The Lee–Hamblin family is a political family rooted in the
American West
The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the Wes ...
. It is intertwined closely with the
Udall family
The Udall family is a U.S. political family rooted in the American West. Its role in politics spans over 100 years and four generations. Udall politicians have been elected from four different states: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oregon. ...
, and most, though not all the notable Lees are also Udall descendants.
John D. Lee
John Doyle Lee (September 6, 1812 – March 23, 1877) was an American pioneer and prominent early member of the Latter Day Saint Movement in Utah. Lee was later convicted as a mass murderer for his complicity in the Mountain Meadows massacre, s ...
is also a direct descendant of
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 ...
of the
Lee family
The Lee family of the United States is a historically significant Virginia and Maryland political family, whose many prominent members are known for their accomplishments in politics and the military. The family became prominent in colonial Bri ...
of Virginia.
J. David Lee (1851–1922), a son of
John D. Lee
John Doyle Lee (September 6, 1812 – March 23, 1877) was an American pioneer and prominent early member of the Latter Day Saint Movement in Utah. Lee was later convicted as a mass murderer for his complicity in the Mountain Meadows massacre, s ...
, had two wives. His notable descendants all come through his second wife Inez Hamblin, who was a daughter of
Jacob Hamblin
Jacob Hamblin (April 2, 1819 – August 31, 1886) was a Western pioneer, a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and a diplomat to various Native American tribes of the Southwest and Great Basin. He a ...
. Together they have the distinction of having four great-grandchildren as U.S. senators from four different U.S. states.
One exception was Ettie Lee of Los Angeles who was Californina Teacher of the year and U.S. Teacher of the year in the 60's and she donated $19 million to homes for delinquent boys on her death (Ettie Lee Homes). Her mother was Evaline Dorinda Clark.
Grandchildren:
:
Morris K. Udall, U.S. Representative for Arizona and 1976 U.S. Presidential candidate
:
Stewart Udall
Stewart Lee Udall (January 31, 1920 – March 20, 2010) was an American politician and later, a federal government official. After serving three terms as a congressman from Arizona, he served as Secretary of the Interior from 1961 to 1969, unde ...
, U.S. Representative for Arizona and U.S. Secretary of the Interior
:
Rex E. Lee
Rex Edwin Lee (February 27, 1935 – March 11, 1996) was an American lawyer and academic who served as the 37th Solicitor General of the United States from 1981 until 1985. He was responsible for bringing the solicitor general's office to the cent ...
, U.S. Solicitor General
Great-grandchildren:
:
Mike Lee
Michael Shumway Lee (born June 4, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Utah, a seat he has held since 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Lee began his career as a clerk for the U ...
, U.S. Senator for Utah
:
Thomas R. Lee
Thomas Rex Lee (born December 1964) is a former American jurist and former legal academic who was a justice of the Utah Supreme Court from 2010 to 2022. Lee is also a lecturer on law at Harvard Law School and an adjunct professor/distinguished le ...
, Associate Chief Justice, Utah Supreme Court
:
Gordon H. Smith
Gordon Harold Smith (born May 25, 1952) is an American politician, businessman, and academic administrator who served as a United States Senator from the state of Oregon. A Republican, he served two terms in the Senate from 1997 to 2009. On Septe ...
, U.S. Senator for Oregon
:
Mark Udall
Mark Emery Udall ( ; born July 18, 1950) is an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, represe ...
, U.S. Senator for Colorado
:
Tom Udall
Thomas Stewart Udall ( ; born May 18, 1948) is an American diplomat, lawyer and politician serving as the United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a United States senator from N ...
, U.S. Senator for New Mexico
:
Milan Smith, Jr., Federal Judge, U.S. 9th Circuit
References
Some Descendants of John Doyle Lee Compiled by Lorraine (Richardson) Manderscheid, Published in 2000
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee-Hamblin Family
Latter Day Saint families
Political families of the United States
Lee family of Virginia