Who is George Wythe?

"Nothing would advance me faster in the world than the reputation of having been educated by Mr. Wythe, for such a man as he casts a light upon all around him." William Munford, a former student.

The Great American Aristides.

George Wythe

George Wythe was one of the Founding Fathers.  He has also been called The Father of Jurisprudence. He was the first man to sign the Declaration of Independence for Virginia, but he was so much more than just a signer.  He is believed to have been born in 1726 and was a law professor at William and Mary College.  I chose him to write about today because Thomas Jefferson was one of his pupils.

Wythe was a self-taught man, who studied with Mr. Jones, a distinguished lawyer in Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1757.

The Courthouse in Williamsburg

He was a member of one of the wealthiest families in Virginia.  His father died when he was young.  His mother taught him Latin and the classics. Unfortunately his mother died when he was 21.  He was left with a large fortune and control of his own life.  While he was quite the upstanding man during the time of the revolution, before that he was quite the wild man and sowed his oats quite thoroughly.

Finally when he was thirty, he decided to straighten out his life.  This is when he decided to study law with Mr. Jones. Wythe became a member of the House of Burgesses.  He was good friends with Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, Peyton Randolph, and others to object to the Stamp Act.

Thomas Jefferson

While teaching law at William and Mary, his students included Thomas Jefferson and John Marshall, who went on to become on of the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court.  He tutored James Madison who later became President of William and Mary and was the cousin of the Madison who became president and wrote the Constitution.

He felt that since Great Britain was so far away and communication took too long, the colonists should be allowed to make their own laws.  As the colonial governments grew in power, confidence in independence also grew.  Wythe felt there should be a mixed government where each part could check the other, so no part grew too powerful (this became the basis for our checks and balances system - our government in three parts).  Another of his ideas included the separation of powers between church and state.

Capital Courtroom

During the Revolution, he served in the Continental Congress. He did volunteer for the Virginia army but he was needed to help formulate the declaration. "We must declare ourselves a free people".  His fellow delegates held him in such high regard that when it came time to sign the declaration, they left the top spot open for him.  When he returned from Virginia, he signed above the other Virginia delegates - Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, Carter Braxton, Benjamin Harrison, Francis Lightfoot Lee, and Thomas Nelson.

While he was alive, he freed his adult slaves through manumission.  One of them, Lydia Broadnax, had worked for him for years. He even provided for freedom for the younger slaves and offered support to those whom he freed.

He was married twice.  His first wife died giving birth, but they never had any children.  His second wife was Elizabeth Taliaferro, who was the daughter of Richard Taliaferro.  They had one child who died before the age of one.

In 1777, he was made Speaker of the House of Burgesses.  He was also given the job of High Chancellor in Virginia.  He supported those who fought for freedom and agreed whole-heartedly backed the revolution.

In 1786, he was a delegate to the National Convention and helped frame the Constitution.In his lifetime, he started a private school that was free to whoever chose to attend. One of his pupils was a negro boy who was one of his slaves.  He taught the boy Latin.  He was prepared to teach him law as well, but both him and boy died.

Many believed his death to be the result of poison.  A relative, George Wythe Sweeney, was accused of the poisoning but was acquitted.  The boy, who also ingested the poison died. Wythe languished for two weeks, but during that time, he revised his will, cutting his nephew out from inheriting his wealth.

His last act of justice and fairness was before he died - he managed to free his last slaves.

The Magazine - Its Place in History

A magazine is not always something you read. Most of us, when we hear the word, magazine, we think of those paper magazines we see at the grocery store before we pay for our food.  There is another meaning for the word magazine.  According the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, the first definition is actually “a place where goods or supplies are stored”.  The second definition states a magazine is “a room in which powder and other explosives are kept in a fort or a ship”.

The Magazine at Williamsburg

This particular magazine at Williamsburg has a place in history.  As a matter of fact, the Magazine proved a key event in Virginia’s battle against the British.  What many people don't know is this event mirrored the events also happening at Lexington and Concord as well as what later happened in Boston.  Emotions ran high in the colonies.  The men and women were tired of being pushed around by the British.  This move by Lord Dunmore was just one more example of Britain flexing its royal muscle and saying "You have no power!  I am in control."  The men and women in Williamsburg were not about to let this sneaky incident go without some form of notification.

The events according to naval documents state that 20 armed men landed at the James River with the intent of seizing the gunpowder at the Magazine on April 20, 1775.  The schooner, under the command of Lieutenant Henry Collins was prepared for any attacks by the colonists and had his guns loaded and ready.

gunpowder kegs

Sometime between 3 and 4 in the morning, Governor Dunmore’s men took 20 barrels of gunpowder from the Magazine and brought them to the schooner, Magdalen, in the James River.

The people of Williamsburg were quite upset by this and went before the assembly to complain.  They stated “this magazine was erected at the public expense of this colony, and appropriated to the safe keeping of such munitions as should be there lodged from time to time, for the protection and security of the country, by arming thereout such of the militia be necessary in case of invasion and insurrections, they humbly conceive it to be the only proper repository to be resorted to in times of imminent danger”.

