The Lee family of the United States is a historically significant
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
and
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
political family
A political family (also referred to as political dynasty) is a family in which multiple members are involved in politics — particularly electoral politics. Members may be related by blood or marriage; often several generations or multiple sibli ...
, whose many prominent members are known for their accomplishments in politics and the military. The family became prominent in colonial
British America
British America comprised the colonial territories of the English Empire, which became the British Empire after the 1707 union of the Kingdom of England with the Kingdom of Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain, in the Americas from 16 ...
when
Richard Lee I
Richard Lee I (1618 – 1 March 1664) (later nicknamed "The Immigrant") was the first member of the Lee family to live in America (although he also considered himself an English gentleman). Poor when he arrived in Virginia in 1639 on a ship w ...
("The Immigrant") immigrated to
Colonial Virginia
The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colonial empire, English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey GilbertG ...
in 1639 and made his fortune in
tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
.
Members of the family include
Thomas Lee (1690–1750), a founder of the
Ohio Company
The Ohio Company, formally known as the Ohio Company of Virginia, was a land speculation company organized for the settlement by Virginians of the Ohio Country (approximately the present U.S. state of Ohio) and to trade with the Native Ameri ...
and a member of 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 ...
;
Francis Lightfoot Lee (1734–1797) and
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), signers of the
American Declaration of Independence
The United States Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen States of America, is the pronouncement and founding document adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at Pennsylvania State House ...
, with Richard Lee also serving as one of Virginia's inaugural
U.S. Senators
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
;
Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee (1756–1818),
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
in the
Continental Army
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
and
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 ...
;
Thomas Sim Lee
Thomas Sim Lee (October 29, 1745 – November 9, 1819) was an American planter and statesman of Frederick County, Maryland. Although not a signatory to the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation or the U.S. Constitution, h ...
(1745–1819),
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of the State of Maryland is the head of government of Maryland, and is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state and has a broad range of appointive powers ...
and lastly, and most famous, General-in-Chief
Robert E. Lee (1807–1870), commander of the
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
and its pivotal
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...
for the
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...
in the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
(1861–1865). Twelfth President
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...
(1784-1850, served 1849-1850), and ninth Chief Justice
Edward Douglass White
Edward Douglass White Jr. (November 3, 1844 – May 19, 1921) was an American politician and jurist from Louisiana. White was a U.S. Supreme Court justice for 27 years, first as an associate justice from 1894 to 1910, then as the ninth chief ...
(1845-1921, served 1894-1921) were also descendants of
Richard Lee I
Richard Lee I (1618 – 1 March 1664) (later nicknamed "The Immigrant") was the first member of the Lee family to live in America (although he also considered himself an English gentleman). Poor when he arrived in Virginia in 1639 on a ship w ...
. Confederate President
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a ...
married
Sarah Knox Taylor
Sarah Knox "Knoxie" Taylor Davis (March 6, 1814 – September 15, 1835) was the daughter of the 12th U.S. President Zachary Taylor and part of the notable Lee Family. She met Jefferson Davis (1808–1889), when living with her father and family a ...
, daughter of
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...
.
Most recently, family members have marked over two hundred years of political service in the United States, as
Blair Lee III
Francis Preston Blair Lee III (May 19, 1916 – October 25, 1985) was an American Democratic politician. He served as the Secretary of State of Maryland from 1969 to 1971. He was Lieutenant Governor of Maryland from 1971 to 1979 and served ...
(1916-1985, served 1971-1979), a descendant of Richard Henry Lee, served as the second
Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
The lieutenant governor of Maryland is the second highest-ranking official in the executive branch of the state government of Maryland in the United States. The officeholder is elected on the same ticket as the governor of Maryland and must meet ...
when the office was revived, from 1971–1979 and Acting
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of the State of Maryland is the head of government of Maryland, and is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state and has a broad range of appointive powers ...
from 1977–1979. Charles Carter Lee, a descendant of Henry Lee III and a Superior Court Judge in
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
was named the U.S. team's
Chef de Mission
In diplomatic usage, head of mission (HOM) or chief of mission (COM) from the French "chef de mission diplomatique" (CMD) is the head of a diplomatic representation, such as an ambassador, high commissioner, nuncio, chargé d'affaires, perman ...
by the
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) is the National Olympic Committee and the National Paralympic Committee for the United States. It was founded in 1895 as the United States Olympic Committee, and is headquartered in Col ...
for the Beijing Olympics.
History
![RichardHenryLee](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/RichardHenryLee.jpg)
Richard Lee asserted descent from the Lees of
Shropshire
Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...
and bore a coat of arms which was confirmed in 1660/1 by
John Gibbon
John Gibbon (April 20, 1827 – February 6, 1896) was a career United States Army officer who fought in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.
Early life
Gibbon was born in the Holmesburg section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the four ...
,
Bluemantle Pursuivant
Bluemantle Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a junior officer of arms of the College of Arms in London. The office is reputed to have been created by King Henry V to serve the Order of the Garter, but there is no documentary evidence of this. ...
of the
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...
