The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-01-07
THE PEDIGREE OF THE LEE
FAMILY.

FAMILY
The Charlottesville Chronicle publishes
the pedigree of the family of General
Lee. Like everything else which says
anything Of the great chieftain, it isvery
interesting. 1t is from an old manuscript
which has been shown to the editor. The
Chronicle says:
This venerable manuscript, which bears
date 1850, was received by Mr.. Mead
| (who is a gentleman of intelligence and
character) from his mother, Mrs. Mead,
| widow of Rev. Zachariah Mead, for
| merly of Richmond) Mrs. Mead re-
| ceived it from her father, who received it.
| from his father, General Hull. It con-
sists o. several large sheets, and is writ
ten partly in Latin and partly in English.
Accompanying the pedigree are some
mutilatcd deeds, which, although much
iniured,> exhibit the descending rights
| and titles to various lands. These deeds
are in Latin, and written on the old
stamped paper of England, and, to the
antiquarian, are rare object Of curiosity
and interest.
The gencalogy of tho Lees, of Vir-
ginia, from 16G6-just.where this pedigree
breaks offs well known, and may be
found in Bishop Meade's well-known
work on "The Old Churches and Fami-'
lies of Virginia"
The manuscript commences abruptly
with the name Of "Hugo de Lega, or de
Le," without date The first name with
date is that of Johcs de Lee, Miles, to
whom Hugo de Hinton gave the lands, as
by the old chart. Opposite this name is
the date 1888. The father of Johes dc
| Lee was Thomas de la Lee. The simple
name of Lee occurs first as Ricardus
Lee, Of Langly, about the year l600.-
! The first name of Robert is Robertus dc
la Lee, son of Johcs de la Lee he mar
ried Margarita, daughter and heir of
Thomas Astly, of Nordly, about 14oo.-
The first name written in English is
Thomas Lee, of Cotton, in Kings Nord-
ley, in the Parish of Alvely, who was
the son of Johannes Lee.
There are several coats of arms on the
manuscript. That of Ricardus Lee, Of
the direct line, is as follows: A shield
with crescent Of squirrel scjant, eat
ing a nut or flower; a lion in r; mpant
gardant in sinister chief; star in precise
middle chief; dexter chief, blood-red
field with embattled bars of blue and yel-
low. The dexter base, black cross on
white field, with lions head, crowned,
in one corner. The middle precise base
is chevron Of white, on red field,
white bar, the fesse point on green
field. The sinister base the same as the
dexter chief.
The Lancelot arms are shield with
crescent squ;rrel-dexter chief, red field.
with blue and yellow embattled bars.
Sinister chief, star on blue field. Dexter
base same as sinister chief, and sinister
base same as dexter chief There are no
middle divisions on this shield. The
prevailing white indicates, Royalty; the
Star, grandeur; the Lion, courage; the
Red, war; the Cross, religion, and, with
the crowned lion, denotes the Church of
England:
The pedigree was extracted from the
London Tower, and is certified by
Charles Townley, York, and John Pom
) fret, Rouge Croix, August 1st, 1850.
Richard Lee, who came to Virginia in
the reign of Charles l., was Of a good
family, Shropshire; and his son, William
Lee, speaks of bis picture being Gas he
is told cat Cotton, in Shropshire, near
y Bridgeworth, the seat of Lancelot Lee,
ESQ" He came to the colony of Virgi-
MIA as Secretary and one Of the Kings
Privy Council. He settled permanently
in Virginia, and exercised great influ-
, ence. 1t was he who, with the assist
$ ance of Sir William Berkeley, on the
, death of Cromwell, had Virginia (Which
q was Independent under the Protectorate,
reunited with England-haying Charles
II. proclaimed King of England, Scot
+ land, France, Ireland and Virginia-twc
years before the Restoration. 1t was in
consequence Of this step that the ancient
motto Of the Virginians was "En da'
Virginia 9uiatAm."
= This Richard Lee had several children
n John and Richard the two eldest. Rich
h ard was a great scholar, devoting hi
whole life to study, and member of th'
= Council of Virginia. lie married Cor
J. bin, and had five sons Richard, Philip
. Francis, Thomas, Henry-and one daugh
/ ter (who married William Ntzhugh, o
King George). Richard settled in Londo'
as Virginia merchant. His chiidre'
: came back to Virginia. George married
o Wormly--then Fairfax. One daughte
S married Corhin; another, q Turber
/. vile: Philip, the second son OF Richar'
Lee, settled in Maryland. Francis, tn
. third son, died bachelor. Thomas, til
J. fourth son, married q Ludwell-one OF tn
J. most influential families in the Colony