Page from Patrick Henry's Account Book

This document is a page torn from the account book of Patrick Henry. It was started in early 1790 and contains entries through July 1791 written in Patrick Henry’s hand. The top of the page is titled “Mrs. Anne Christian” and the accounts record transactions mainly relating to the needs of Christian’s children Sally, Betsey, Annie, Dolly, and Johnny. The reverse contains a record of money coming into Henry’s account.

Anne Henry Christian was a sister to Patrick Henry. He was close friends with both her and her husband Colonel William Christian. After the death of William Christian in 1786, Anne brought her children from their home in the Kentucky backcountry to Virginia. She lived in Virginia near Patrick Henry until her death during the winter of 1790–1791 after a trip to the West Indies for her health. Patrick Henry became the executor of her estate and the legal guardian of her son Johnny. Her daughters came under the guardianship of Mrs. Christian’s brother-in-law, Judge Caleb Wallace. Their married sister, Priscilla Christian Bullitt, also lived in Kentucky near Caleb Wallace.

This account page records expenses incurred by Patrick Henry on behalf of his orphaned nephew and nieces. They were most probably all living with him or at least financially dependent on him until 1792. As temporary guardian and executor of the Christian estate, Henry would have kept detailed accounts of the expenses relating to these children. Other pages in Henry’s account book also relate to the Christian children and their estate.

The date when this page was torn from Henry’s account book is unknown.