Complex sentence: Henry was taken ill almost immediately upon being sworn in as governor on July 5, and recuperated at Scotchtown, but the election of Virginia's most popular politician as governor helped assure acceptance of the new authorities.
Split into simpler sentences: Henry was taken ill almost immediately upon being sworn in as governor on July 5, and recuperated at Scotchtown. The election of Henry, at that time Virginia's most popular politician as governor, helped assure acceptance of the new authorities.