George Wyhte

Hello, friend. I am George with teacher, jurist, signer of the Declaration and the man Thomas Jefferson called his earliest and best friend. I was taught Greek and Latin at home by my mother, a Quaker who believed in justice, reason and the dignity of all mankind. From her, I inherited not land, but principle. Principle from which I shaped my life as well as our country. I studied law and passed the bar at 20 years later, I trained the minds of Marshall, Clay, Monroe and Jefferson himself. Not just in law, but in liberty. I oppose that wretched Stamp Act. When the question came, are we subjects or are we free? I said plainly, we must declare ourselves a free people. After signing the Declaration of independence in September 1776, I returned to Virginia where I served as speaker, judge, professor and reformer. I helped shape America's first law curriculum. And I freed my own slaves. Writing in court. Freedom is the birthright of every human being. I asked only one thing of my clients. Tell me the truth. If they didn't, I gave their money back and sent them on their way. Though my life was lived in honor, it ended in scandal. Poisoned by a greedy nephew I had tried to help. I left my books to Jefferson. I left my name to history. No statue was needed in my name. My monument was the law itself.