. In 1988, a study by William Thorndal was published in the ''National Genealogical Society Quarterly,'' proving that
Richard Lee I
Richard Lee I (1618 – 1 March 1664) (later nicknamed "The Immigrant") was the first member of the Lee family to live in America (although he also considered himself an English gentleman). Poor when he arrived in Virginia in 1639 on a ship w ...
was actually the son of John Lee, a
clothier, and his wife Jane Hancock; that Richard had been born ''not'' at Coton Hall in Shropshire, but in
Worcester
Worcester may refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England
** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament
* Worcester Park, London, Engla ...
(some distance down the
River Severn
, name_etymology =
, image = SevernFromCastleCB.JPG
, image_size = 288
, image_caption = The river seen from Shrewsbury Castle
, map = RiverSevernMap.jpg
, map_size = 288
, map_c ...
); and that several of their immediate relatives had been apprenticed as vintners. The question, then, has been 'how did Richard Lee descend from the family with whom he shared a coat of arms?' The book ''Collections for the Ancestry of Colonel Richard Lee, Virginia Emigrant'', by English genealogist Alan Nicholls presented evidence for the English ancestry of Colonel Richard Lee using contemporary documents, transcribing records left by Richard Lee, his family, and their associates. It also looks at the records left by the Shropshire and Worcester Lee families. These data and additional related findings demonstrate that Richard Lee's Marson ancestors, the wealthiest tradesmen and merchants in Worcester, were likely the cause of his grandfather and father's lives in Worcester. A great-uncle, Richard Lee, was probably the man of the same name, called 'Richard Lee, Gent' buried at Coton Hall's Alveley Parish in 1613.
Colonial Virginia
In the
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies, also known as the Thirteen British Colonies, the Thirteen American Colonies, or later as the United Colonies, were a group of Kingdom of Great Britain, British Colony, colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America. Fo ...
destined to
declare independence
"Declare Independence" is a song written and recorded by Icelandic singer Björk. The track was released as the third single from her sixth full-length studio album, '' Volta''. The single was released on 1 January 2008. Björk's dedication of ...
from
British North America
British North America comprised the colonial territories of the British Empire in North America from 1783 onwards. English overseas possessions, English colonisation of North America began in the 16th century in Newfoundland (island), Newfound ...
and become the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, the family began when
Richard Lee I
Richard Lee I (1618 – 1 March 1664) (later nicknamed "The Immigrant") was the first member of the Lee family to live in America (although he also considered himself an English gentleman). Poor when he arrived in Virginia in 1639 on a ship w ...
immigrated to the
Colony of Virginia
The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colonial empire, English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey GilbertG ...
and made his fortune in the
cultivation of tobacco
The cultivation of tobacco usually takes place annually. The tobacco is germinated in cold frames or hotbeds and then transplanted to the field until it matures. It is grown in warm climates with rich, well-drained soil. About ''4.2 million'' he ...
. His son
Richard Lee II
Colonel Richard Lee II ( – ) was an American planter, politician and military officer from Northumberland County, Virginia who served in both houses of the Virginia General Assembly and was captured during Bacon's Rebellion.
Early life
Bor ...
married
Laetitia Corbin, daughter of The Hon.
Henry Corbin
Henry Corbin (14 April 1903 – 7 October 1978)Shayegan, DaryushHenry Corbin in Encyclopaedia Iranica. was a French philosopher, theologian, and Iranologist, professor of Islamic studies at the École pratique des hautes études. He was in ...
of Rappahannock County, was a member of the
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 ...
and later King's Council. His son, Richard Lee III, was a cotton broker in London for the family and leased to his brothers Thomas and Henry the plantation he inherited from his father, "Machodoc," for "an annual rent of one peppercorn only, payable on Christmas Day". The Lees first gained wider significance with the aforementioned
Thomas Lee (1690–1750). He became a member of the
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 ...
and later went on to found the
Ohio Company
The Ohio Company, formally known as the Ohio Company of Virginia, was a land speculation company organized for the settlement by Virginians of the Ohio Country (approximately the present U.S. state of Ohio) and to trade with the Native Ameri ...
, and was the co-executor of his uncle,
John Tayloe I
Col. John Tayloe I (February 15, 1688November 15, 1747) was one of the richest plantation owners and businessmen in Virginia for his generation. Considered to be the chief architect of the family fortune, he was known as the "Hon. Colonel of the Ol ...
's, estate, what became
Mount Airy.
Revolutionary War era
![HenryLee](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/HenryLee.jpeg)
Thomas Lee (1690–1750) married
Hannah Harrison Ludwell
Hannah Harrison Ludwell Lee (December 5, 1701 – January 25, 1750) was an American colonial heiress and the wife of Colonel Thomas Lee. A granddaughter of Philip Ludwell and Benjamin Harrison II, she was a prominent figure within the American ge ...
: their children, like the descendants of Thomas Lee's brother
Henry Lee I
Capt. Henry Lee I (1691–1747) was a prominent Virginia colonist, planter, soldier, and politician, brother of Governor Thomas Lee, grandfather of Revolutionary War hero Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee III, and great-grandfather of Confederat ...
(1691–1747), included a number of prominent
Revolutionary War and pre-Revolution political figures.
Thomas and Hannah Lee's two eldest children were
Philip Ludwell Lee (1726–1775) and
Hannah Lee
''Hannah Lee'' (also known as ''Outlaw Territory'' and ''Hannah Lee: An American Primitive'') is a 1953 American Western film directed by Lee Garmes and John Ireland. It was originally filmed in stereoscopic 3-D Pathécolor using the twin-Ca ...
