Darrell Laurant: Patrick Henry memorial staff to give governor a book

So the question is: if Patrick Henry were alive today, would he be a member of the Tea Party? A Ron Paul Libertarian? A mainstream Republican or Democrat?

According to Karen Gorham, probably none of the above.

“I don’t see him joining a party,” said Gorham, executive director of the Patrick Henry National Memorial at Red Hill. “I see him leading a party.”

You can tell by talking to her this isn’t just a job for Gorham. When it comes to Patrick Henry, she’s a fan. And so, apparently, is Gov. Bob McDonnell.

“He mentioned Patrick Henry in his inaugural address,” Gorham said, “and he was involved in the celebration of Henry’s 275th birthday last year.”

Moreover, McDonnell has used historic St. John’s Church in Richmond — site of Henry’s famed “Give me liberty or give me death” speech — as the backdrop for a couple of bill-signing ceremonies.

Therefore, Gorham and eight other members of the Red Hill staff are making a pilgrimage to Richmond Monday to present McDonnell with a copy of the latest of many books on Henry: “Patrick Henry: First Among Patriots,” by Baylor University religion professor Thomas Kidd.

“This book is different,” Gorham said, “because it focuses on the influence Henry’s religious philosophy had on his political life.”

Henry, like McDonnell, was once governor of Virginia (for five terms, in fact) — but never President of the United States. So connected was he to the Commonwealth that he probably would have been a fish out of water in Washington. He passed on opportunities to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and Secretary of State.

Because of the relatively low profile he kept late in life, Henry has been frozen in time, with most people remembering only his passionate and eloquent advocacy of the American Revolution.

“Thomas Jefferson called him the greatest orator he ever heard,” Gorham said.

In 1794, Henry purchased Red Hill, located in ... well, that’s hard to say. You drive just past Brookneal from Lynchburg, take a right when you cross the Falling River Bridge, and drive some more until you’re convinced you’re hopelessly lost. Only then does Red Hill appear.

“It’s 525 incredibly bucolic acres on the Staunton River,” said Gorham.

Of course, one synonym for bucolic might be “remote.”

“We’re not really on the way to anywhere,” said Red Hill board member Gene Smith, “and that’s a problem when you’re trying to attract visitors.”

Despite its name, the Patrick Henry National Memorial is not a national park and receives no federal funds.

No state money, either.

“We depend pretty much on donations,” Gorham said.

Fortunately, Patrick Henry had 17 children and 77 grandchildren. Who says George Washington was “The Father of His Country”? Henry not only helped created the United States of America, he did more than his part to populate it. And his descendants — now numbering into the hundreds — have formed a supportive tribe that does right by Red Hill.

Still, it never hurts to have a governor on your side, either.

“We think he’ll like the book,” Gorham said.