My acquaintance with Mr Henry commenced in the winter of 1759-60. On my way to the college I passed the Christmas holidays at Col Dandridge's in Hanover, to whom Mr Henry was a near neighbor. During the festivity of the season I met him in society every day, and we became well acquainted, altho' I was much his junior, being then in my 17th year, and he a married man. The spring following he came to Williamsburg to obtain a license as a lawyer, and he called on me at College. He told me he had been reading law only 6 weeks. Two of the examiners however, Peyton and John Randolph, men of great facility of temper, signed his license with as much reluctance as their dispositions would permit them to shew. Mr Wythe absolutely refused. Rob C Nicholas refused also at first, but, on repeated importunities and promises of future reading, he signed. These facts I had afterwards from the gentlemen themselves, the two Randolphs acknowledging he was very ignorant of law, but that they perceived him to be a young man of genius & did not doubt he would soon qualify himself. - Thomas Jefferson
| Y/M/D | Description | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 1759/12/25 | On his way to college, Thomas Jefferson spends the Christmas holidays at Col Dandridge's in Hanover. During the festivities of the season, Jefferson meets Patrick Henry in society everyday, where they become well acquainted. | |
| 1760/02/00 | Patrick Henry reads, that is memorizes, law from borrowed books while living at Hanover Tavern. Located across the road from the county courthouse, the inn is frequented by lawyers, who impressed by Henry's intelligence convinced him to study law. | Hanover Tavern, Hanover |
| 1760/04/00 | In the spring, Patrick Henry travels to Williamsburg to obtain a license as a lawyer, and calls on Thomas Jefferson at College. Henry tells Jefferson he has been reading law only six weeks. | Wren Building, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg |
| 1760/04/00 | Law-Examiners George Wythe and Pendleton reject Patrick Henry's law license application. | Wythe House, Williamsburg |
| 1760/04/00 | Patrick Henry appeals to Peyton Randolph for help obtaining his law license. Randolph spends time investigating Henry's knowledge of English Law and citizenship. | |
| 1760/04/00 | John and Peyton Randolph sign Patrick Henry's law license with as much reluctance as their dispositions would permit them to shew. | |
| 1760/04/00 | Initially, Rob Carter Nicholas refuses to sign Patrick Henry's law license, but, after repeated importunities and promises of more reading, Nicholas signs. |
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