(1728–1782).
Thomas Ludwell Lee
Thomas Ludwell Lee, Sr. (December 13, 1730 – April 13, 1778) was a Virginia planter and politician who served in the House of Burgesses and later the Virginia Senate, and may be best known as one of the editors of the Virginia Declaration of R ...
(1730–1778) was a member of the Virginia Delegates and a major editor of
George Mason
George Mason (October 7, 1792) was an American planter, politician, Founding Father, and delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, one of the three delegates present who refused to sign the Constitution. His writings, including s ...
's
Virginia Declaration of Rights
The Virginia Declaration of Rights was drafted in 1776 to proclaim the inherent rights of men, including the right to reform or abolish "inadequate" government. It influenced a number of later documents, including the United States Declaratio ...
(1776), a precursor to the
United States Declaration of Independence
The United States Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen States of America, is the pronouncement and founding document adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at Pennsylvania State House ...
, which was signed by his brothers
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
Francis Lightfoot Lee (1734–1797).
Richard Henry Lee was a delegate to
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...
from Virginia and president of that body, 1774, later serving as
president of the Continental Congress
The president of the United States in Congress Assembled, known unofficially as the president of the Continental Congress and later as the president of the Congress of the Confederation, was the presiding officer of the Continental Congress, the ...
under the
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was an agreement among the 13 Colonies of the United States of America that served as its first frame of government. It was approved after much debate (between July 1776 and November 1777) by ...
, and
United States Senator
The United States Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives being the Lower house, lower chamber. Together they compose the national Bica ...
from Virginia (1789–1792) under the new
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the Supremacy Clause, supreme law of the United States, United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven ar ...
.
Younger siblings included Alice Lee (1736–1818), who married American Chief Physician William Shippen, Jr. and diplomats
William Lee (b. 1739, d. 1795) and
Arthur Lee (b. 1740, d. 1792).
Henry Lee's grandson,
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 ...
(1756–1818), known as "Light Horse Harry," was a
Princeton
Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ni ...
graduate who served with great distinction under General
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 ...
in the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
, and was the only officer below the rank of General to receive the "Gold Medal," awarded for his leadership at the
Battle of Paulus Hook in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, on 19 August 1779. He was
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 ...
from 1791–1794. Among his six children was
Robert Edward Lee
Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of North ...
, later the famed
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
general during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
.
Henry Lee III's brothers were the noted
Richard Bland Lee
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 b ...
, a three-term U.S. Congressman from Virginia, and
Charles Lee (1758–1815),
Attorney General of the United States
The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...
from 1795–1801.
Thomas Sim Lee
Thomas Sim Lee (October 29, 1745 – November 9, 1819) was an American planter and statesman of Frederick County, Maryland. Although not a signatory to the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation or the U.S. Constitution, h ...
, a second cousin of Henry Lee III, was elected
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of the State of Maryland is the head of government of Maryland, and is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state and has a broad range of appointive powers ...
in 1779 and 1792 and declined a third term in 1798. Born in the
Province of Maryland in 1745, he played an important part in the birth of
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
as a
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
and in the birth of the
United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
as a nation. A grandson of Thomas Sim Lee was
John Lee Carroll
John Lee Carroll (September 30, 1830 – February 27, 1911), a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 37th Governor of Maryland from 1876 to 1880.
Early life
Carroll was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Col. Charles Carr ...
, the 37th
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of the State of Maryland is the head of government of Maryland, and is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state and has a broad range of appointive powers ...
.
Civil War era
Robert E. Lee (1807–1870), was the son of Henry Lee III, and probably the most famous member of the Lee family. He served as
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
general in the
United States Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
and later as President of
Washington and Lee University
, mottoeng = "Not Unmindful of the Future"
, established =
, type = Private liberal arts university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $2.092 billion (2021)
, president = William C. Dudley
, provost = Lena Hill
, city = Lexingto ...
, which was named for him and for
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 ...
. Washington and Lee University houses
Lee Chapel
University Chapel (formerly Lee Chapel) of Washington and Lee University is a National Historic Landmark in Lexington, Virginia. It was constructed during 1867–68 at the request of Robert E. Lee, who was president of the school (then known as Wa ...
, burial site of several members of the Lee family.
Stratford Hall, a Lee family estate and birthplace of Robert E. Lee, houses the
Lee Family Digital Archive.
He was married to
Mary Anna Randolph Custis, who was a granddaughter of
Martha Washington
Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (June 21, 1731 — May 22, 1802) was the wife of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Although the title was not coined until after her death, Martha Washington served as the inaugural ...
and also was Lee's third cousin once removed through
Richard Lee II
Colonel Richard Lee II ( – ) was an American planter, politician and military officer from Northumberland County, Virginia who served in both houses of the Virginia General Assembly and was captured during Bacon's Rebellion.
Early life
Bor ...
, fourth cousin through
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 ...
, and third cousin through
Robert Carter I
Robert "King" Carter (4 August 1663 – 4 August 1732) was a merchant, planter and powerful politician in colonial Virginia. Born in Lancaster County, Carter eventually became one of the richest men in the Thirteen Colonies. As President of ...
