The Washington herald., 1907-05-05
GENEALOGICAL DESCENT OF BLAIR
LEE, OF WASHINGTON, ID. c.

GENEALOGICAL DESCENT OF BLAIR
LEE, OF WASHINGTON, ID. c.
Richard Lee, of Shropshire, England.
is described by one Of his descendants, in
177l, as "a man OF good stature, comely
yisage. an enterprising genius, a sound
head vigorous spirit, and generous ma
ture." He received patent Of 1000
acres in York County. Va. In 1912. and
another Of 1,550 acres IN the same county
IN 1915 He was a magistrate Of York
County in 1916, also representing II in the
House OF Burgesses in 1647. and Northum-
berland County in 1851. Apart from poll
tics, he was extensively engaged IA agri-
culture, as well as in commerce, and had
| an interest In vessels trading between
/ England and Virginia. bequeathing TO
one OF his sons an eighth part in each Of
two vessels. He visited England repeat
edly, being there in 1851 55 1853, 1861, and
1868. His first plantation was on York
River, Va, near the head OF Poropotank
Creek where he had a store or ware
house. His next home was on the Divid-
ing Creeks in Northumberland County.
He was a justice OF the peace, q member
OF the colonial council, and secretary OF
state, and Is repeatedly referred 10 as a
colonel. The exact date Of his death is
unknown, but his will was proved in
London on the 10th day OF January. 1854
Z g. The Christian name of his wife was
Anne de was married 20 her previous
10 1872. and after his death she became
the wife Of Edmund Lister. His SON
Richard Lee, the great grand
father Of Gen. Robert Z. Lee. of the Con-
federate army. was born in 1917, probably
-
died on the 18th Of March. 1114 az his
home. Mount Pleasant WestnOreland
/ County. Va. an estate OF 2.609 acres. He
was educated at oxford University, Eng
land. He was so clever" said his grand
son. that some great men offered 10
promote him to the highest dignties in
the church Il his father would let him
stay in England but this offer was re-
/ fused. as the old gentleman was deter
I mined 10 fix all his children IN Virginia
Richard spent almost his whole
J life in study, and usually wrote his
/ notes in Greek Hebrew. or Latin
so that be neither diminished nor
/ improved hls pateFnal estate" He was
/ a member of the colonial council in
1876. 1880, 1853. 1855. ls92-l63S and probably
I also at later periods He vas a
/ member OF the House of Burgesses
/ in 1871 and probably earlier. He was
/ naval officer and receiver Of Virginia
dutys" for the river Potomac. includ-
/ ing Westmoreland, Northumberland, and
Stafford counties He was also, in
l6S5. colonel Of the horse in the same
counties Gov. Alexander Spotswo0d Cl676-
| iI40. OF Virginia. described him as "a
/ gentleman Of as fair character as any in
the country for his exact justice. honesty.
and uneXceptiOnable loyalty In all the
I 81 "a zsrh he hae in
j government. he has behaved himself with
I great integrity and sufficiency. and when
his advanced age would no longer permit
him 10 execute to his own satisfaction the
/ duty OF naval officer Of the same district
thought / could not better reward MS
merit than by best0Wiag that employ
I ment on his son" He married Gin 1874,
il is said) Laetiua Corbin eldest daugh-
ter Of Henry Corbin and his wife, Alice
! Eltonhead). who was born about 1865, and
died October c, i7Os. His son
Thomas Lee was born at Mount
Pleasant WestmOTeland County, Va, in
1890, and died, at "Stratford," in the same
county November u. 1850 He was for
many years a member OF the House Of
Burgesses, member Of the council,
later its president, and in i749 was acting
governor of the colony, holding the posi-
tion until his death. he served also upon
various commissions for arranging boun-
daries and making treatiss with the In
dams, and held other similar positions OF
trust and responsibility. He also organ
lied a company for the exploration and
settlement of lands in the Ohio valley
under "a grant Of 500 900 acres IA, Ohio aud
West Virginia, and was its first president.
1t Is said that he once remarked TO one
Of his friends that he had 80 doubt
independent Of Great Britaia and that
the seat of its government would be near
the little falls of the Potomac River" He
married in May, 1722. Hannah Luawell
/ (second daughter of Col Philip LudwelL
Of Greenspring. James City County. Va.
an associate Of the CounciD. who was
born az Rich Neck" Bruton Parish,
James City County, Va, December 5,
1901. and died at Stratford January .. I749
At least four of his sons were distin-
guished for their unselhsh patriotism in
the Revolutionary war, one Of whom
Richard Henry Lee, one of the most
highly distinguished men 10 whom the
State of Virginia ever gave birth. was
born in StratfOrd. WestmOreland County,
January 90 1852. and died at home, Chan
tilly." In the same county. June I9. lIS4.
After a course OF private tuition at home
in Yorkshire. England, after leaving
(which he made tour of Northern Eu-
rope. and, at the age of nineteen. re-
turned TO Virginia. and applied himself
diligently to the study of law, giving
special attention to Roman as well as
English jurisprudence. Like several Of his
ancestors. he was proficient as a classical
scholar and also became ii devoted stu
dent OF modern history. At the age OF
twenty three he raised company 10 join
Gen. Braddock in his unsuccessful expe-
dition against the French and Indians.
and two years later was appointed a JUS
tice Of the peace for Westmoreland County,
Virginia About 1857 he became a member
of the House Of Burgesses. and continued
in that body, when not in Congress, until
1892. when he finally retired from active
life. His first speech in the House Of
Burgesses was on a motion TO lay so
heavy a duty on the importation OF slaves
as effectuaIly to put an end TO that in
iquitCus and disgraceful traffic within the
colony" So pronounced and philosophical
was he in the expression OF his views that
his speech contained the germ OF the
principal arguments employed in later
davs by the Northern AbOlitionists. He
was a determined opponent Of the In
iuuitous Stamp Act, and, In lT74, was
chosen a delegate 10 the hTst Continental
] Congress in Philadelphia, in which he
was member Of some OF the most i'm
portant committees. In the Second Con-
tinentaI Congress he drew up the address
TO the people of Great Britain, which was
carried TO London in l775, by Richard
Penn. About this time he was chosen
lieutenant of Westmoreland County, a
position which gave him command of the
militia. and on account OF which he is
| frequently described as Col Lee. For