1776
The Lees of Old Virginia
The Lees of Virginia were descendants of Richard Lee (died 1664) born in England; to Virginia about 1641; great-grandsons prominent in 1776.
Their estates were "Stratford" in Westmoreland County, and
"Leesylvania" in Prince William County.
Mentioned in the song:
- Arthur Lee (1740-92) b. "Stratford"; diplomat; sent to negotiate treaty with France;
member of Congress, 1782-84.
- "Bobby" Lee [I haven't found any info on him; could they be referring to
Robert E. Lee? But he was born in 1807!]
- General
[Henry III] "Light Horse Harry" Lee (1756-1818) b. "Leesylvania"; cavalry commander in Revolutionary War; in his eulogy of Washington (1799) occur the famous words "First in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen".
- Jesse Lee (1758-1816) methodist clergyman
- [William] "Willie" Lee (1739-95) b. "Stratford"; merchant and diplomat; to London, 1768; elected alderman (1775), the only American to hold this office;
negotiated commercial treaty with Dutch (1778), which became a cause for declaration of war by British against Dutch Republic (1780)
- Richard Henry Lee (1732-94) b. "Stratford"; educated in England; member, House of Burgesses; delegate to Continental Congress; opposed to new constitution; member US Senate (1789-92)
(USHistory.org
bio) (ColonialHall.com
bio)
Not mentioned in the song:
- Thomas Lee (1690-1750) built up Stratford Hall Plantation; father of Philip Ludwell Lee, Richard Henry Lee, Francis Lightfoot Lee, Thomas Ludwell Lee, William Lee, and Arthur Lee
- Philip Ludwell Lee (1727-75) inherited Stratford Hall Plantation
- Francis Lightfoot Lee (1734-97) b. "Stratford"; brother of Richard H. Lee; signer of Declaration of Independence
(USHistory.org
bio) (ColonialHall.com
bio)
- Thomas Ludwell Lee (1730-78) b. "Stratford"; co-authored resolution directing Virginia delegates to Congress to propose independence.
(USHistory.org
bio)
- Charles Lee (1731-82) b. "Leesylvania"; brother of Light Horse Harry;
served as Washington's personal attorney; later US Attorney General under
Presidents Washington and Adams.
- Richard Bland Lee
(1761-1827) b. "Leesylvania"; brother of Light Horse Harry; became
representative in the First US Congress under the constitution
- Edmund Jennings Lee (1772-1843) b. "Leesylvania"; brother of Light Horse
Harry; became mayor of Alexandria, VA
The most famous Lee:
- Robert
E[dward] Lee (1807-70) b. "Stratford"; son of Light Horse Harry Lee;
attended West Point; distinguished as a Captain in Scott's army which
captured Mexico City, 1846; let a company of Marines to capture John Brown
at Harper's Ferry; offered by Lincoln field command of all Union armies;
declined; commanded Confederate armies in Virginia; surrendered to Grant at Appomattox CH; became president of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia; after his death it was renamed Washington and Lee College.
More on The Lees of Stratford
Genealogy of
the Lees