. R. E. Lee's children were
George Washington Custis Lee
George Washington Custis Lee (September 16, 1832 – February 18, 1913), also known as Custis Lee, was the eldest son of Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee. His grandfather George Washington Custis was the step-grandson and adopted son of G ...
,
Mary Custis Lee
Mary Custis Lee (July 12, 1835 — November 22, 1918) was an American heiress and the eldest daughter of Confederate States Army General Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee. Throughout the American Civil War and Reconstruction era, she remai ...
,
Robert E. Lee Jr.
Robert Edward "Rob" Lee Jr. (October 27, 1843 – October 19, 1914) was the sixth of seven children of Confederate States Army, Confederate General Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee, Mary Anna Randolph Custis. He became a soldier during th ...
,
Anne Carter Lee
Anne Carter Lee (June 18, 1839 – October 20, 1862) was the fourth child and second daughter of General Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee. She grew up at Arlington House on her family's plantation. During the American Civil War, she s ...
,
Mildred Childe Lee
Mildred Childe Lee (February 10, 1846 – March 27, 1905) was an American society hostess and the youngest child of Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee. She was the last member of the Lee family to be born at Arlington Plantation and had a p ...
,
Eleanor Agnes Lee
Eleanor Agnes Lee (February 27, 1841 – October 15, 1873) was an American diarist and poet. The fifth child of General Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee, she was a member of the prominent Lee family of Virginia and was affectionately calle ...
, and
William H. Fitzhugh Lee.
![Samuel Phillips Lee](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Samuel_Phillips_Lee.jpg)
Other Lee relations who were general officers during the Civil War were
Fitzhugh Lee
Fitzhugh Lee (November 19, 1835 – April 28, 1905) was a Confederate cavalry general in the American Civil War, the 40th Governor of Virginia, diplomat, and United States Army general in the Spanish–American War. He was the son of Sydney S ...
(C.S.A.),
Samuel Phillips Lee
Samuel Phillips Lee (February 13, 1812 – June 5, 1897) was an officer of the United States Navy. In the American Civil War, he took part in the New Orleans campaign, before commanding the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, covering the co ...
(U.S. Navy);
Richard Lucian Page (Confederate States ''and'' Navy);
Edwin Gray Lee
Edwin Gray Lee (May 27, 1836 – August 24, 1870) was an American soldier from Virginia and a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War. He was a member of the Lee family and first cousin once removed of Robert E. Lee.
Bio ...
(C.S.A.) and
Richard L. T. Beale
Richard Lee Turberville Beale (May 22, 1819 – April 21, 1893) was a lawyer, three-term United States Congressman from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
Early ...
(C.S.A.). Indirect relations of R.E.Lee who were Confederate general officers included
William N. Pendleton
William Nelson Pendleton (December 26, 1809 – January 15, 1883) was an American teacher, Episcopal priest, and soldier. He served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War, noted for his position as Gen. Robert E. Lee's chief ...
and
Virginia Military Institute
la, Consilio et Animis (on seal)
, mottoeng = "In peace a glorious asset, In war a tower of strength""By courage and wisdom" (on seal)
, established =
, type = Public senior military college
, accreditation = SACS
, endowment = $696.8 mill ...
graduate
William H. F. Payne. Two other civil war generals who were related to Lee were
George B. Crittenden
George Bibb Crittenden (March 20, 1812 – November 27, 1880) was a career United States Army officer who served in the Black Hawk War, the Army of the Republic of Texas, and the Mexican–American War, and later resigned his commission to serv ...
(C.S.A.) and
Thomas Leonidas Crittenden
Thomas Leonidas Crittenden (May 15, 1819 – October 23, 1893) was a lawyer, politician, and Union general during the American Civil War.
Early life
Crittenden was born in Russellville, Kentucky, the son of U.S. Senator John J. Crittenden, who ...
(U.S.); their sister was the author
Ann Mary Butler Crittenden Coleman
Ann Crittenden Coleman (, Crittenden; pen name, Mrs. Chapman Coleman; May 5, 1813 – February 13, 1891) was a 19th-century American author and translator. Her parents were John J. Crittenden, the statesman, and Sarah O. (Lee) Crittenden, of the ...
; and their mother was Sarah O. Lee a great-great-granddaughter of Richard Lee I "the Founder". A son of Thomas L. Crittenden,
John Jordan Crittenden III
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
, died at the
Battle of Little Bighorn
The Battle of the Little Bighorn, known to the Lakota people, Lakota and other Plains Indians as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, and also commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand, was an armed engagement between combined forces of the Lako ...
in 1876. Another distant Lee relation was U.S. Admiral
Willis A. Lee of Kentucky.
"Bedford", the
Jefferson County home of his cousin Edmund J. Lee Jr. (1797–1877), son of
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 ...
, was burned in July 1864, along with others of Confederate sympathizers in what became the
Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia
The Eastern Panhandle is the eastern of the two panhandles in the U.S. state of West Virginia; the other is the Northern Panhandle. It is a small stretch of territory in the northeast of the state, bordering Maryland and Virginia. Some sources ...
.
Later generations
Francis Preston Blair Lee (1857–1944) was a
Democratic member of the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
, representing the
State of Maryland from 1914–1917. He was also the great-grandson of American patriot
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 ...
, father of
E. Brooke Lee
Edward Brooke Lee (October 23, 1892 – September 21, 1984) was a Maryland politician and a veteran of World War I.
