Amelia County Historical Society

06/13/2026

06/12/2026

, 250 years ago, the Declaration of Rights was adopted unanimously by the Fifth Virginia Convention in Williamsburg. Written by Virginian George Mason, it declared the inherent rights of Virginians and defined government as “instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security” of the people. In its 16 sections, the document established principles such as the separation of powers, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion.

This document was one of the first to emphasize these ideas and it would go on to influence major founding documents of the United States that you may have heard of such as the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.

06/07/2026

250 years ago, Continental Congress convened that Friday morning June 7, 1776 in the Pennsylvania State House. Delegates waded through reports about the compensation due a ship owner whose sloop was impressed into military service and about defective gunpowder produced by a local mill.

Then, with neither thunderclap nor fanfare, Richard Henry Lee stood and introduced Virginia’s resolution on independence, declaring the colonies “free and independent states … absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown.” Over the next month Richard Henry and Francis Lightfoot Lee and their allies in Congress would work to persuade the undecided and unwilling that the most consequential act of political self-determination the Atlantic world had yet witnessed was, in truth, the only choice that now made sense. It was no longer a question of whether the colonies would be free, but only whether that generation would have the steel to claim and defend independence. They did.

Congress adopted Lee’s resolution for independence on July 2, 1776, and after Yorktown and the Treaty of Paris settled the question by force and diplomacy, now came the difficult work of achieving for all the new world of unalienable rights our founders envisioned.

06/06/2026

On this day, June 6th, 1799, Patrick Henry passed away.

227 years ago, Patrick Henry died in his home here at Red Hill from intussusception. Today, we remember him as the spark that ignited the flame of the American Revolution.

As the Virginia Gazette said on June 14th, 1799, “As long as our rivers flow, or mountains stand, Virginia . . . will say to rising generations, imitate my Henry.”

06/06/2026

Today marks 80’years since D-Day, where 19 brave men from a small Appalachian town in Virginia lost their lives leading the charge in Normandy. For their courage the National D-Day memorial was erected in Bedford, VA where they’ll live on forever as “The Bedford Boys”

06/04/2026

HOW MANY SOUTHSIDE VA RESIDENTS KNOW THE LEGEND OF PETER FRANCISCO, a Revolutionary War hero who had a skirmish in what is now Nottoway County? Special program this coming Saturday at Sailor's Creek:

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, Sailor’s Creek Battlefield State Park -- located at 6541 Saylers Creek Road, Rice (Amelia County) -- invites the public to a guest speaker presentation about legendary, local Revolutionary War hero, Peter Francisco, this coming Saturday afternoo...

05/31/2026

Drones over Wi******er, Virginia