Sarah Shelton (1738–1775), was the first wife of
Founding Father
The following list of national founding figures is a record, by country, of people who were credited with establishing a state. National founders are typically those who played an influential role in setting up the systems of governance, (i.e. ...
Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736June 6, 1799) was an American attorney, planter, politician and orator known for declaring to the Second Virginia Convention (1775): " Give me liberty, or give me death!" A Founding Father, he served as the first a ...
, the first
Governor of Virginia
The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022.
Oath of office
On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes th ...
.
Early life and marriage
Shelton was born and raised in her family's home of thirteen rooms in
Rural Plains
Rural Plains, also informally known as Shelton House, is a historic farm house dating to the 1660s in Mechanicsville, Virginia, Hanover County; it is one of the sites included within the Richmond National Battlefield Park. The building was adde ...
, in Hanover County, Virginia. In 1754 at age sixteen, Sarah and Patrick were married. Almost a year later, Sarah gave birth to her first child Martha and by 1771, the couple had six children together.
Mental illness
Sarah Shelton did not start to show signs of
mental illness until after the birth of her last child, Edward (whom many called Neddy). Patrick Henry's mother sent a letter to his sister which stated, "We feel Sarah is losing her mind after the birth of little Neddy". We know today that she was probably suffering from
postpartum depression
Postpartum depression (PPD), also called postnatal depression, is a type of mood disorder associated with childbirth, which can affect both sexes. Symptoms may include extreme sadness, low energy, anxiety, crying episodes, irritability, and cha ...
or
puerperal psychosis
Postpartum psychosis, also known as puerperal psychosis, involves the abrupt onset of severe mental illness shortly following childbirth. While symptoms of postpartum psychosis have long been observed in mothers, the phenomenon eventually came t ...
. It is unknown when Sarah's private doctor strongly suggested that she be sent to the new
Eastern State Hospital in
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 15,425. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. It is ...
. However, her husband disagreed and did not want to send her to an
asylum
Asylum may refer to:
Types of asylum
* Asylum (antiquity), places of refuge in ancient Greece and Rome
* Benevolent Asylum, a 19th-century Australian institution for housing the destitute
* Cities of Refuge, places of refuge in ancient Judea
...
. He likely wanted to keep her home due to the horrible conditions and treatments.
Patrick was politically active when he decided to keep his wife in confinement in the cellar of their home.
Because of her husband's money and resources, she was able to avoid suffering the consequences of the poor laws.
It was said that her behavior was so unmanageable that "she was confined in a cellar room, bound in a
straightjacket, and attended by a servant."
According to research, it is believed that an enslaved woman took care of Sarah in the cellar. There are very few documents about the confinement of Sarah likely due to the fact that her husband became the governor of Virginia and this secret was kept from society. After three or four years in confinement, Sarah died in the spring of 1775. It is possible that she took her own life. Although the precise location of her burial is unknown, it is believed that her grave is thirty feet from the cellar door.
See also
*''
Or Give Me Death'', 2003 novel by
Ann Rinaldi
Ann Rinaldi (August 27, 1934 – July 1, 2021)
- Shannon Maughan. July ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Henry, Sarah
1775 deaths
People from Virginia
1738 births
Patrick Henry