Col. Henry Lee II (1730–1787) of Alexandria, Westmoreland, Virginia Colony, was an American planter, soldier, and politician, the father of Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee III, and grandfather of Robert E. Lee.

Early life

Lee was the third son of Capt. Henry Lee I (1691–1747) of "Lee Hall", Westmoreland County, and his wife, Mary Bland (1704–1764), the daughter of Hon. Richard Bland, Sr. (1665–1720) and his second wife, Elizabeth Randolph (1685–1719). Lee was born at "Lee Hall" in 1729, settled in Prince William County, living at " Leesylvania", near the town of Dumfries. He served as a justice of the peace in that county and first in commission. In addition he was elected to the Virginia

House of Burgesses The House of Burgesses was the elected representative element of the Virginia General Assembly, the legislative body of the Colony of Virginia. With the creation of the House of Burgesses in 1642, the General Assembly, which had been established ...

in 1758, where he served on and off until 1772. He was a member of the Virginia Convention from 1774-1776. Lee served as County Lieutenant for Prince William, and was active in the duties of that office during the

Revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...

. Henry Lee II also served as a member of the State Senate in 1780. Henry's will was dated August 10, 1787, and was probated in Prince William County on October 1 of the same year.

Family and marriage

Lee was the third son of Capt. Henry Lee I (1691–1747) of "Lee Hall", Westmoreland County, and his wife, Mary Bland (1704–1764). Bland was the daughter of Hon.

Richard Bland Richard Bland (May 6, 1710 – October 26, 1776), sometimes referred to as Richard Bland II or Richard Bland of Jordan's Point, was an American Founding Father, planter and statesman from Virginia. A cousin and early mentor of Thomas Jeffers ...

(1665–1720) and his second wife, Elizabeth Randolph (1685–1719). Randolph was the daughter of

William Randolph William Randolph I (bapt. 7 November 1650 – 11 April 1711) was a planter, merchant and politician in colonial Virginia who played an important role in the development of the colony. Born in Moreton Morrell, Warwickshire, Randolph moved to th ...

. Lee married Lucy Grymes (1734–1792), the daughter of Hon. Charles Grymes (1693–1743) (twice related to President

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

) and Frances Jennings (great-aunt of

Edmund Randolph Edmund Jennings Randolph (August 10, 1753 September 12, 1813) was a Founding Father of the United States, attorney, and the 7th Governor of Virginia. As a delegate from Virginia, he attended the Constitutional Convention and helped to create ...

). Her father Charles Grymes lived at his " Morattico" plantation, in

Richmond County, Virginia Richmond County is a county located on the Northern Neck in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 8,923. Its county seat is Warsaw. The rural county should not be confused with the large city and state capi ...

. Among Grymes's public offices were was sheriff of Richmond County, and a member of the Governor's Council from 1724-1725. " Leesylvania" was located between Neabsco Creek and Powell Creek in what became

Prince William County, Virginia Prince William County is located on the Potomac River in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 482,204, making it Virginia's second-most populous county. Its county seat is the independent city of Manassas ...

in his lifetime. Known for its magnificent view up the

Potomac River The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augus ...

, it contains his and his wife's graves, but the plantation home burned in 1790. It may now be known as the ancestral home of his grandson Robert E. Lee. Henry Fairfax bought the property in 1825, and his family lived there in a home which may have pre-dated the Lee residence. The Fairfax home burned in 1910 and the ruins of the walls and a chimney are all that remain.

Children

All of Henry Lee II and Lucy Grymes Lee's children were born at Leesylvania: # Maj. Gen.

Henry Lee III Henry Lee III (January 29, 1756 – March 25, 1818) was an early American Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot and U.S. politician who served as the ninth Governor of Virginia and as the Virginia United States House of Representatives, Repres ...

"Light Horse Harry" (1756–1818),

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 ...

. Lee III married: ## Matilda Lee (1766–1790), daughter of Hon. Philip Ludwell Lee, Sr., Esq. (1727–1775) and Elizabeth Steptoe (1743–1789), who married secondly, Philip Richard Fendall I, Esq. (1734–1805). ## Anne Hill Carter (1773–1829), daughter of Hon. Charles Carter, Sr. (1737–1802) of "Shirley", and his second wife, Anne Butler Moore (1756). Their son was Confederate General Robert E. Lee. # Hon. Charles Lee (1758–1815), U.S. Attorney General. Charles married: ## Anne Lee (1770–1804), daughter of

Richard Henry Lee Richard Henry Lee (January 20, 1732June 19, 1794) was an American statesman and Founding Father from Virginia, best known for the June 1776 Lee Resolution, the motion in the Second Continental Congress calling for the colonies' independence from ...

(1732–1794) and his second wife, Anne (Gaskins) Pinckard. ## Margaret Christian (Scott) Peyton (1783–1843), widow of Yelverton Peyton (1771–1802). Margaret was the daughter of Rev. John Scott (1747–1785) and Elizabeth Gordon . #

Richard Bland Lee I Richard Bland Lee (January 20, 1761March 12, 1827) was an American planter, jurist, and politician from Fairfax County, Virginia. He was the son of Henry Lee II (1730–1787) of "Leesylvania" and Lucy Grymes (1734–1792), as well as a younger ...

(1761–1827) of " Sully", who married Elizabeth "Eliza" Collins (1768–1858), daughter of Stephen Collins and Mary Parish. # Mary "Mollie" Lee (1764–1827), who married Philip Richard Fendall I, Esq. (1734–1805), his third wife. Philip was the son of Benjamin Fendall, Esq. (1708–1764) and his first wife, Eleanor Lee (1710–1759). # Theodorick Lee (1766–1849) of "Eckington", who married Catherine Hite (1766–1849). #

Edmund Jennings Lee I Edmund Jennings Lee (May 20, 1772 – May 30, 1843) was a prominent lawyer and politician in Alexandria, Virginia. A member of the Lee family of Virginia, he lived for some time at the Lee-Fendall House in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Earl ...

(1772–1843), who married Sally Lee (1775–1837), daughter of

(1732–1794) and Anne (Gaskins) Pinckard. # Lucy Lee (1774), who never married. # Anne Lee (1776–1857), who married William Byrd Page, Sr. (1768–1812), son of

Mann Page Mann Page (1749–1781), sometimes referred to as Mann Page III, was an American lawyer, politician and planter from Spotsylvania County, Virginia, who served in the House of Burgesses and first Virginia House of Delegates as well as a d ...

(1742–1787) and Mary Mason Selden (1754–1787).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Henry 02 House of Burgesses members

Henry Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) * Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

People of Virginia in the American Revolution 1730 births 1787 deaths American people of English descent American planters Bland family of Virginia Randolph family of Virginia People from Westmoreland County, Virginia Virginia colonial people 18th-century American politicians