Early years
Edward Brooke Lee was born on October 23, 1892, at the Blair-Lee House in Washington, D.C. His parents were Franci ...
comptroller of Maryland and "Father of Silver Spring" and grandfather of
Blair Lee III
Francis Preston Blair Lee III (May 19, 1916 – October 25, 1985) was an American Democratic politician. He served as the Secretary of State of Maryland from 1969 to 1971. He was Lieutenant Governor of Maryland from 1971 to 1979 and served ...
,
Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
The lieutenant governor of Maryland is the second highest-ranking official in the executive branch of the state government of Maryland in the United States. The officeholder is elected on the same ticket as the governor of Maryland and must meet ...
from 1971–1979 and Acting Governor of Maryland from 1977–1979.
[. ]Willis Augustus Lee
Willis Augustus "Ching" Lee Jr. (May 11, 1888 – August 25, 1945) was a vice admiral of the United States Navy during World War II. Lee commanded the American ships during the second night of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (November 14–15, 1 ...
a Vice Admiral and member of the Kentucky Branch of the Lee family won the Naval Battle of Gaudalcanal in 1942.
Judge Charles Carter Lee, a direct descendant of
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 ...
(Lighthorse Harry), was selected to represent the United States at the 2008 Olympic Games as the
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) is the National Olympic Committee and the National Paralympic Committee for the United States. It was founded in 1895 as the United States Olympic Committee, and is headquartered in Col ...
's Chef de Mission. Judge Lee, a Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge since 1989, was also involved with the
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the secon ...
as he headed a delegation sent to China after the Soviet Union announced a plan to boycott the Olympics in Los Angeles. These talks concluded with China's formal agreement in writing to participate in the 1984 Olympics.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's mother was born
Janet Lee and claimed to be part of the family. It was later proven that she was not.
Family tree
Below is a list of notable male members of the Lee family, beginning with Virginia Governor Thomas Lee and Henry Lee:
*
Richard Lee II
Colonel Richard Lee II ( – ) was an American planter, politician and military officer from Northumberland County, Virginia who served in both houses of the Virginia General Assembly and was captured during Bacon's Rebellion.
Early life
Bor ...
(1647–1714),
**
Henry Lee I
Capt. Henry Lee I (1691–1747) was a prominent Virginia colonist, planter, soldier, and politician, brother of Governor Thomas Lee, grandfather of Revolutionary War hero Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee III, and great-grandfather of Confederat ...
(1691–1747), ∞ 1722 : Mary Bland (1704–1764)
***
Richard Lee (1726–1795), ∞ 1786 : Sarah Bland Poythress (1768–1828)
***
Henry Giles Lee II (1730–1787), ∞ 1753 : Lucy Ludwell Grymes (1734–1792)
****
Henry Lee III, 9th Governor of Virginia (1756–1818), ∞ 1782 : Matilda Ludwell Lee (1764–1790); ∞ 1793 :
Anne Hill Carter (1773–1829)
***** Lucy Grymes Lee (1786–1860), ∞ 1802 : Bernard Moore Carter (1780–1842)
****** Charles Henry Carter (1804–1872), ∞ 1830 :
Rosalie Eugenia Calvert (1806–1845)
******* Alice Carter (born 1832), ∞ 1851 :
Oden Bowie, 34th Governor of Maryland (1826–1894)
******** Annette Carter Bowie (born 1863), ∞ 1884 : Eugene Roberts (born 1859)
********* Eugene Bowie Roberts (1898–1983), ∞ 1933 :
Countess Cornelia Széchényi (1908–1958)
********** Cornelia Carter Roberts (1936–1982), ∞ 1969 :
Count Hans-Heinrich Richard Gerolf Karl Urban Maria Omnes Sancti von Coudenhove-Kalergi (1926–2004)
*********** Count Dominik Cornelius Valentin Gerolf Eugene von Coudenhove-Kalergi (b 1973), ∞ 2009 :
Princess Adelheid Marie Beatrice Zita von Liechtenstein (born 1981)
******* Bernard Carter (1834–1912), ∞ 1858 : Mary Buckner Ridgely (1834–1894)
********
John Ridgely Carter (1864–1944), ∞ 1887 : Alice Morgan (1865–1933)
*********
Caroline Mildred Carter (1888–1965), ∞ 1910 (div 1928) :
Archibald Charles Montagu Brabazon Acheson, 5th Earl of Gosford (1877–1954)
**********
Archibald Alexander John Stanley Acheson, 6th Earl of Gosford
Archibald Alexander John Stanley Acheson, 6th Earl of Gosford, (14 January 1911 – 17 February 1966), styled Viscount Acheson until 1954, was a British peer, politician, and a Royal Air Force officer.
Early life
Archibald Acheson was the elder ...