Of course the governor replied “he had removed the powder from the magazine, where he did not think it secure, to a place of perfect security; and that upon his word and honour, whenever it was wanted in any insurrection, it should be delivered in half an hour; that he had removed it in the night time to prevent an alarm, and that Captain Collins had his express commands for the part he had acted; he was surprised to hear the people were under arms on this occasion, and he should not think it prudent to put powder into their hands in such a situation”.

Then, of course on April 23, 1775, the powder was transferred to the sloop Liberty by Captain Montagu and moved to Hampton Road.

The people were incensed by the situation. Several men in Fredericksburg decided to join the march to protest the situation further.

Peyton Randolph writes on the 27^th of April back to the men.  He relays the events of that night and explains how several men took it upon themselves to act rashly.  He then explains how the governor explained he was merely protecting the gunpowder and that how his words were soon found to be ridiculous.  The governor continues to state he will return the gunpowder and realizes his reputation is at stake.  Randolph asks the men to be patient. He thanks them for their assistance and tells them to just wait and see what happens.  He feels certain the governor will indeed return the gunpowder to the people of Williamsburg. 

The building seen in Williamsburg was reconstructed in 1934.  The original structure was built in 1715 by Governor Spotswod and was used to protect the weapons and other munitions needed to protect the people who lived in the area from the natives.  Some of the things that can be found in the Magazine included gunpowder, rifles, pistols, swords and other equipment needed for soldiers including camping materials.

 The original building actually began to collapse in the late 1800s.  Bricks were used for a church.  The building was reconstructed in 1934 and finally restored in 1946.  It was opened to the public in 1949.  

Duke of Gloucester Street

Duke of Gloucester Street - view from the Capital Building

For many of us, the main street is the heart of a town.  For Williamsburg, the Duke of Gloucester Street is that main street.  Think of the town where you live.  What is the name of that street?  Take time to look up the origin of that street - where did it come from and where did the street get its name?

Heading West of Duke of Gloucester Street

The Duke of Gloucester Street is named after "his Highness William Duke of Gloucester" in 1699.  Like many streets in the United States, it started as an Indian trace.  In Chicago, Milwaukee Avenue also started out as an Indian trace (it's one of the few diagonal streets in the city and this is why).



When you walk along the Duke of Gloucester Street, you will feel like you have stepped back in time.  You suddenly think you should be wearing a long gown or breeches and, like the other people on the street, you bow politely and take on the mannerisms of the people who lived during the 1700s.  And you should.  You are now walking where Thomas Jefferson, George and Martha Washington, and Patrick Henry walked.

One difference - you don't have to walk through the dust and mud that was so typical of roads during the 17th and 18th centuries. Your carriage will not get stuck. Your shoes will not be sucked into the mud. You will not have to cover your mouth to keep the dusty road from choking you.


So, how about we take a stroll down the street and be transported back in time together?

If you want to learn more about this historic street, click on Duke of Gloucester Street.  Enjoy!

Bruton Parish Church

Church organ

The Bruton Parish Church is still used today. This may not seem like much of a feat but consider that the church has been in operation since the 1600s.  Several parishes were merged to form Bruton which was named after the Ludwell family and Governor Sir William Berkeley whose homes were in Bruton - Somerset, England.

Outside Church with small graveyard

placard on church door

steeple through the trees

Reverend Roland Jones was the named the first rector. In 1677, the vestry agreed to build a new church to serve the three parishes.  The land was donated by Colonel John Page.  Many parishioners donated money to build the church. The building was dedicated in 1694 when the current Governor Sir Edmund Andros gave a sliver server.

pew marker for George Washington

pew marker for Thomas Jefferson

balcony for additional parishioners

As the town of Williamsburg grew and the College of William and Mary was built, the church was no longer big enough to accommodate the growing number of colonists. In 1706, a new church was agreed upon which could accommodate not just the extra people, but could have special pews for governor, the legislature, and the burgesses.  The new church was built in 1715 and became the center of activity for the government and the town. The steeple holds the Tarpley Bell (which is their Liberty Bell) and the organ was added in 1756.

bell tower from inside

Governor's chair for services

Many of the Founding Fathers and House of Burgesses attended the Bruton Parish Church. Pews where they sat are labeled with name plates.  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry all attended mass there when the legislature was in session. The church was often used to make formal announcements to the entire community, knowing they would be in attendance.

plaque for Confederate soldiers who died here

graveyard

plaque for the House of Burgesses

During the war, funding dwindled and the church no longer was a center of social activity.  When the capital of Virginia moved to Richmond, most the Bruton's members followed.

organ

pulpit

Soon the church fell into disrepair.During the Civil War, the church was used as a hospital for wounded Confederate soldiers. The Catherine Memorial Society began to raise funds to repair the church and grounds. At the turn of the 1900s, the church finally started to look like it did during its heyday.  Donations from around the world came in to repair it. Even King Edward VII donated a Holy Bible to be used. When John D. Rockefeller came to visit Williamsburg in the 1920s, the current pastor convinced him to make Bruton part of the restoration.

Today, visitors can not only attend services at the church, but tourists can go and see where George Washington and Thomas Jefferson sat while Viriginia's House of Burgesses was in session.