Jack Jouett's Overnight Ride | Farmington Historical Society Foundation

On June 3, 1781, Jack Jouett, the 26-year-old son of a Court Square tavernkeeper, would make an overnight ride that altered history. The state capital, Richmond, had fallen to the British army in late May, and the legislature and Governor Thomas Jefferson had fled west to the tiny backwater town of Charlottesville. Learning that the British force led by Banastre Tarleton was on its way to capture the state government and thereby thwart Virginia’s ability to defend the Commonwealth, Jouett spread the alarm, allowing Jefferson and the legislators to escape. We welcome back noted local historian and author Richard H. “Rick” Britton, who will recount this fascinating story, one that over the years has been obscured by legends and half-truths.