(1911–1966), ∞ 1935 (div 1960) : Francesca Augusta Maria Cagiati (1912–2009); ∞ 1960 : Cynthia Margaret Cave (1911–2015)
*********** Charles David Alexander John Sparrow Acheson, 7th Earl of Gosford (born 1942)
********** Lady Mildred Camilla Nichola Acheson (1917–1988), ∞ 1937 (div 1949) : Hans-Christoph Schenk Freiherr von Stauffenberg (1911–2005); ∞ 1950 :
Axel Ernst-August Clamor Franz Albrecht Erich Leo Freiherr von dem Bussche-Streithorst (1919–1993)
********** Lady Mary Virginia Shirley Acheson (1919–1996), ∞ 1941 : Fernando Corcuera y Mier (1914–1978)
*********** Jaime Corcuera y Acheson (born 1955), ∞ 1983 :
Archduchess Myriam of Austria (born 1959)
*****
Henry Lee IV
Henry "Black-Horse Harry" Lee IV (28 May 1787 – 30 January 1837) was a biographer and historian, born in Stratford, Virginia, the son of Major-General Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee III and Matilda Lee. He was a half-brother of Confederate gene ...
(1787–1837), ∞ 1817 : Anne Robinson McCarty (1798–1840)
*****
Sydney Smith Lee (1802–1869), ∞ 1834 :
Anna Maria Mason (1811–1898)
******
Fitzhugh Lee, 40th Governor of Virginia (1835–1905)
*****
Robert Edward Lee
Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of North ...
(1807–1870), ∞ 1831 :
Mary Anna Randolph Custis (1808–1873)
******
George Washington Custis Lee
George Washington Custis Lee (September 16, 1832 – February 18, 1913), also known as Custis Lee, was the eldest son of Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee. His grandfather George Washington Custis was the step-grandson and adopted son of G ...
(1832–1913)
******
William Henry Fitzhugh Lee
William Henry Fitzhugh Lee (May 31, 1837 – October 15, 1891), known as Rooney Lee (often spelled "Roony" among friends and family) or W. H. F. Lee, was the second son of General Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis. He was a planter, a Confed ...
(1837–1891), ∞ 1859 : Charlotte Georgiana Wickham (1841–1863); ∞ 1867 : Mary Tabb Bolling (1846–1924)
******
Robert Edward Lee, Jr.
Robert Edward "Rob" Lee Jr. (October 27, 1843 – October 19, 1914) was the sixth of seven children of Confederate States Army, Confederate General Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee, Mary Anna Randolph Custis. He became a soldier during th ...
(1843–1914), ∞ 1871 : Charlotte Haxall (1848–1872); ∞ 1894 : Juliet Carter (1860–1915)
****
Charles Lee (1758–1815), ∞ 1789 :
Anne Lee (1770–1804); ∞ 1809 : Margaret Christian Scott (1783–1843)
****
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), ∞ 1794 : Elizabeth Collins (1768–1858), owner of
Sully
***** Ann Matilda Lee (1799–1880), ∞ : Bailey Washington III (1787–1854)
****** Euphan Wallace Washington (1831–1918), ∞ 1856 :
Pierson Barton Reading (1816–1868)
****** Anna Louisa Washington (1836–1885), ∞ 1862 : Walter Dorsey Davidge (1823–1901)
******* William Fendall Davidge (1871–1941), ∞ 1896 : Estelle Courtenay Washington (1875–1942)
******** Courtenay Washington Davidge (1896–1960), ∞ 1922 : Lamont Waltman Marvin (1896–1971)
*********
Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin (born Lamont Waltman Marvin Jr.; February 19, 1924August 29, 1987) was an American film and television actor. Known for his bass voice and premature white hair, he is best remembered for playing hardboiled "tough guy" characters. Alt ...
(1924–1987)
*****
Zaccheus Collins Lee (1805–1859), ∞ 1837 : Martha Ann Jenkins (1819–1864)
**** Mary Lee (1764–1827), ∞ 1791 :
Philip Richard Fendall I (1734–1805), owner of
Lee-Fendall House
*****
Philip Richard Fendall II
Philip Richard Fendall II (December 18, 1794 – February 16, 1868) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the District Attorney of Washington, D.C.
Early life
He was born December 18, 1794, at the Lee-Fendall House, located at 6 ...
(1794–1868), ∞ 1827 : Elizabeth Mary Young (1804–1859)
****** Philip Richard Fendall III (1832–1879), ∞ : Anne Catherine Tredick (born 1836)
******* Marian Fendall (1870–1949), ∞ 1895 :
Jacob Wendell III (1869–1911)
********
Anne Catherine Tredick Wendell (1900–1977), ∞ 1922 (div 1936) :
Henry George Alfred Marius Victor Francis Herbert, 6th Earl of Carnarvon (1898–1987); ∞ : Geoffrey Seymour Grenfell (1898–1940)
*********
Henry George Reginald Molyneux Herbert, 7th Earl of Carnarvon
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, ...
(1924–2001), ∞ 1956 : Jean Margaret Wallop, owner of
Highclere Castle
Highclere Castle is a Grade I listed country house built in 1679 and largely renovated in the 1840s, with a park designed by Capability Brown in the 18th century. The estate is in Highclere in Hampshire, England, about south of Newbury, B ...
**********
George Reginald Oliver Molyneux Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon (born 1956), ∞ 1989 (div 1998) : Jayne Wilby; ∞ 1999 : Fiona Aitken, owner of
Highclere Castle
Highclere Castle is a Grade I listed country house built in 1679 and largely renovated in the 1840s, with a park designed by Capability Brown in the 18th century. The estate is in Highclere in Hampshire, England, about south of Newbury, B ...
