolph
In office July 5, 1776 – June 1, 1779
Preceded by	Edmund Pendleton (acting)
Succeeded by	Thomas Jefferson
Delegate from Virginia to the Continental Congress
In office September 5, 1774 – August 1, 1775
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Thomas Nelson Jr.
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
Constituency	Henry County (1779—1784) Prince Edward County (1787—1790) Charlotte County (1799)
Member of the Virginia House of Burgesses
Constituency	Louisa County (1765—1768) Hanover County (1769–1776)
Personal details
Born	May 29, 1736 [O.S. May 18, 1736] Studley, Colony of Virginia, British America
Died	June 6, 1799(1799-06-06) (aged 63) Red Hill, Charlotte County, Virginia, U.S.
Resting place	Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial
Political party	Anti-Federalist Anti-Administration Federalist
Spouse(s)	Sarah Shelton ​ ​ (m. 1754; died 1775)​ Dorothea Dandridge Henry ​ ​ (m. 1777)​
Mother	Sarah Winston Syme Henry
Father	John Henry
Relatives	William Henry (brother), Elizabeth Henry Campbell Russell (sister), Annie Henry Christian (sister)
Profession	Politician planter lawyer
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	United Colonies
Branch/service	Virginia militia
Years of service	1775—1776
Rank	Colonel (1st Virginia Regiment) Captain (Hanover County Militia)
Commands	1st Virginia Regiment Hanover County Militia
Battles/wars	American Revolutionary War

Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736 – June 6, 1799)^[1] served as the first post-colonial Governor of Virginia from 1776 to 1779. He is known for his "Give me Liberty or give me death" speech in 1775 shortly before the American Revolutionary War in St. John's Church. He was a fiery speaker who evoked great emotion from listeners. He unsuccessfully opposed the United States Constitution, which made him an enemy of John Adams and the Federalist Party. After the French Revolution, however, he supported Adams.

His wife, Sarah Shelton, had a mental illness and died in 1775. He married his second wife, Dorthea Dandrige, two years later in 1777.

As governor of Virginia, Patrick Henry since 1776, he was one of the main architects of the requests for aid to the nascent United States, for which, in 1776 he requested support from the governor of Louisiana, Luis de Unzaga, key help for this birth.^[2]

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