The Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Society

On July 2 2011, the Society gathered early in the morning at Burnt House Field near Stratford Hall and Hague, to observe the annual Independence commemoration at the gravesite of Richard Henry Lee: patriot, Founding Father, Mover of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, often called "Father of Independence," and native of the Northern Neck. As his gravestone in the brick pavilion states:

 

Here Was Buried

RICHARD HENRY LEE

of Virginia

1732-1794

 

Author of the

Westmoreland Resolutions

of 1766

 

Mover of the Resolutions

for Independence

 

Signer of the

Declaration of Independence

 

President of the

Conttinental Congress

 

United States Senator

from Virginia

 

 

 

This year's commemoration (appropriately on the 2nd, as that's when the Declaration was passed) featured a special series of "appearances" by Living History interpreters, including the Society's Bob Bailey portraying Richard Henry Lee as an adult, giving an inspired talk on the virtues passed down by generations of Lee leaders. Also featured were two young men playing R.H. Lee and his brother Francis Lightfoot Lee as teenagers, arriving by horse-cart and speaking about their plans in life and the lessons they were learning as young men about English political-economic  relations with the colony. (Of course, Richard and Francis went on to become the only brothers to sign the Declaration.)

 

Over 100 people attended the Burnt House Field event, including current Speaker of the House of Delegates Bill Howell and Del. Scott Lingamfelter (of Fauquier County). 

 

 

 

Following the early morning ceremony at Burnt House Field was a special patriotic service at Cople Parish's Historic Yeocomico Church (built in 1706).

 

 

More photos of the 2011 events can be found at this link.

 

 

 

 

Finally, here's an interesting historical tidbit, found on the Web: a 1938 article about the Burnt House Field cemetery before its rediscovery and restoration. The article ("Richard Henry Lee's Grave in Cornfield; Tomb, Apparently Forgotten, Found After Struggle" by James Grotius) appeared in the Richmond Times Dispatch on September 25, 1938, and recounts a "party of jungle-crashers who fought their way to the Lee tombs." 

 

You can read the article and see its fascinating period photographs at this link.

 

 

 

Be sure to join us next year at Burnt House Field!