********
Philippa Fendall Wendell (1905–1974), ∞ 1924 :
Randolph Algernon Ronald Stewart, 12th Earl of Galloway (1892–1978)
********* Antonia Marian Amy Isabel Stewart (1925–1971), ∞ :
Charles Mark Dalrymple, 3rd Baronet (1915–1971)
*********
Randolph Keith Reginald Stewart, 13th Earl of Galloway (born 1928), ∞ 1975 : Lily May Budge (died 1999)
****
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), ∞ 1796 :
Sarah Caldwell Lee (1775–1837)
***** Edmund Jennings Lee II (1797–1877), ∞ : Henrietta Bedinger (1810–1898)
****** Edmund Jennings Lee III (1845–1896), ∞ 1876 : Rebecca Lawrence (died 1882)
******* Edmund Jennings Lee IV (1877–1962), ∞ 1911 : Lucy Chaplin (1884–1971)
********
Duncan Chaplin Lee (1913–1988)
***** Anne Harriotte Lee (1799–1863), ∞ 1820 : John Lloyd (1775–1854)
****** Anne Harriotte Lloyd (1826–1888), ∞ : John Stearns (1812–1864)
******* John Lloyd Stearns (born 1852), ∞ 1878 : Ella Powell (born 1856)
******** Robert Lawrence Stearns (1892–1977), ∞ 1920 : Amy Pitkin (1897–1985)
********* Marion Lloyd Stearns (1921–2009), ∞ 1946 :
Byron Raymond White (1917–2002)
**********
Nancy Pitkin White (born 1958), ∞ 1985 : Peter Maxwell Lippe
**** Anne Lee (1776–1857), ∞ 1793 : William Byrd Page (1773–1818)
*****
Richard Lucian Page (1807–1901)
**
Thomas Lee (1690–1750), Governor of
Virginia Colony
The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey GilbertGilbert (Saunders Family), Sir Humphrey" (histor ...
1749–1750. Father of Richard Henry Lee, Francis Lightfoot Lee, and Arthur Lee.
***
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), Delegate to the Continental Congress from
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
1774, member of the Virginia Legislature 1777, U.S. Senator from Virginia 1789–1792. Son of Thomas Lee.
****Francis Lightfoot Lee II (1782–1850), ∞ Jane Digges Fitzgerald (1789–1816).
*****
Samuel Phillips Lee
Samuel Phillips Lee (February 13, 1812 – June 5, 1897) was an officer of the United States Navy. In the American Civil War, he took part in the New Orleans campaign, before commanding the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, covering the co ...
(1812–1897), ∞
Elizabeth Blair Lee
Elizabeth Blair Lee (June 20, 1818 – September 13, 1906) was an American woman who lived through the American Civil War, and wrote hundreds of letters describing the events of the times to her husband, Samuel Philips Lee.
Early life
Elizabeth Le ...
(1818–1906).
******
Blair Lee I
Francis Preston Blair Lee (August 9, 1857December 25, 1944) was a Democratic member of the United States Senate, representing the State of Maryland from 1914 to 1917. He was also the great-grandson of American patriot Richard Henry Lee, and gran ...
(1857–1944),
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
State Senator 1906–1912, candidate for Governor of Maryland 1911, U.S. Senator from Maryland 1914–1917, delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1916. Great-grandson of Richard Henry Lee.
*******
E. Brooke Lee
Edward Brooke Lee (October 23, 1892 – September 21, 1984) was a Maryland politician and a veteran of World War I.
Early years
Edward Brooke Lee was born on October 23, 1892, at the Blair-Lee House in Washington, D.C. His parents were Franci ...
, Comptroller of Maryland 1919–1923, Maryland Secretary of State 1923, delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1924 1940, Maryland House Delegate 1927, candidate for U.S. Representative from Maryland 1942. Son of Blair Lee.
********
Blair Lee III
Francis Preston Blair Lee III (May 19, 1916 – October 25, 1985) was an American Democratic politician. He served as the Secretary of State of Maryland from 1969 to 1971. He was Lieutenant Governor of Maryland from 1971 to 1979 and served ...
(1916–1985), delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1948 1960 1964 1972, Maryland House Delegate 1955–1962, Maryland State Senator 1967–1969, Maryland Secretary of State 1969–1971, Lieutenant Governor of Maryland 1971–1979, Governor of Maryland 1977–1979. Son of E. Brooke Lee.
********E. Brooke Lee, Jr., delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1944. Son of E. Brooke Lee.
***
Francis Lightfoot Lee (1734–1797), Delegate to the Continental Congress from Virginia 1775, Virginia State Senator 1778, member of the Virginia Legislature 1780. Son of Thomas Lee.
***
Arthur Lee (1740–1792), member of the Virginia Legislature 1781, Delegate to the Continental Congress from Virginia 1782. Son of Thomas Lee.
*
Hancock Lee Hancock Lee (born 1653 - May 25, 1709) was an American colonial politician. He was a member of the House of Burgesses, a Justice of Northampton County, and a naval officer.
Biography
Hancock Lee was born to Richard Lee I
Richard Lee I (161 ...
∞
Sarah Allerton
**Elizabeth Lee ∞ Zachary Taylor
***
Richard Taylor (1744–1829), ∞ 1779 : Sarah Dabney Strother
****
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...
(1784–1850), President of the United States 1849–1850. Second cousin once removed of Richard Henry Lee.
*****
Sarah Knox Taylor
Sarah Knox "Knoxie" Taylor Davis (March 6, 1814 – September 15, 1835) was the daughter of the 12th U.S. President Zachary Taylor and part of the notable Lee Family. She met Jefferson Davis (1808–1889), when living with her father and family a ...
(1814–1835), ∞ 1835 :
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a ...
(1808–1889), candidate for
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
State Representative 1843, U.S. Representative from Mississippi 1845–1846, U.S. Senator from Mississippi 1847-1851 1857–1861, candidate for Governor of Mississippi 1851, U.S. Secretary of War 1853–1857, President of the
Confederate States
The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...
1861–1865.
*****
Mary Elizabeth Bliss
Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Taylor Bliss Dandridge, born Mary Elizabeth Taylor (April 20, 1824 – July 25, 1909), was the youngest of the three surviving daughters of President Zachary Taylor (1849–1850) and Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor.
In 18 ...
(1824–1909), ∞ 1848:
William Wallace Smith Bliss
William Wallace Smith Bliss (August 17, 1815 – August 5, 1853) was a United States Army officer and mathematics professor. A gifted mathematician, he taught at West Point and also served as a line officer.
In December 1848 Bliss married M ...
(1815–1863),
Secretary to the President of the United States
The Secretary to the President (sometimes dubbed the president's Private Secretary or Personal Secretary) was a 19th- and early 20th-century White House position that carried out all the tasks now spread throughout the modern White House Office. Th ...
*****
Richard Taylor (1826–1879), general
*****N. Taylor
******N. N.
*******N. N.
********N. N.
*********
Victor Crist
Victor Crist (born June 21, 1957) is a former member of the Florida Senate, representing the 12th District from 2000 to 2010. He served in the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 60th District, from 1992 to 2000. He was elected ...
(1957-),
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
State Representative 1993–present. Descendant of Zachary Taylor.
****
Joseph Pannell Taylor
Joseph Pannell Taylor (May 4, 1796 – June 29, 1864) was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He was the younger brother of Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States.
Early life
He wa ...
(1796–1864), general
*****Sarah Taylor, ∞
David Rumph Jones
David Rumph Jones (April 5, 1825 – January 15, 1863) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War.
Early life
Jones was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina. By his marriage to Sarah Taylor, daughter of Brig. Gen. Joseph Pannell Taylor, ...
(1825–1863), general
****N. Taylor
*****N. Taylor
******Edmund H. Taylor, Jr. (1830–1923), Mayor of
Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, United States, and the seat of Franklin County. It is a home rule-class city; the population was 28,602 at the 2020 census. Located along the Kentucky River, Frankfort is the prin ...
1871-1877 1881–1890;
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
State Senator 1902–1904. Grandnephew of Zachary Taylor.
***N. Taylor
****N. N.
*****N. N.
******N. N.
*******
Elliot Woolfolk Major
Elliot Woolfolk Major (October 20, 1864 – July 9, 1949) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician from Pike County, Missouri.
Biography
Born in 1864 in Lincoln County, Missouri, Elliot Major attended Lincoln County public schools. He t ...
(1864–1949),
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
State Senator 1897–1901, Attorney General of Missouri 1909–1913, Governor of Missouri 1913–1917. First cousin thrice removed of Zachary Taylor and Second cousin thrice removed of
James Madison
James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for hi ...
.
******N. N.
*******Edgar Bailey Woolfolk (1865–1956), member of the Missouri Legislature 1899–1901, Missouri State Court Judge 1913–1943. First cousin thrice removed of Zachary Taylor and Second cousin thrice removed of James Madison.
[
U.S. Representative ]David Dreier
David Timothy Dreier OAE (/ draɪər/; born July 5, 1952) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and politician who served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from California from 1981 to 2013. He was one ...
also has stated that he is a distant relative of Richard Bland Lee. Zachary Taylor was also nephew by marriage of Maryland House Delegates Benjamin Mackall IV and Thomas Mackall.
See also
* First Families of Virginia
First Families of Virginia (FFV) were those families in Colonial Virginia who were socially prominent and wealthy, but not necessarily the earliest settlers. They descended from English colonists who primarily settled at Jamestown, Williamsbur ...
* Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...
* Carroll family
O'Carroll ( ga, Ó Cearbhaill), also known as simply Carroll, Carrol or Carrell, is a Gaelic Irish clan which is the most prominent sept of the Ciannachta (also known as Clan Cian). Their genealogies claim that they are kindred with the Eógana ...
References
Further reading
* Nagel, Paul C., ''The Lees of Virginia: Seven Generations of an American Family'', Oxford University Press, reprinted 1992, .
* Lee, Edmund Jennings (editor), ''Lee of Virginia'', Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, Maryland. reprinted 1983,
* Burton J. Hendrick (author), "The Lees of Virginia", Halcyon House Editions, published and distributed by Blue Ribbon Books, Inc., 386 Fourth Avenue, New York, New York. Hardcover, copyright 1935, ASIN: B000NWSC4Q
External links
Straford Hall, home of the Lees of Virginia
BBC on Shropshire Lees
Society of the Lees of Virginia
Lee Family papers
at the University of Maryland Libraries, University of Maryland libraries
{{portal bar, Politics, United States
Political families of the United States
American people of English descent
American families of English ancestry
First Families of Virginia